AGO logo Weekly Update - Cleveland Chapter

American Guild of Organists

February 20, 2014
From the Dean    

 

Jennings, Fern
Fern Jennings

 

Putting on my hat as Chapter Exam Coordinator, I want to remind you of the deadlines for applications to take Guild Exams this year. Applications for Service Playing or Colleague test are due by March 1. Applications to take the Associate, Choirmaster or Fellow Exams are due by April 1. Service Playing exams are arranged at a time convenient to the applicant and the proctor. The Colleague Exam will be given on May 19. The advanced exams will be given on May 28 and 29. Our chapter is offering rebates in this calendar year of $100 to five members who take the exams. So far one member has taken advantage of this offer so there are still rebates available. If you have any questions about the exams please send be sure to ask me.

Brian Wentzel forwarded his handouts from his excellent workshop at Trinity Cathedral. I have included them below. They are also posted on our website at the bottom of the home page.  Also remember to forward the Pedals, Pipes and Pizza information to interested students. Look for application forms on our website for our pre-college scholarships (also posted at the bottom of the home page) or contact Carol Neff for information.

Best to you,

Fern 

 

NEXT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

Monday, April 7, 2014, 7:30 pm, Place TBD
 
 
PEDALS, PIPES AND PIZZA

organ pipe & staffSaturday, March 8, at Baldwin Wallace Chapel, Berea

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

 
UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS

An Evening of Sacred Jazz *

Sunday, April 6 - 7:30 pm
Forest Hills Presbyterian Church
3031 Monticello Blvd. Cleveland Heights

Forest Hills Church Choirs join with Cleveland Jazz Orchestra quintet performing sacred works in jazz styles.

 
Bach Institute Open House *
Friday, April 25 - 1 to 3 pm
Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, Berea

Mel Unger, Bach Institute Director, will share treasured scores from the Bach library.

 
REDUCED MEMBERSHIP RATES NOW IN EFFECT

Half-year membership is now available at the following rates:

REGULAR VOTING MEMBER $ 50.00

SPECIAL VOTING MEMBER $ 36.00

STUDENT VOTING MEMBER $ 22.00

PARTNER VOTING MEMBER $ 30.00

DUAL VOTING MEMBER $ 5.00

STUDENT DUAL MEMBER $ 5.00

CHAPTER FRIEND $ 5.00

This is a good time to invite colleagues to join the Guild!

COMING SOON: ONLINE MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL- WATCH FOR IT!

 
FROM THIS MONTH'S CHAPTER PROGRAM 

Helpful information from Brian Wentzel's Workshop at the last chapter program:


Clergy/Musician relationships
AGO workshop
February 10, 2014
Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland


Common pitfalls
ˇ power struggles (the musician almost always loses)
ˇ being too perfectionist/controlling/inflexible
ˇ avoiding addressing issues
ˇ triangulation (not speaking directly with the person with whom you have a disagreement)
ˇ being passive aggressive
ˇ differing expectations
ˇ lack of communication
ˇ lack of planning (pastor)
ˇ clergy abuse of musician

Best practices
ˇ operate as a team
ˇ respect each other
ˇ be flexible
ˇ learn each others' language (i.e., theology, music)
ˇ have regular staff meetings
ˇ plan together
ˇ don't take yourself too seriously
ˇ know how to address and resolve conflict
ˇ have a written contract - clear expectations and understanding of roles
ˇ fit your work within the goals of the church/institution - it is a ministry
ˇ have a non-church support group
ˇ have non-work stress relief outlets
ˇ nurture your own spirituality
ˇ know when to leave keep your résumé and skills up to date so you are not trapped
ˇ Bibliography


The Church Musician, revised edition.
Paul Westermeyer
Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1997.

Rivals or a Team? Clergy-Musician Relationships in the Twenty-First Century.
Eileen Guenther
St. Louis: MorningStar, 2012.

Extraordinary Leadership
Roberta M. Gilbert, M.D.
Leading Systems Press
Falls Church & Basye, Virginia

The Cornerstone Concept
Ibid.

Extraordinary Relationships
Ibid.

The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory
Ibid.

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times
Peter L. Steinke
The Alban Institute
Herndon, Virginia

Creating a Healthier Church
Ronald W. Richardson
Fortress Press

 
ONCARD

The AGO's new Online National Collection and Remittal of Dues (ONCARD) system allows members to pay their dues online using a credit card. Members can also update their personal information, search for Guild members, and make contributions.

Members will be able to review and update their personal information starting the first week of March.

In April we will launch the 2014-2015 dues season and will begin invoicing members by email.


