by:James Lyon Paul Aitken pushes a button on the organ and plays a chord that seems to make the stained glass windows at the far end of the room shake. The notes hang in the air for just an instant, and you could almost reach out and touch them as they bathe him in sound.

Aitken is the festival director of the Classical Horizon’s music festival, a series of concerts featuring classical music and other works, taking place at the First Christian Church at University Avenue and Monroe Street.

As he sits at the organ, demonstrating the sheer power the music can have in the acoustics of the room, he comments on the quality of the sound.

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The music hangs in the air for just the right amount of time, he said, holding up his fingers and snapping to show just how acoustic the room is. It lasts for just a second longer then most notes would, like it is waiting for the next note to catch up. The result is a nice flow of music that just blends together.

Aitken has put his heart into this series, drawing musicians from all over the country. Last Sunday’s concert featured John Rutter’s Gloria by the Carbondale Festival Choir, which drew an audience of more than 200 people.

It was absolutely thrilling, he said. I can’t describe how beautiful the music was, but it was simply incredible. People are interested in this kind of music, and last week’s turnout is a result of that.

Aitken said he wanted to put on a program so that he could bring professional musicians to Carbondale.

I want to try to get the community actively involved with quality musicians by presenting a series featuring high profile local artists, as well as up-and-coming professional musicians, he said.

This Sunday’s concert features soprano Jeanine Wagner, accompanied by Margaret Simmons on piano.

Jeanine Wagner and Margaret Simmons have a sparkle and an energy that is rarely captured by musicians, he said, smiling. They have been playing together for 17 years, and they are absolutely stunning.

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Aitken said the program was made possible by the work from volunteers and sponsors, and he wishes to thank them all, adding that Baldwin Piano’s even donated the use of a piano to the church for the entire festival.

This program was completely dependent on the volunteers and all of the community members that helped out, he said. A local company had donated a large sum of money for the series, and after one concert I had asked them if the money was being well spent, and they told me that the money had already been worth it.

He stops for a second, smiling again. That really means something to me.

Aitken said he is thinking of even bigger plans for next year.

I want to take this beyond Carbondale, he said. We have scheduled musicians for this festival from all over the U.S. Next year, I want to go international, with the possibility of the Amabile Boys Choir from London, Ontario.

But the question that keeps coming up is why. Why go to so much trouble and such hard work to put a music festival of this caliber on?

For the love of music, Aitken said. I get a real thrill out of making music, and I want to bring my love of music to a great deal of people.

Then, as he looks up at the enormous stained glass windows sending colored light dancing across the floor, he adds an even simpler reason that makes everything fall into place.

This is a beautiful church, he said. It deserves good music.

The next concert, featuring Jeanine Wagner and Margaret Simmons, is at 5 p.m. this Sunday, and is held at the First Christian Church at the corner of University Avenue and Monroe Street. For more information contact the First Christian Church at 457-6817.