Sharon Barton of the Hutchinson/Silver Lake-area can thank her husband, Barry, for recognizing her musical milestone of playing the organ for 50 years. She also has played the piano for 57 years, string bass for five years, percussion for seven years, and the harp for a little more than three years. He thought it was worth noting his wife’s mid-century achievement. Sharon, who is modest by nature, just shook her head. She likes to call him her “manager” because he’s her No. 1 fan, supporter and encourager.
Barton credited her lifelong enjoyment of playing music to her mother, Edna Pesina, who was an organist at the Congregational Church of Silver Lake (now Grace Bible Church). She started her daughter on piano with lessons as a 6-year-old at Lincoln Elementary in Glencoe.
“My mother wrote dates on just about everything, so Sept. 15, 1964, was written on my very own scale book,” Barton said. “My piano teacher was Miss Mabel Dascher. She lived only two houses from Lincoln Elementary. It was an easy walk for lessons after school. It was $1 for a half-hour lesson.”
Barton practiced for 30 minutes every day. Her mom set a timer on the family’s upright piano. Her only day off was lesson day.
“I enjoyed it,” she said. “I didn’t balk too much. When it was time to practice, we practiced.”
Barton continued piano lessons through sixth grade.
“It was at this time that accompanying became easy for me and my teacher was a great encourager,” she said.
Barton said she would always remember the fifth- and sixth-grade operetta “Scarecrow Dick.” When the school accompanist wasn’t able to help with the music, Miss Barbara McDowell, the music teacher, asked her to be the accompanist for the program.
“It was a big honor,” Barton said.
It also launched a new phase of her blossoming career — accompanist. From age 12, Barton could be found accompanying the church choir, Glencoe middle school and high school concerts and musicals, and the men’s choristers. She tickled the ivories at the dedication of the new McLeod County Fairgrounds, accompanied Kristin Briggs’ solo during the Hutchinson Water Carnival Pageant and Talent Competition, and the Rev. Brian Brosz when he performed at the summer concert series at Peace Lutheran. She also served as church camp pianist and directed the choir for several years at Silver Lake Congregational Church.
She also stepped up from 2003 to 2013 and mentored Hutchinson High School band and choir students in preparation for the annual solo and ensemble contests.
“I really enjoyed working with the students,” she said. “They listened to me because they wanted to do their best.”
Barton also took her talents out of state, performing at worship services at U.S. Air Force bases. Her brother-in-law served as an Air Force chaplain, so when he was responsible for the service, he would ask her to play.
LEARNING THE ORGAN
Barton was 13 when she transitioned from piano to organ. She took one year of lessons from Emily Wilkins, a church organist, in Glencoe.
She was 15 when she followed in her mother’s footsteps and played the organ for the first time at the Congregational Church of Silver Lake. Her mom recorded the date: Jan. 28, 1973.
“That was the beginning of my years serving as a church organist,” she said. “I have served as church organist in three churches. Presently I’m one of the organists at Faith Lutheran in Hutchinson.”
During her high school years, Barton played string bass in the concert band and percussion in the marching band. After graduating from Glencoe High School in 1976, she headed to St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College in St. Bonifacius), where she earned an Associate Arts degree and participated in women’s chorale. From there, she attended Hutchinson Area Vocational-Technical Institute (now Ridgewater College), where she enrolled in the medical secretary program.
It was Barry, once again, who stepped up when it was time to celebrate his wife’s 25th anniversary as a church organist. He had an idea how to do it, so he reached out to Frederick Swann, director of music and organist at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. He shared his wife’s milestone with him.
“A highlight for me,” she said, “was receiving a congratulatory letter from Frederick Swann, celebrating 25 years as a church organist.”
Things got even better in April 1998 when the Barton family attended the Palm Sunday Service at the Crystal Cathedral.
“After the service we were able to meet with Frederick Swann and I sat at the five-manual organ (an organ with five keyboards),” she said. “I did not get to play it because there was a dedication after the service.”
It’s not surprising after playing in churches for so many years that Barton has her favorite hymns: “Blessed Assurance” by Fanny Crosby, “When In Our Music, God is Glorified” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Her favorite organ piece to play: “Prelude in Classic Style” by Gordon Young.
A NEW CHALLENGE: THE HARP
If you attended worship services Dec. 5 at Faith Lutheran or the harp concert in the afternoon, you may have heard Sharon Barton play the harp with featured artist Reuben Correa. She has been taking lessons from the master harpist.
“I had talked about taking harp lessons for years,” Barton said, “But I was busy with other commitments.”
Once again, Barry took the initiative.
“It was on my 60th birthday, my husband surprised me with a visit from professional harpist Reuben Correa,” she said. “Reuben played for me and talked about the Celtic and folk harps. I felt it was now or never to take lessons.”
In an interesting aside, Barton had met Correa several years earlier when they had purchased a couple of his autographed CDs — and now flash forward he was in her living room.
Although an accomplished pianist and organist, Barton was challenged by the string instrument.
“I found out the harp is a lot harder to learn and play than piano,” she said.
Barton purchased her own harp earlier this year. It’s an accepted practice for a harpist to name his/her instrument, if desired. Barton named her 36-string, five-octave harp Charlette.
Looking back on her more than 50 years of hands-on performance, Barton said she enjoyed accompanying the most.
“We all have our gifts and talents, and I’ll continue to play as I’m able,” she said.
