FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The St. James Concert Series features organist Helen VanAbbema Rodgers in concert on Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 860 N. Section St., in Fairhope.

Rodgers is organist/choirmaster of St. James Episcopal Church, where she directs a music program that includes adult choir, handbells and two children’s choirs.

Friday’s concert will feature works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Pachelbel, Alain and Duruflé.

St. James houses two pipe organs that were basically discards, no longer needed for the places they were initially installed. In 1994, Rodgers coordinated the project to move the 1896, 14-rank Hook and Hastings organ (originally built for Visitation Convent in Mobile) to the Chapel of St James, and in 1996 she negotiated the purchase and relocation of the 63-rank Schlicker organ from a church in Lincoln, Neb.

This organ easily accommodates all types of organ literature, and Rodgers has performed annually on the St. James Concert Series since its inauguration in 1998.

Most recently she performed in the Second Annual Organ Concert at the Gulf Shores United Methodist Church, and in May of ‘09 did a solo performance on the Heissler organ at Spring Hill College for the Southeastern College Art Conference.

Rodgers has held two terms as dean of the Mobile Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

She has studied at Calvin College, the University of Georgia and Westminster Choir College. Summer organ studies have been with Mary LouiseLanglais at St. Clotilde in Paris and Naji Hakim at La Trinite, Paris.

She also played in concerts at Holy Trinity, Sloane Square, London and Saint-Roch, Paris.

Another European organ tour highlight took place in East Germany, where she played two of the organs Bach himself played.

Rodgers' latest European organ playing adventure was in northern Spain and southern France, the most remarkable organs being the Cavaille Colls in the Basque region.

There is no charge for the concert, but a freewill offering will be taken.

For more details, call (251) 928-2912.