What are you reading on these house-bound winter days? Besides The Goldfinch, a novel by Donna Tartt, a fictional story about a real painting of that name by Fabritius, and what happens to it and a young boy after they both are victims of an art museum bombing, I have two books about music to recommend to you. I first which I have finished is Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing with Others by Stacy Horn. It is a memoir of singing with the Choral Society of Grace Church in New York City. Horn writes about her experience of singing as an amateur in the choir. Her descriptions of the dynamics of choirs are spot on. She writes about the history of choral singing in general and in America specifically. In chapters whose titles are specific choral pieces she writes about those works as well as about the workings of choral groups and her personal reflections and history with the music and the choir. It is a book to make you feel gratified being a part of the singing tradition as most of us are as directors, accompanists or singers. Read it. Recommend it to your choir.

The second book which I am still reading is Deep River: The Life and Music of Robert Shaw. Because Stacy Horn quotes him so frequently I decided I should read this new biography by Keith C. Burris, Associate Editor of the Toledo Blade. Aside from his being a musical icon of choral music, I didn't really know very much about my illustrious predecessor. I first turned to the chapter on Shaw's tenure as Director of Music at First Unitarian Church, where I am currently the

Robert Shaw

Director of Music. The biographer describes the time at the church as happy respite for Shaw in an otherwise painful chapter of his life. Shaw grew up as a Baptist minister's son, a role and religion from which he rebelled. He was drawn to the humanist teachings of Dr. Robert Killam, the minister of First Unitarian Church at the time. He was given the freedom to form the kind of music program he wanted at the Church. He had the opportunity to perform Chamber Music with select musicians. His religion was music, his congregation the choir, his text Bach, Brahms, Beethoven.

I discovered that Shaw did not have a music degree. That he was largely self taught or privately coached. He learned on the job with the Fred Waring Singers, his own choir The Robert Shaw Chorale, with Toscanini, with George Szell. Music was his life. The author does not gloss over his failures- as a husband and father to his first family, his drinking or philandering. What emerges is a picture of a real person, albeit with a level of talent, ambition and drive far above the average person. Shaw remade choral music in America. His legacy is the excellent teaching and breadth of fine choral singing found around the country in schools, churches, symphony halls.

When I am at the church these days I am thinking more and more of him walking the halls of my church. Chatting with Robert Killam in the Minister's Study, leaning over the railing of the balcony where his choir and orchestra performed. Hopefully not too critical of my efforts with my choir (I understand he was a bit of a yeller in the early days). It is more than a little humbling but also inspiring to be in such a lineage.

Best to you,

Fern   

 

 

What is Pedals, Pipes and Pizza? It is a National AGO program to introduce young piano students to the organ. Our chapter is co-sponsoring this event with the Conservatory Outreach program of Baldwin Wallace. The program will be Saturday, March 8, from 10 am to 2 pm in the Chapel at BW. It is geared toward Middle School and High School students, ages about 11 to 16, and is free - teachers and parents of the participants are also welcome. AGO is providing pizza and beverages for the for the participants. If you have piano students in your church or friends who teach piano we would be most appreciative if you could email to them the flyer announcing the event and registration form, which can both be downloaded as PDF files at the bottom of the chapter's home page. 

Questions? please contact Barbara MacGregor, macmus@roadrunner.com or Nicole Keller, organ Instructor at BW, at nkeller@bw.edu or by phone at 216-310-1694.

With appreciation,

PPP committee: James Buncher, Sue Huszai, Annie Kaschube, James Leek, Brian Wentzel; Nicole Keller and Barbara MacGregor, co-chairs

Claire Capri Kaschube was born on Jan. 25 @ 4:12 PM weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces. We are both doing well and will be heading home shortly. Her mom is member Annie Kaschube. Congratulations!


Tim Robson played a recital at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Chestertown, Maryland on January 17. He began his program with music for Epiphany by Tournemire, Distler, Buxtehude and Bach. He also play works by William Grant Still, Phillip Glass and Eugene Hancock. The instrument is a 2-manual Harrison & Harrison instrument from the mid-1990s

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

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 Tuesday at 5 PM for Thursday publication.

American Guild of Organists Cleveland Chapter
21600 Shaker Blvd
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
216-751-2320