In case you hadn't heard, Beethoven isn't just a genius anymore. He's a god. And his shrines are in gas stations, warehouses and Italian restaurants across America. Welcome to the Church of Beethoven, an experiment launched by cellist Felix Wurman in 2007 in Albuquerque, N.M., to offer informal Sunday morning performances of classical music. Wurman's idea was a simple one:
How about a church that has music as its principal element rather than as an afterthought?
The church's first venue was a filling station, but when audiences outgrew that space, the casual concert series moved to a warehouse. The Church of Beethoven concept spread to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and this summer has expanded to Oak Park, Ill., where musicians plan to perform in an Italian restaurant. So tell me, central Ohio: where should our Church of Beethoven be?
Read more:
- The Church of Beethoven offers a 'Worship' alternative in Oak Park (OakPark.com)
- Church Preaches The Music of Beethoven (NPR)
