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Born in 1981
in Wichita, Brett indicated interest in the organ by age 3.
While playing by ear and taking piano lessons, he persuaded his parents to
allow organ lessons. By 11, he was playing for a church and continuing
classical organ study. At 15, he had played classical concerts and
continued to play for church. A friend convinced him, somewhat against his
will, to attend a Wichita Wurlitzer concert, and he loved it. He played the
Miller Wurlitzer at the artist's reception that night, and the rest is
history.
With support from Mike Coup and Patti Simon, Brett has developed his own
style at the theatre organ. He has turned down prestigious classical organ
positions in order to stay in Wichita and pursue his theatre organ interest.
Recently elected president of the Wichita area chapter of the American
Theatre Organ Society, Brett attends Butler County Community College and is
organist for a busy music program at First United Methodist Church. Brett will have his
first CD ready for the tour. Called “Lyric Wurlitzer,”
it demonstrates his amazing talent for utilizing the musically emotional
qualities of the theatre organ. The CD was recorded at the Little River
Studio 3/19 Miller Wurlitzer, (owned by Wichita Theatre Organ, Inc., and
installed in the Coup family home.)
For more information about the tour, contact Fuhrmann@vianet.net.au
Contact Brett through Wichita Theatre Organ, Inc.
It is said that one man’s misfortune is often another’s good fortune, and
Wichita’s young Brett Valliant is now a believer. The theatre organ career of this
fine 20-year-old player has been launched dramatically by an unfortunate accident.
Fellow organist Dave Wickerham had been scheduled to leave August 8 for a 5-week tour of
Australia-New Zealand, when he suffered a broken leg (the tibia bone, no less). Because of
the tour coinciding with the U. S. ATOS Convention, the artists Australian tour manager
John Fuhrmann might have usually called were booked, and he commented, “Here we had a
nine concert Australian / New Zealand tour in place, all groups cooperating for their
mutual benefit, and NO ARTIST.
Incidentally, this is not the first time this has happened. Charlie Balogh had to cancel
out on one occasion and he was replaced by a then "unknown" Jelani
Eddington.” Fuhrmann asked around for names and finally followed the recommendation
of a friend who had heard Brett at the 1999 ATOS Regional in Wichita. He made that early
morning call and hired Brett to take over the tour dates. (Wickerham has been rescheduled
for a tour in 2003.)
News From the Tour
In Sydney the attendees reported that Brett played a very balanced program and was both
sensitive and entertaining. Apparently they arranged for Brett to play the Sydney
Town Hall organ (which is very large and one of only two organs in the world with a 64'
stop).
The Hammond concert on Bendigo was fine. He also had a play on the local cathedral organ
and the 3/10 Compton in nearby Ballarat.
Brett is now in Mebourne staying with John Sutcliffe who is the President of TOSA. I
understand he went into the Regent Theatre to play the 4/36 Wurlitzer recently
transplanted from the US and is doing the rounds of other Melbourne theatre organs
(Malvern, 3/17 Compton Hybrid and Coburg, 2/11 Blacket and Howden).
This afternoon he will be playing his concert at the Dendy Theatre in Brighton, which is
the venue where much of the rebirth of Australian Theatre Organ began.
Monday, August 27th, he flies to Tasmania which is a large island off mainland Australia
and will play a concert on Wednesday evening using the 3/9c Wurlitzer in the St. Michael's
school hall in Hobart. The organ is quite a historic instrument as it is a transplant from
Madam Tussards in London.
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