TRENTON, NJ. On Sunday, February 24, 2002, Jelani Eddington brought back to life before a record capacity audience the 3-manual 16-rank Möller Theatre Pipe Organ installed at the Trenton War Memorial, which had not been heard by the public in over eight years.

The public response to the re-dedication of the War Memorial Möller surpassed all expectations and was so great that the beginning of the concert had to be delayed by approximately 25 minutes in order to accommodate everyone who wished to attend the concert. In fact, just prior to the 3:00 p.m. beginning of the concert, a long line of people stretched from the box office around the outside of the War Memorial building. Preliminary reports estimated the attendance at the concert well in excess of 1,000, which was by far the largest audience at the War Memorial for a theatre organ concert in over 25 years, since organist Ashley Miller first dedicated the Möller in 1976.

The Master of Ceremonies for the concert, Michael Cipoletti, noted that it seemed particularly appropriate to ask Jelani to perform the re-dedication concert, since he had not only given his concert debut at the bench of the War Memorial Möller in 1990, but he had also performed the last public concert on the instrument in February 1994.

Following the intermission, Dr. Cathy Martin, president of the Garden State Theatre Organ Society (GSTOS), presented certificates of merit to the volunteer members of the War Memorial organ crew who had dedicated countless hours in maintaining and preserving the War Memorial Möller. In addition, Nelson Page, president of the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS) publicly thanked GSTOS for their efforts to ensure that the War Memorial Moller would once again play to the public.

In a particularly moving gesture, Dr. Martin presented long-time GSTOS member and legendary theatre organist Ashley Miller with a lifetime achievement award in recognition of his stellar career as an organist, composer, teacher, and mentor. Ashley, former organist at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and one of the world’s most renowned and well-respected theatre organists, graciously accepted this honor and wished GSTOS well in its future endeavors.

Highlights from Jelani’s concert included a medley from Jerry Herman’s 1967 Broadway musical, Mame, a suite of tunes written by American songwriter Cole Porter, a transcription of the Overture from Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, as well as an arrangement of Frederic Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu, which Jelani dedicated to Ashley Miller. The audience responded enthusiastically to Jelani’s performance with two standing ovations.