Eloise Sager Kneller
Although Eloise Kneller began her career as a nurse, she returned to school to complete a B.Mus. in piano and organ at Andrews University in 1969. Following graduation, she taught for two years at Upper Columbia Academy in Washington State. After a year of nursing, she traveled with her husband to Canada and, subsequently, to Africa for 13 1/2 years. While overseas, Kneller played piano and organ as needed, gave lessons to a number of missionary children, and taught music in the church school.
Upon the Knellers' return to Canada in 1987, she continued giving private lessons and teaching music in church school. In Kelowna, British Columbia, she conducted the children's choir for six years at Okanagan Adventist Academy. From 1992 to 2004, she also taught piano at a music school in Kelowna. She now teaches a few private students in her home.
In addition to playing for worship services in the Adventist church, Kneller served as minister of Music at the United Church in New Brunswick for three years. She presently serves as organist/accompanist for the United Church in Kelowna where she plays on a historic 1925 Casavant pipe organ. She particularly enjoys the challenge of accompanying and the interplay with the soloists as they make music together.
Kneller recorded her first CD, Organ Reflections, in 2002, in response to two sound engineers who wanted to work with an organist in recording an organ CD. A second CD, Piano Praise, was released in 2003. It includes hymn arrangements as well as selected classical works. She has since released a set of two CDs, titled Just For Fun! and Just For Fun Too! Both feature easy listening classics and older favorite popular piano numbers.
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