The Scranton Times Wednesday, November 1926 Prof. Firmin Swinnen Plays in St. Patrick's Private Organist for Pierre DuPont, of Wilmington, Del., Will Give Concert Dec 8 Prof. Firmin Swinnen, Belgian-American organist, who is to preside at the new organ of St. Patrick's church on the evening of Dec. 8, comes to Scranton with an international reputation. Prof. Swinnen was admitted to the Royal conservatory in Antwerp at the age of seventeen and graduated in 1906 with great honors. Among the honors gained by Prof. Swinnen was the winning of the "Prix Callaerts" awarded by the late Joseph Callaerts, professor at the conservatory and for a time teacher of Mr. Swinnen. His other teachers were Paul Gilson, Emile Wambach, and Jan Blox. Professor Swinnen holds the diploma for organists-choirmasters of the Ecole de Musique de Malines, which was founded by Jacques Lemens, the famous organist. During a most successful concert tour of England, Prof. Swinnen has had an opportunity of playing on practically all the famous organs of that country, giving 260 recitals in less than one year. Coming to America in 1916, he was one of the first organists to preside over a concert organ in a theater. He wrote five books of original compositions call "The Theater Organist," also composing the now famous "Chinoiserie." In 1920 Prof. Swinnen was the first to play Widor's Fifth Symphony with an orchestra at the Rivoli theater, New York, with a spectacular pedal cadenza of his own. Later he went to Philadelphia and at present is private organist for Pierre S. DuPont, of Wilmington, Del. Admission to the organ recital at St. Patrick's church will be by ticket only. The tickets are at present being distributed by members of the Blessed Virgin Sodality.