April 25, 2022

Monica Czausz-Berney, Chicopee native, presents anniversary organ concert

REGIONAL
By Stephen Kiltonic

SPRINGFIELD – On April 22, Monica Czausz-Berney, one of the top young organ musicians in the country, performed a free concert at St. Michael’s Cathedral in commemoration of the 75^th anniversary of the Springfield Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO).

The title of her performance, “Fanciful and Divine,” featured a wide variety of both sacred and secular styles from classical composers like Bach, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky to more contemporary composers such as Naji Hakim and Nikolai Kapustin.

Berney is a graduate of Chicopee High School and the former Holy Name of Jesus School in Chicopee. She performed her first concert recital in 2009 at the Assumption Church in Chicopee when she was only a sophomore.

Berney went on to earn a combined bachelor and master’s degrees in organ performance at Rice University in Houston. During the past 13 years, she won numerous competitions and performed at conventions, AGO anniversaries, and some of the most prestigious concert halls in America, including cathedrals in Salt Lake City, Houston and Montreal, as well as England. In March, Berney made her debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

Diane Rundstrom, Berney’s eighth-grade music teacher, attended the concert and recalls when Monica first encountered the organ at Assumption Church. “I knew she was an incredible pianist and vocalist. She sat at the organ. She moved her hands all over the keys and said ‘I can do this. This is like having an entire orchestra at your fingertips,’” said Rundstrom.

Peter Beardsley, who traveled to Springfield from Manchester, New Hampshire, was Berney’s first organ teacher. Beardsley, now retired, was the organist emeritus at Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield and instructed her for two years.

“I knew from the outset that she was an astounding talent. She came to me at 15 and by 17 she was playing better than I ever have. She’s just an amazing talent, certainly the finest I’ve ever had the privilege to teach,” said Beardsley.

The concert showcased the cathedral’s 1929 Casavant organ which features 6,600 pipes and was the largest organ in Massachusetts when it was installed days before the stock market collapse.

“I think I really have an ear for the Casavant sound because the very first concert at Assumption Church was a Casavant as well and that was the organ I was practicing on from day one. So, it’s just a beautiful, beautiful instrument to play. It is a challenge. She’s an old girl and she was never installed with a computer system,” said Monica, adding that she enlisted the help of Beardsley to manually reset all the buttons between the individual songs.

“It’s not a program for organists. It’s a program for everybody and I think it’s just really exciting music. I want to break open everything you think you know about what the organ is because it has so much possibility. It blows my mind,” she said.

Berney has become known for her creative programming and innovative use of the organ. Beardsley concurred and said that he’s pleased, but not surprised, at her success. “She has an amazing combination of work ethic, innate musicality, and sheer intelligence,” said Beardsley. “Monica is in the forefront of people expanding what the organ can do and how people should think of the organ.”

Berney’s parents, Cindy and Edward Czaus, were also in the audience. “It’s a very proud moment. She always puts on a good show,” said Cindy. “This was great to have her home and so many of my family and friends and co-workers came. It was a great way to share her talent.”

“A lot of concerts, a lot of practices, a lot of competitions, a lot of hours in church pews through the years and it’s been quite a journey. Many years to make a name for herself,” said Edward Czausz.  

“I’m excited to have a homecoming and kind of give back to the community that shaped me,” Berney said. “I kind of owe so much to the Springfield chapter of the AGO. I credit them with raising me to the organist I am. So, it’s a tremendous privilege to be back playing for their 75^th birthday party.”

A reception was held in the Bishop Marshall Center after the concert. Berney and her husband, Ryan, were married last September at St. Michael’s Cathedral.  

After Springfield, Berney returns to Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center where she gives the world premiere of a new organ and orchestra commission. Berney will return to the Springfield area in October when she performs a concert rededicating the 1892 Johnson and Son organ in the Congregational Church of Monson.
  
A video version of this story will be on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-TV22 NEWS.