Young artist takes on St. Dunstan’s Dobson Tracker organ.

In 1953, the Carmel Bach Festival was in its 18th year, and it inspired a young student to ask her teacher why there wasn’t such a festival for children. In response the teacher, Tirzah Mailkoff, founded and became the first music director of Berkeley’s Junior Bach Festival, a showcase for young players under 21. It was there in 2016 that organ educator Dr. Angela Kraft Cross first noticed Chase Olson.

“There’s one event that’s almost like a musical petting zoo,” Kraft Cross recalls. There are lots of musical instruments set up and available. The kids can touch and play them all. I saw Chase go up to a harpsichord. It was not so much. But when he touched and played the organ he lit right up. There was a spark there.”

Now a 15-year-old sophomore at Terra Linda High School in San Rafael, Olson has studied with Kraft Cross for two years, and has performed on organ at the Berkeley event twice. He comes this way this weekend for a debut Carmel Valley date at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal, sandwiched between recitals at St Paul’s Episcopal in Salinas, and St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco.

Since its much heralded installation in 2015, the Dobson Tracker organ has transformed the music program at the Carmel Valley church.

“It has more than lived up to its advance bidding,” St. Dunstan director of music ministries Steve Denmark says. “The organ has markedly raised our congregation’s appreciation of and involvement with our liturgical music.”

According to St. Dunstan publicist Sheila Hiebert, one objective was to expose young people to works for the organ. “Chase’s appearance represents an achievement of that goal.”

CHASE OLSON, ORGAN 3pm Sunday, Aug. 5. St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church 28005 Robinson Canyon Road Carmel Valley. $20. 624-6646 saintdunstanschurch.org