Weekly UpdateAmerican Guild of Organists Cleveland Chapter
November 17-24, 2011
FROM THE DEAN
Jim Riggs-head shot
Dean Jim Riggs

 Looking Ahead

The Executive Committee voted at its meeting Monday evening to cancel the January Epiphany Party scheduled for Friday, January 6.  Our next chapter event will be a mid-winter workshop with the theme, "Embracing the Past; Embracing the Future."  This event will take place on Saturday, February 25 at St. Peter's Episcopal in Lakewood.  Following the morning sessions there will be an opportunity for us to gather for lunch and to visit with one another.  

Since there will be no weekly email next week, I want to wish each of you a blessed Thanksgiving and all best wishes for great music making during the holiday season.  We do not know who will come to services and concerts during the next few weeks.   So whether playing from a pipe organ, a digital instrument, ringing bells, singing in the choir, or playing an instrument the opportunity is ours to do our best.

Cheers, Jim

 

 

 

 

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Dear AGO Cleveland Colleague,
Welcome to the Weekly Update from the Cleveland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists! Each week on Thursday, we publish this email newsletter to help you stay informed about activities and programs of the Cleveland AGO Chapter. Questions or comments? Please let us know: admin@agocleveland.org  Have a news item for a future issue? Send to: newsletter@agocleveland.org.  The deadline each week is Wednesday at noon for Thursday publication.

 

IN THIS ISSUE
From the Dean
Upcoming Cleveland Events
Executive Committee Meetgins
From the Nominating Committee
A Celebration of Jehan Alain
Discount Tickets to the Cleveland Orchestra
Italian Organ Study Tour
Concerts
About Job Postings
Upcoming Cleveland Chapter Events
 
Chapter Epiphany Party CANCELLED 
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
January 6, 2012, 7:30 PM

Embracing the Past; Embracing the Future
Saturday, February 25, 2012, in the morning
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Lakewood
Details to follow.
Upcoming Executive Committee Meeting
Monday, January 23, 2012; 7:30 pm
Plymouth Church, Shaker Heights

 

From the Nominating Committee
It is time to prepare the slate of candidates for the 2012-2013 election.  We are looking for chapter members to run for Dean, Sub Dean, Treasurer, Secretary and three seats on the Executive Committee.  Here is a list of each office's duties:
  • The Executive Committee meets ten times a year to discuss and direct chapter programming, finances, publicity, scholarships and long-range planning.
  • The Secretary records and distributes the minutes of our meetings.
  • The Treasurer handles our financial accounts and prepares monthly reports.
  • The Sub Dean assists the Dean and chairs the Programming Committee.
  • The Dean is the chief executive officer of the chapter and the official leader of meetings.
If you have never been part of our Chapter's leadership, please consider running for office this coming spring.  If you have been one of our leaders in the past, we would love to have you back.  Either way, please consider joining us in guiding our chapter toward the guild's mission of promoting the organ and choral music.
 
I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Chris Toth
Nominating Committee Chair
(216) 406-0228
registrar@agocleveland.org

 

A Celebration of Jehan Alain
On Monday, November 28 at 7:00PM, Todd Wilson and his students from the Cleveland Institute of Music will present a concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jehan Alain.  Regarded as one of the organ's most original composers, his output was fairly limited as his life was cut short by the second World War.  In addition to Alain's provocative organ works, you will have the opportunity to hear some rarely-performed vocal and piano pieces.   Admission is free.  

For more information, please visit www.cometochristchurch.org

 

A special offer to AGO members
From the Cleveland Orchestra
On December 8, 9, and 10, The Cleveland Orchestra will perform Saint-Saëns's awe-inspiring "Organ" Symphony with Joela Jones, principal keyboardist of the Orchestra. These concerts will be led by famed conductor, Marin Alsop in her much anticipated Cleveland Orchestra debut.

Immediately following the concert , AGO members and guests are invited to meet Joela Jones in the Severance Hall Green Room (located on the concert hall's main floor, left of the stage).

Visit clevelandorchestra.com or call 216-231-1111.

Redeem this offer by using promotion code 11176 .
 
Also, if you have students that are interested in attending, The Cleveland Orchestra's Student Advantage Program makes $10 and $15 tickets available to students beginning the Monday before the first performance (December 5). You are also welcome to contact me about bringing a student group.
 
