Asa W. Carns is a native of Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

Musical studies began with

Frank Straley and continued through high school with Eileen Brown. Asa began his
career as a church musician when he was a freshman in high school. He sang with
and later accompanied and directed the Clearfield Choral Society.
He was the first student to double major in Sacred Organ Performance and Piano
Performance at Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH studying organ under Trudy
Faber, and piano with Stephen Siek, Dr. Robert Wynne and Dr. William Walters. Asa
also attended the Berliner Kirchenmusikschule in West Germany for two years,
having studied organ with Karl Hochreiter, Liturgisches Orgelspiele with Renate
Zimmerman and piano with Herbert Froundijan. Vocal instructors were Dr. Orcenith
Smith at Wittenberg, Frau Nagata in West Berlin, Rosette Hillgrove at Duquesne
University and R. Eugene Smith and Rebecca Ryan in Clearfield.
Asa sang in the Chapel Choir, The Wittenberg Choir, Schola Cantorum and the Phi
Mu Alpha Barbershop Group. He was also Chapel organist, played at Christ
Lutheran Church in Springfield, OH and substituted at local churches.
In West Berlin, Asa played at the American Church, the Kaiser-Wilhelm Kapelle, and
at local churches. He sang with the Spandau Kantori, a group that sang for the
National Radio, television and public concerts. Asa played at the American house in
Berlin and also performed a solo organ concert.
Asa has been a church musician for 37 years. His church work has allowed him to
serve various denominations including Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist,
Methodist, Missionary Alliance, and Roman Catholic churches. In some positions
Asa has served as organist, director of music, minister of music, and choir director
for both youth and adults. Mr. Carns has been an active private music teacher for
33 years. Bi-lingual teaching was how Asa first began in West Germany. He is an
accredited Suzuki-Piano Method music teacher offering personalized instruction in
addition to group class learning.
Asa has sung with and accompanied the touring choirs of Juniata College, the
Pennsylvania Chamber Chorale, and the Regent Chorale. These groups have
traveled to Romania, The Czech Republic, Hungary, West Germany, Austria, New
Zealand, Fiji, Australia and Ireland. This has enabled Asa the opportunity to play
many historic and/or celebrated pipe organs in these countries sharing many of his
favorite organ works with audiences.
During tours with Educational Opportunities to The Holy Land and The Passion Play
in Oberammergau, Asa helped plan and performed in daily worship gatherings.
Asa sings tenor, and if the accompanist for the State College Choral Society. He
represented the society in the first ever Honors Choirs in San Diego and Rhode
Island as ACDA conventions. Asa sang with, accompanied, and served on the board
of the Pennsylvania Chamber Chorale.

Asa was organist for the Coudersport Consistorys Passion Play for several years and
also served as Juniata Colleges organist.
Asa has been a consultant for churches desiring to purchase or restore instruments.
He has played for various dedications, social events, fundraisers, weddings, private
parties, special benefits and other concert performances. Asa is in demand as an
organist for weddings, funerals and organization of many memorial services.
Performing
concerts
to
help
raise
funds
for
specific
causes
or
organizations in need of donations, Asa has also organized several 9-11
Remembrance services.
As an accompanist, Asa has been part of The RosaCara Duo, the Gospel Quartet
The Masters Plan, and Leslie Beers Suzuki Friends programs. Asa has helped out
with musicals at Clearfield Area and West Branch High Schools as music director
and/or pianist. Asa has worked with Bob long and the Sacred Music Academy by
singing or accompanying. He has performed with the Albion Community Chorus and
Mercyhurst College Choir. Mr. Carns has helped with musical concerts at the
Altoona Cathedral and with Arietta, conducted by Jan Mianulli. Mr. Carns and
professional Bass-Baritone Jim White, have performed many concerts in various
venues around the state. They are known as JIMASA.
Asa founded and has produced The Lenten Bach Box Lunch Concert Series in
Altoona for the past 11 years. He has accompanied various guest musicians or has
performed solo on the piano or organ himself. Each December, Asa has organized
and produced ecumenical Christmas Cantata performances involving various
churches, special guests, former students, and family members for many years.
Asa has worked at The Clearfield Christian Missionary Alliance School and has been
music teacher for the TLC School and the R.O.C.K. after school program in Altoona.
Asa professionally teaches piano, organ, and voice privately in Clearfield, State
College, Altoona, and in Elk county. Asa produced two CDs Christmas As I Hear It
and Reflections of Our Faith. More CDs are in the works.
Currently, Asa is the organist at Providence Presbyterian Church in Altoona, PA and
is part of the teaching faculty at the State College Music Academy and The Robert
M. Sides store in State College.
Asa is a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, The American Guild of Organists, and
the Suzuki Association of the Americas.