Obituary
Paul Fejko
July 9, 1957 - May 5, 2025
Paul Fejko (born Paul Michael Fayko, Jr.), age 67, of Chester, Pennsylvania, died on May 5, 2025 from glioblastoma. Born in Folcroft, PA, he was the son of the late Paul M. and Myrtle E. (Lowe) Fayko. He is predeceased by his half-brother, Robert Grist, half-sister, Sylvia (Grist) Langan, his brother-in-law, Jack Langan, and his nephew, John Langan.
Paul (or "Fej" to many) was prodigious at the piano from a young age and was enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia in 1969. There he cultivated his talent under renowned pianist Rudolf Serkin and organist Alexander McCurdy. His excellent instruction at Curtis coupled with his joie de vivre led to a lifetime of wonderful "adventures" (as he called them) as a musician, composer, conductor, and rehearsal pianist. He worked with some of the world's great ballet and dance companies: the Ballet of Lyon in France, Maurice Béjart's Ballet of the Twentieth Century in Brussels, Belgium, and Theater Bremen in Germany. He also collaborated with Gilles Brinas' Argentinian dance group Che Malambo and Gilles Chavassieux's Theatre Les Ateliers. More recently he accompanied dance classes at University of the Arts and Muhlenberg College.
Paul never forgot his love of the pipe organ and recorded thirteen albums on large European and American organs. For over forty years he maintained a position as Music Director at historic Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in Philadelphia where he was known to make "the finest small organ in Philadelphia" resound with music ranging from sublime to exuberant ("Fly Eagles Fly" was a frequent postlude after worship on big game Sundays!). He also excelled as a photographer, A/V technician, and stage lighting designer. His latest adventure was founding the André Café Acoustique, home of the Chester Performing Arts Project, in Chester, Pennsylvania. His vision to bring quality music to the residents of Chester came to life in 2004 and continued for twenty years with the eclectic sounds of jazz, blues, bossa nova, opera, classical, and spoken word.
Paul is survived by his nephew, Bruce Langan (Vicki), his closest friend, Megan Bartlett, and a host of colleagues, friends, and acquaintances from here and abroad. A celebration of his life will be held at 3pm on June 21, 2025 at Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in Philadelphia (915 S. Swanson St. Phila., PA 19147). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church and designated for the "Fejko Fund for Organ Maintenance".