Please contact me if you would like to invite your members to Cleveland to hear one of the finest orchestras in the world perform the "Organ Symphony" with this special discount.
 
Kind regards,
 
Deidre McPherson
Group Sales Manager
The Cleveland Orchestra
Phone: 216-231-7493
Severance Hall | 11001 Euclid Avenue | Cleveland, OH 44106
http://www.clevelandorchestra.com/
KU Italian Organ Study Tour
From May 16-28, 2012 the University of Kansas will sponsor an organ study tour of Italy. This tour is open to anyone. It will be directed by Professor Michael Bauer working in conjunction with the noted Italian organist Francesco Cera. The tour will focus on restored Renaissance and Baroque instruments. There will be ample time available to take in the art and architecture of the various cities. Sites include Rome, Rieti, Assisi, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Mantova, and Venice. For further information see www.organ.ku.edu or write mbauer@ku.edu.

 

Concerts

 

Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m.:  St. Paul's Episcopal Church 317 East Liberty Street, Medina, Ohio.  Brown Bag Concert   Bring your own lunch or brown bag lunches are available for $5.00.  Just call the church office 24 hours prior to the concert at 330-725-4131.
November 15:  Karen McCurdy, Hammered Dulcimer and Karen Babb,Celtic Harp

Tuesdays at 12:10:  Messiah Lutheran Church, 21485 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, Ohio 44126.  440.331.2405.  www.messiahchurchfairview.org. Music for Tuesdays at 12:10 starts up again on October 18! This will be a wonderful series of programs-a lot of music that you'll not hear anywhere else this year! The programs are held in the sanctuary and are open to the public. Bring your brown bag lunch-we provide coffee, tea, and cookies. The programs conclude before 1:00 p.m. and are entirely informal...come when you can, and leave when you must.  While a donation is not turned down, it's not obligatory.
Nov 22:  The Dinglehop Sisters-Swinging on a Star
Nov 29:  The Baldwin-Wallace Alumni Brass Ensemble
Dec. 6:  The North Coast Consort of Viols; From the Renaissance on...
Dec. 13:  Edith Yerger and David Betts, recorders; Music for Two to Celebrate Christmas
 
Wednesdays at noon:  Music Near the Market at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2031 West 30th St., Cleveland.  CONTACT: Florence Mustric:  216.321.1393.    FREE.  
November 23:  Linda Kempke, harpsichord
November 30:  Robin Jenkins, piano

Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m.:  Brownbag Concerts at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.  216.771.3630.  www.trinitycleveland.org.  Bring a lunch or purchase one for $5.00.  Concerts range from jazz to classical chamber music, big band, pipe organ with brass, vocal music of George Gershwin and much more. All programs take place in the beautiful Gothic nave of Trinity Cathedral. There is no admission fee - a freewill offering is taken at each concert.  The Trinity Commons parking lot entrance is on Prospect Avenue at East 22nd Street (Free parking). Overflow parking is available in the Cleveland State University Prospect garage.
November 30:  Cleveland Orchestra Stars:  Cleveland Orchestra flutist Mary Kay Fink joins organist Todd Wilson in rarely heard works for flute and organ.
December 7:  Organ Recital by Elizabeth Lenti, Trinity's Associate for Music and Worship plays the mighty Flentrop organ.
December 14:  Britten-Fest: A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28.  Cathedral Choir sopranos and altos with harpist Jody Guinn present this holiday favorite.
 
Friday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m.: Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.  216.771.3630.  www.trinitycleveland.org.   Britten-Fest:  Music of a 20th-Century Genius.  Freewill offering.  Saint Nicolas, Op. 42.  The Trinity Cathedral Choir and Chamber Orchestra; JR Fralick as Nicolas.  The Trinity Commons parking lot entrance is on Prospect Avenue at East 22nd Street (Free parking). Overflow parking is available in the Cleveland State University Prospect garage.

