This fall, Olivet Nazarene University will again host the Ovid Young Memorial Organ Recital Series — honoring the musical contributions of the late Dr. Ovid Young ’62, a professional organist, professor and artist-in-residence in Olivet’s School of Music.
All concerts will take place on campus in the Hawkins Centennial Chapel, and are free and open to the public. Parking is available near the chapel.
The Ruffatti organ at Olivet has been expertly crafted by Fratelli Ruffatti of Padua, Italy, one of the world’s most distinguished pipe organ builders. This impressive organ has a four-manual console that controls the “speech” of the array of thousands of pipes — only a portion of which can be seen by the audience. The instrument has 125 ranks, including 75 ranks of Ruffatti wind-blown pipes and a digital component of 50 additional ranks from the Massachusetts firm of Marshall and Ogletree.
In 2004, when Betty and Kenneth ’53 Hawkins first heard about the University’s plans for a new Chapel, they contacted then University President John C. Bowling to arrange to give a specific gift in support of the project. The Hawkins strongly believed that the chapel should include a pipe organ — that such an instrument would be a mark of maturity for Olivet as a prestigious institution of higher education. As part of their gift, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins requested that Dr. Young chair the committee in charge of choosing, purchasing, installing and introducing the new organ. Dr. Young organized organ recitals from 2011-2024. Since 2017, this organ recital series has been a celebration of musical performance in honor of his legacy.
Monday, September 22 | Noon — Kavin Sampson (featuring flutist, Stephanie Lupo)
- Kavin Sampson has been involved with music (primarily for churches) in the area for 50 years. Mr. Sampson grew up in Austin, Minnesota, where he showed an early interest in music. By his senior year in high school, he was the organist for one of the larger churches in town. In 1971, his music studies took him to Northwestern University (Evanston) to pursue two degrees (B.M. And M.M.) in organ performance. In addition to church music, he has also been involved with Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, Kankakee Valley Theater Association, River Valley Wind Ensemble, and Kankakee Municipal Band. Over the years, he has played clarinets (in six different sizes), oboe, English horn, bassoon, contra bassoon, various saxophones, trumpet, recorders, and piano in these organizations.
- Stephanie Lupo has taught flute, flute choir, music history, class piano and body mapping classes at Olivet, and she loves teaching these topics, along with ukulele, at the ONU Summer Music Camp. She earned her doctorate in Flute Performance and Pedagogy with a secondary area in Music Theory from the University of Iowa.
Monday, October 6 | 7:00 p.m. — Jane Holstein (featuring pianist, Joel Raney)
- Jane Holstein is delighted to return, once again, to her alma mater. Upon graduating from Olivet Nazarene University, Jane continued her music studies at the University of Kansas and went on to receive a Doctor of Music from Northwestern University in organ performance. She is active in church music as director of music ministries at the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest where she oversees the vocal choirs, handbell choir, and brass ensemble, and works with the associate for music ministry, Dr. Josh Ring. Jane recently retired from her position as music editor at Hope Publishing Company where she served for 25 years. During that tenure she edited several hymnal publications, multiple keyboard collections, countless choral publications and many other church-related products. She stays busy as organist, pianist, worship planner, concert artist and grandmother of two.
- Joel Raney started playing the piano sometime between learning to walk and learning to read. His taste for gospel music began in a rural Baptist church in Alabama, an influence that shows strongly in his work to this day. After completing his degree in choral conducting at the University of North Alabama, he went on to sharpen his keyboard skills, earning a master’s degree in piano performance at The Juilliard School. Joel is a sought-after choral and keyboard clinician, and stays busy performing throughout North America as a piano soloist and in duo-concert with organist and fellow Hope Editor, Jane Holstein.
Friday, October 17 | 1:00 p.m. — Josh Ring (featuring pianist, Paul Kenyon)
- Josh Ring earned a DMA in organ performance and pedagogy from the University of Iowa (UI), where he also earned a master’s of arts degree in organ performance. Studying organ with Gregory Hand, Dr. Ring was a recipient of the Rahn and Frawley Organ Fellowship from the UI School of Music. He also earned a master’s of music degree in composition with David Maki, and a performer’s certificate in organ with James Russell Brown, both from Northern Illinois University. Dr. Ring earned a bachelor’s of music in music composition, from Olivet, graduating summa cum laude. Dr. Ring has been a professor at Olivet Nazarene University in the School of Music since 2019. He loves working with students in the classroom and on the stage. He teaches music theory, aural skills, organ, composition and piano, and he’s active as an accompanist for student performances. Dr. Ring is also the associate for music ministry at the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest, where he serves with the director of music ministries and Olivet alumna, Jane Holstein.
- Paul Kenyon is member of the music faculty at Olivet Nazarene University where he teaches courses in applied piano and music theory. Born in upstate New York, Dr. Kenyon studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, and Bowling Green State University before earning the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University. Dr. Kenyon has recorded three CDs of solo piano music — “Garden Music,” “Chiaroscuro” and “Delight, Touch and Inspire” and performs frequently with a variety of chamber music and jazz ensembles.
Save the Dates for the Spring 2026 Organ Recital Series
Monday, March 23 | Noon
Daniel Segner
Monday, April 20 | Noon
Madeleine Woodworth
For more information about School of Music events and other happenings on campus, visit Olivet.edu/events
