Mid-Winter Workshop, February 25, 2012
"Embracing the Past-Embracing the Future"
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 18001 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH

Please join members of the Cleveland Chapter AGO as we discuss trends of the past which defined the musical aesthetic in worship and their relation to where we are headed with current trends of musical aesthetic in worship.

The morning begins with a social from 9:30-10:00 AM at which coffee, tea, and refreshments will be served.

Following the social will be two break-out sessions:
    1)    10:00-10:45 AM (How to embrace the organ in various styles of worship.)
    2)    11:00-11:45 AM (How does the local AGO chapter remain relevant in a changing society?)

A Panera Bread Box Lunch (sandwich, chips, and cookie) will be served from 12:00-1:00 PM.  Options include Mediterranean (Vegetarian), Bacon Turkey Bravo, Chicken Caesar, Napa Almond Chicken Salad, Italian Combo, and Asiago Roast Beef.  Please email Jonathan Moyer  jonathanwmoyer@gmail.com with your reservation and choice of sandwich by Wednesday, February 22.  A free-will offering will be collected for the lunch.

A music-swap table will be available where participants may feel free to share music they are no longer using with others.

[Editor's Note: Karen McFarlane Holtkamp sent the following message to several friends after the Requiem Mass at St. Thomas Church, New York, for Gerre Hancock.  It is such a wonderful report, and her tribute to Mr. Hancock is so moving, we asked her permission to reprint it here.  She graciously consented. We have made a few editorial additions for clarity.]

Gerre Hancock at the Cleveland AGO, 2007

Chick [Holtkamp] and I returned late last night from NYC and the most astounding memorial service we have ever attended - for Gerre Hancock, who had been Organist and Master of the Choristers at St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue NYC from 1971-2004 and Professor of Organ and Sacred Music at the University of Texas, Austin from 2004 until his death on January 21st.  Those of you at Church of the Covenant will recall working with him in 2007 when Todd [Wilson] brought him here for a concert of Gerre's music.
 
The church was packed with people who had flown in from all over the country.  The 5th Avenue doors opened at 9:00 a.m., and - with a long line of people stretching around a city block, the downstairs of the church was quickly filled by a few minutes after 9:00 - for a service which did not begin until 11:00.  Chick, John and Yuri McElliott and I sat with the family up front, so we were able to hear full-force the impact of the hymn singing, the likes of which I have never before heard in my life.  The St. Thomas Choir is the finest men and boy choir in America - indeed, one of the finest choirs in America, period -  and all those voices combined with 108 alumnae of the Choir School who attended and hundreds of other musicians was astounding.
 
If you have about an hour and a half [ed.: actually, three hours, with prelude music] to spare and would like to hear the service (which included the Duruflé Requiem), go to this link:   www.saintthomaschurch.org   In the lower left corner is Latest News.  Click on that.  In the upper box, click on Solemn Requiem Details.  Scroll to the bottom of the page.  You can listen on demand, download the service leaflet if you wish, and the sermon text.  There is also a long column link about Gerre's immense contributions, which is full of good background information.
 
It has been a tough two weeks since his death, for Chick and I have known Gerre for over 40 years; I was his concert manager for 24 of those years and manager of the St. Thomas Choir for 20 of those two dozen years.  We dearly loved our Gerre, as did thousands of other people across the country.  He was one of a kind - organist, choral conductor, choir trainer, teacher, fabulous organ improviser - certainly the finest in America - an incredible wit, and a wonderful, wonderful man.  We left the church yesterday filled with gratitude for such a great life and for the honor of knowing him.
 
K

Every Wednesday from 4:30-5:00pm, the Church of the Covenant in University Circle holds an informal "service of caring" designed to reach out to patients, care givers, and other people in need from surrounding healthcare facilities. Musicians from our area are invited to present meditative musical offerings (typically a prelude, interlude, and postlude). Organists are welcome to play the 1930/1957 Skinner Organ. If interested please contact Jonathan Moyer, jonathanwmoyer@gmail.com.

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.
February 21:   "Oberlin Trio" featuring jazz keyboard artist , Julia Chen,  Matt Adomeit on the bass  and  Nathan Friedman on the drums.

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 February 14. 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.
February 14:  Monica Berens, mezzo; William Jean, baritone; David Gooding, piano.  A Showtime Valentine - Love and Romance from Broadway
February 21:  David Robison, piano; David Gooding, organ.  Music for Two Keyboards by Antonio Soler

Wednesdays:  Music Near the Market at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2031 West 30th St., Cleveland.  CONTACT: Florence Mustric:  216.321.1393.  Featuring the world-famous von Beckerath organ.  FREE concerts AT NOON   on Wednesdays.  
 