Saturday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m.:  Brecksville United Methodist Church, 65 Public Square,  Brecksville  OH  44141.  Duo Keyboard Concert.  Joy Fenton and Chris Toth.  Music for organ & piano and piano four hands.  Freewill Offering.  Music by Peeters, Finzi, Bach, Busoni, Jongen, Raney, and Gershwin.  Joy Fenton, Director of Music.  440.526.8938.   music@brecksvilleumc.com                            

Sunday, November 20 at 11:00 a.m.:  Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd., Cleveland Hts., Ohio.  Forest Hill Church is engaged in a year of art-enhanced liturgies, one per month, and this Sunday, November 20th, the church will celebrate dance and music.  Dancers from Inlet Dance Theatre will dance to Bach's Jig Fugue (played by organist Anne Wilson) and to the closing hymn I Danced in the Morning.  The congregation is marking the 20th anniversary of the Casavant pipe organ with works that feature the organ.  The choir will sing Mathias's Let All the People Praise Thee, O God. Worship begins at 11:00 AM.

Sunday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.:  Church of the Saviour, 2537 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118, 216.321.8880.  www.chsaviour.org.  Thanksgiving Concert.  Festive music for multiple choirs and handbells, including Z. Randall Stroope's American Rhapsody for combined choirs, organ, brass and percussion.  Free-will offering.  Free lighted parking, handicapped accessible.

Sunday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.:  Gamble Auditorium, Kulas Musical Arts Bldg., Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music, 96 Front St. Berea, OH.  Baroque Trumpet, Organ and Timpani Concert.  Michael Miller, Lyle Steelman, and Jack Sutte, trumpeters with The Cleveland Orchestra, present an eclectic shapshot of trumpet music from the Baroque period with organist, Barbara MacGregor.  The program includes trumpet concertos by Albinoni and Telemann, English Voluntaries, and familiar transcriptions by J. S. Bach. Heroic music for trumpet and timpani with timpanist, Josh Ryan, will begin and end the concert.  Free admission.    For more information contact Craig Reynolds, 440-826-807.  creynold@bw.edu,

Sunday, November 20 at 3:00 p.m.:  Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.  216.771.3630.  www.trinitycleveland.org.   Britten-Fest:  Music of a 20th-Century Genius.  Freewill offering.  The Five Canticles, followed by High Tea.  JR Fralick (tenor); John McElliott (alto); Al Glickson (bass); Todd Wilson (piano)

Sunday, November 20 at 3:30 p.m.:  First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, 3630 Fairmount Boulevard at Eaton Road, Shaker Heights, Ohio.  Heights Chamber Orchestra.  The Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4.

Sunday November 20 at 4:00 p.m.:  Brecksville United Church of Christ, 23 Public Square, Brecksville, OH 44141440.  The Bel Fiore String Quartet from the Cleveland Institute of Music. The free concert will feature works by Puccini, Shostakovich, Freckmann, and Milhaud. A free will offering will be received, and a light reception will follow the program. Brecksville UCC is located at 23 Public Square in downtown Brecksville near the intersection of Routes 82 and 21. Parking is available behind the church off 82 or one block south of 82 off Arlington St. The building is handicapped accessible. For more information, call 440-526-4364.

Sunday, November 20 at 4:00 p.m.:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2031 West 30th St., Cleveland.  CONTACT: Florence Mustric:  216.321.1393.  Madrigal Feaste!  Ashland University Chamber Singers.  Rowland Blackley, conductor.  Ashland University Chamber Singers will preview the Christmas season, renaissance style!  Come enjoy the vocal splendor of this distinctive music.  

Sunday, November 20 at 4:30 p.m.:  First Church, 106 N. Main St., Oberlin, Ohio.  The Lorain County AGO chapter is putting on a hymn-playing workshop.  Nicole Keller will be the leader of this event. Free admission; all are welcome! www.lcago.org

Sunday, November 27 at 5:30 p.m.:  Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.  216.771.3630.  www.trinitycleveland.org.    Tuba Christmas Cleveland.  Freewill offering.  Big brass music of the season.  The Trinity Commons parking lot entrance is on Prospect Avenue at East 22nd Street (Free parking). Overflow parking is available in the Cleveland State University Prospect garage.

Sunday, November 27 at 7:00 p.m.:  Grace Lutheran Church, 13001 Cedar Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118.  http://graceheights.org.  Handel's Messiah.  The Cleveland Messiah Chorus, organized in 1921.  Ginie Mast, Director. Christopher Toth, Organ.  Freewill Offering.  Tony Peterson, Secretary. clevmessiahchorus@gmail.com                            

Friday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.:  Church of the Ascension, 13216 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio.  Dusenbury Choral Festival.  Horace Mann Elementary School, Harding Middle School Choir and Sing-Along.  Free-will offering.

