Christopher D. Wallace, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York. He also holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a piano/organ soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist, Dr. Wallace has performed and adjudicated in select cities in the U.S., Europe and Central America. As a church musician, Christopher serves as Music Director/Organist at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Edina, Minnesota. Dr. Wallace is president and owner of Allen Organs of the Twin Cities, Inc., and Allen Organs of Iowa, a mid-west representative for the Allen Organ Company, which specializes in the installation of digital classical church, theatre or pipe/digital combination instruments. Christopher and his wife, Megan (pianist), live in St. Louis Park, MN with their beloved dogs, Ruby, Keva and Shira, where they maintain an active private studio, Wallace Piano and Organ Studios.
Kraig Windschitl is a native of New Ulm, MN where his love of music was instilled at an early age. He is Organist and Director of Handbells at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN. Kraig is a graduate of the Perpich School for Arts, Saint John’s University (BA – Theology/Church Music), and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, (Master of Music in Organ Performance/Sacred Music).
Kraig serves on the board for the Minnesota Music Teachers Association as well as the Indiana University Organists Alumni Association. He is the first American to record on the 3 organs of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem during his residency, summer of 2015.
It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that Kraig joins Allen Organs of the Twin Cities, Inc. as a Sales Associate. A long time fan of the Allen organ, he plays regularly on Allen installations throughout the Twin Cities metro Metropolitan area.
John A. Thuringer is a native of Eden, South Dakota. John’s love of organ began in 1981 on the two manual 1955 Allen TC-1 analog organ at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eden under the guidance of Msgr. Clarence Trautner. During high school, John was active in band playing percussion and accompanying the various choirs at Roslyn High School. At college at South Dakota State University in Brookings, he played piano and organ at the Newman Center and St. Thomas More parishes. John received his Bachelor of Arts and Science in Rural Sociology with a minor in Journalism in December 1992.
John moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1995. He is currently the organist at St Mary’s Catholic Church (III-35 rank 1965 Aeolian-Skinner) and the chapel organist at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls (II-5 rank 1997 J.F. Nordlie & Co). Prior to these appointments, John served as assistant organist at St Joseph Cathedral for 18 years. John is an active member of the South Dakota Chapter of the American Guild of Organists; and has served as Dean and Vice-Dean. John continues to play for weddings and funerals in Sioux Falls and surrounding cities.
In addition to music, John is a full-time Fine Wine Consultant with Okoboji Wines and loves to travel, cook at home and collect wine. Getting to hear and the great Cavaille-Coll organs at St. Sulpice, St Denis, St Clotilde and Notre Dame in Paris during the summer of 2015 was definitely a highlight of his musical career.
John can be reached in Sioux Falls, SD at (605) 359-6664, johnthuringer@icloud.com or 3912 E Brewster St, Sioux Falls, SD 57108.