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.  Please join us this year as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Brownbag Concert Series - a Music and Art at Trinity Cathedral tradition that began in 1976.  Music and Art at Trinity Cathedral is offering the opportunity to sponsor a Brownbag Concert "in honor" or "in memory" of someone special. Sponsorship levels begin at $500. For information, contact Todd Wilson, 216-774-0421.
February 15:  Valentine's Concert.  Tenor (and former Clevelander) Cole Seaton sings about love in every style!
February 22:  Ash Wednesday  No Concert

Thursdays at 12:15 p.m.:  Old Stone Church, 91 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio.  Thursdays at Old Stone.  Free brownbag concerts every Thursday from 12:15 p.m., lasting 30-40 minutes.  
February 9:   Cleveland State University Keyboard Division  
February 16:   French songs: Jacquelyn Mouritsen, soprano, Patrick Parker, piano
February 23:  Scott Hayes, Organ

Saturday, February 11 at 3:00 p.m.:  Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.  St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Cleveland Heights (216.932.5815) is sponsoring TrebleFest 2012 for the Diocese of Ohio, to be held at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.  A day for young choirs, with singers from St. Paul's Cathedral, Erie PA; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Akron; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights; and Trinity Cathedral.  A day of workshops and rehearsals, culminating in a service of choral evensong at 3:00 (open to the public).  The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth Jr., Bishop of Ohio, will officiate.  Sharon Downey, Daniel Fortune, Richard Nelson and Todd Wilson will direct the day's activities.  This year's Treblefest is dedicated to the memory of Gerre Hancock, who was to have led it.  Rest in peace, dear friend.   Rehearsals 9-3; Choral Evensong at 3:00.  Music of Ridout, Sumsion, Lalouette, and Ireland.

Sunday, February 12 at 1:15 p.m.:  Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, 216.321.5800.  www.fairmountchurch.org.  Brunch & The Almeda Trio-- "Tangos and more!"  Cleveland's bright new trio of pianist Robert Cassidy, cellist Ida Mercer, and violinist Cara Tweed play an eclectic program for a February afternoon. Come warm your hearts as they perform music from their soon-to-be released CD featuring music by Astor Piazolla, Paul Schoenfield, and Cleveland-based composer Paul Ferguson! Join us for brunch at 12:15.

Sunday, February 12 at 2:00 p.m.:  First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, 3630 Fairmount Boulevard at Eaton Road, Shaker Heights, Ohio.  216.531.8292.  Dr. Robert Schneider, organ and Betty Meyers, piano.  Duo Recital.  Organ-Piano Recital, includes works for solo organ, solo piano, 4 hand organ, 4 hand piano, and piano and organ by  Vierne, Rubinstein, Shostakovich, Bach, and featuring the Finale from Flor Peeter's Concerto for Organ and Piano.  

Sunday, February 12 at 3:00 p.m.:  Fairlawn Lutheran Church, 3415 W. Market St., Akron, Ohio 44333.  A Concert with Organ and Brass.  Trumpets:  Carolyn Curtis and Malcolm Bartlett; Horn:  Amy Rach; Trombone:  Eric Dluzniewski; Tuba:  Patti Wnoroski; Organist:  Gary J. Pinter.  Music by Gigout, Curnow, Mussorgsky, Karg-Elert, Holst, Schickele, Conley, Bach, Westenkeuhler, and Bridge.  Free admission.  Refreshments following.

Sunday, February 12 at 4:00 p.m:  St. Sebastian, 476 Mull Ave., Akron, Ohio.  Cleveland Chamber Singers, directed by David Jaronowski, will be presenting a concert.  Works by Quick, Rice and Proulx.  Concert is free and open to the public.

Sunday, February 12 at 5:00 p.m.:  Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.  www.CovenantWeb.org.  216.421.0482.  Candlelight Vespers.  Taizé Vespers.
 
Monday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m.:  First Congregational Church, 444 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio.  Playing the Text: Interpretive Hymn Playing with James E. Bobb.  As St. Augustine said, (one) who sings prays twice. As leaders of congregational song, our challenge is not simply to encourage people to sing, but to sing with understanding and depth, truly taking to heart the words they sing. We will explore how registration, texture, style, phrasing, and harmony help convey the meaning of hymn texts (and help strike the right balance between authoritative leadership and supportive encouragement), and we will explore the creation of hymn introductions by borrowing techniques from a variety of musical literature. Bring your organ shoes and a spirit of adventure.

Saturday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m.:  St. Ignatius High School, the Breen Center, West 30th and Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.  216.556.4405.  www.singersclub.org. The Singers Club of Cleveland under the direction of Mel Unger.  All Work and Some Play!  A light-hearted program featuring songs of work and leisure.  Special guests will be the Obertones, Oberlin College's premiere all-male a capella group - "the best act in Oberlin."  Tickets required.

American Guild of Organists Cleveland Chapter
2860 Coventry Road
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120
216-921-3510

 

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