Sunday, December 4 at 3:00 p.m.:  First Lutheran Church, 603 Washington Ave., Lorain, OH 44052.  First.music - Advent Music.  A musical prayer service featuring organ and choral music of Johannes Brahms. Free admission.  Brian Wentzel.  440-244-6286.  brian@firstlutheranlorain.org.
                                
Sunday, December 4 at 4:00 p.m.:  Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.  www.CovenantWeb.org.  216.421.0482.  CircleFest Carol Sing.  The entire family is invited to enjoy holiday music and sing-along carols featuring the CWRU Concert Choir, Windsong Chorus, the Covenant Choir and Handbells, and the University Circle Symphony Orchestra.  Christmas Cookie Reception.  Free Admission.

Monday, December 5 at 8:00 p.m.:  St. Sebastian, 476 Mull Ave., Akron, Ohio 44320.  VOCI, Inc. (Voices of Canton, Inc.) in concert on Monday, December 5 at 8 p.m. at St. Sebastian Church.  Featuring holiday music.  Free and open to the public

Tuesday, December 6 at 8:00 p.m.:  Plymouth Church, 2860 Coventry Rd., Cleveland, OH; 216.921.3510 x 34.  Miro Quartet.  Presented by the Cleveland Chamber Music Society.  Tickets are required and available online at ticketsales@clevelandchambermusic.org.
 
Wednesday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m.:  Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, 216.321.5800.  www.fairmountchurch.org.  CityMusic Cleveland Concert.  Conductor Joel Smirnoff, soloist Joan Kwuon, and the orchestra present Corelli's Christmas Concerto (Grosso) Op.6, no.8, Dvorak's Serenade for Strings and Bernstein's Serenade.

Saturday, December 10 and Saturday, December 17 at 8:00p.m.:  First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, 3630 Fairmount Boulevard at Eaton Road, Shaker Heights, Ohio.  Apollo's Fire.  Sanctum Mysterium, a Celtic Christmas.

Sunday, December 11 at 10:30 a.m.: Church of the Saviour, 2537 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118, 216.321.8880.  www.chsaviour.org.  Lessons and Carols.  Seven choirs, brass, organ and timpani.  Free-will offering.  Free lighted parking, handicapped accessible.

Sunday, December 11 at 11:00 a.m.:  Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, 216.321.5800
www.fairmountchurch.org.  Handel's MESSIAH, Part One.  The Fairmount Choir, soloists, and orchestra present the Advent and Christmas portions of Handel's beloved oratorio during morning worship.

Sunday, December 11 at 3:30 p.m.:  St. Sebastian, 476 Mull Ave., Akron, Ohio 44320.  Ceremony of Lessons and Carols,  featuring the Parish Choir, Praise and Worship Ensemble, Cherub and Seraphim Choirs, Handbell Choir and Gregorian Schola.  Featuring music of Mendelssohn, Ord, Rachmaninoff andDanner.  Free and open to the public.  Reception to follow.
 
Sunday, December 11 at 4:00 p.m.:  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2031 West 30th St., Cleveland.  CONTACT: Florence Mustric:  216.321.1393.  An Advent and Christmas Festival!  Some of our most musical friends, including Linda Kempke, will lead a festival of favorites.  Come listen and join in the singing!

Sunday, December 11 at 4:00 p.m.:  First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, 3630 Fairmount Boulevard at Eaton Road, Shaker Heights, Ohio.  Lessons and Carols.
 
No Weekly Update Next Week
Just a reminder that there will be no Cleveland Chapter next Thursday, November 24, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.  Publication will resume the following week.  Have a great holiday!
 
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About Us
The purpose of the American Guild of Organists is to promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles, to encourage excellence in the performance of organ and choral music, and to provide a forum for mutual support, inspiration, education, and certification of Guild members. 

 

Contact Us
American Guild of Organists Cleveland Chapter
2860 Coventry Road
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120
216-921-3510
 
A Note About Job Postings
Gerry Mass, our Cleveland Chapter Placement Officer collects and updates job openings in the area.  Although they are not listed in the weekly updates, there is a link in the "Quick Links" section every week that will take you to the updated list on the chapter website.  Questions or need help finding a position? Email: placement@agocleveland.org