TODAY IN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY

On this date in 1648, John Blow, English organist and composer, was born. He became organist of Westminster Abbey in 1668. He resigned his post as organist in 1679 in favor of his pupil Henry Purcell, but resumed it again on Purcell's death in 1695 and held the office until 1708. From 1687-1703 he was also Master of the Choristers at St Paul's Cathedral. He wrote anthems for the coronations of James II and William III, together with many odes, songs, sacred works and instrumental pieces. He was buried in the north choir aisle of Westminster Abbey on 8 October 1708, near the door which at that time led to the organ. The inscription reads near his tomb reads:

"Here lies the body of JOHN BLOW, Doctor in MUSICK: who was Organist, Composer and Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal, for the space of 35 years; in the reigns of K.Charles the 2nd, K.James the 2nd, K.William and Q.Mary, and Her present Majesty Q.ANNE: and also Organist of this Collegiate Church about 15 years. He was Scholar to the excellent musician Dr Christopher Gibbons and Master to the famous Mr H.Purcell, and most of the eminent masters in musick since. He died Octob. ye 1st 1708, in ye 60th year of his age. His own musical compositions, (especially his church musick) are a far noble monument to his memory, than any other can be rais'd for him."
Here is a recording of Blow's "Salvator Mundi" as sung by the Chichester Cathedral Choir. Of interest is its use of chromaticism and dissonance. 
Chichester Cathedral Choir: Salvator Mundi (Blow)
Chichester Cathedral Choir: Salvator Mundi (Blow)


Concerts and Events of Interest

  

Remember to send us your concert listings for our Google calendar and weekly updates. Send them to  newsletter@agocleveland.org. Some of our concert listings have been gleaned from ClevelandClassical. For a complete list of concerts plus previews, reviews and more from Cleveland's classical music scene click the link www.clevelandclassical.com.   


 

"GOD'S RESPLENDENT WORK BEGUN", A Hymn Festival. Sun. Feb. 23, 3:00 pm. First Lutheran Church, 603 Washington Ave., Lorain. This hymn festival will explore the theme of light in hymns, readings, and anthems. Hymns old and new, familiar and obscure, will guide us along the path. There will also be organ and choir music, and all the hymns will be sung in interesting arrangements, many of them by Director of Music Brian Wentzel, who will also direct the First Choir and play the organ and piano. 

 

Trinity Brownbag Concert: CSU Keyboard Students, Wed., Feb 26, 12:10 pm. Performers to be announced. Lunches welcome, $5 lunch available. Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Freewill offering.


Linda Kempke, organ. Wed., Feb. 26, 12:15 pm. "Forerunners of J.S. Bach". Music by Hofhaimer, Frescobaldi, Buxtehude, Scheidt & Susato. Beckerath organ. Trinity Lutheran Church, W. 30th & Lorain, Cleveland. Freewill offering.


Oberlin Faculty Recital: James David Christie, organ. Wed., Feb. 26, 8:00pm. Program to be announced. Fisk organ. Finney Chapel, Oberlin College, 90 N. Professor St. Free.


Jazz Vespers, Sun. March 2, 5:00 pm. with Paul Ferguson, soprano Sandy Simon & a combo augmented by violin and French horn. Part of a religious service. St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 2747 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Hts. Freewill offering.


Choral Arts Cleveland, Sun., March 2, 7:30pm. Martin Kessler, conducting. "New Music from Old Friends" by Antony Pitts, Morten Lauridsen, Bob Chilcott, Robert Cohen & William Godfree's Requiem. Grace Lutheran Church, 13001 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights. Freewill offering.


Valparaiso University Chorale, Monday, March 3 7:00 pm. Christopher M. Cock, conductor. Program to be announced. Mary Queen of Peace Church, 4423 Pearl Road, Cleveland. Freewill offering.

Beethoven Mass in C and Choral Fantasia, Sun, March 9, 4pm. Fairmount Presbyterian Church 2757 Fairmount Blvd Cleveland Heights. Fairmount Choir and Orchestra, with Halida Dinova, pianist; Robert Moncrief, conductor.

Dan Miller, organist & composer/arranger. Sun, March 16, 3:00pm. Divinity Lutheran Church, 11877 Blossom Ave, Parma Heights. Divinity Lutheran Church's 65th Anniversary Concert Series Presented by Arts in Action Featuring Dan Miller, Organist, Composer & Arranger. Mr. Miller will be playing on the 132 rank Rodger/Rufatti pipe organ. 

 
Quick Links

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Job Openings/Substitutes

 

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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

 
About These Updates
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:
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.
Contact Us
American Guild of Organists Cleveland Chapter
21600 Shaker Blvd
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
216-751-2320
 
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.