AGO logo Weekly Update - Cleveland Chapter

American Guild of Organists

March 27, 2014
From the Dean    

 

Jennings, Fern
Fern Jennings

 

My almost five year old granddaughter is learning to read. It is enchanting to see her puzzling out a difficult word. She is also taking pre-piano and enjoys telling me how you can write a song with symbols on a paper. Back to basics. How long since we have done that? I always run through the Sunday hymns during the week but this past week I spent a little extra time going back to basics on a couple of them. My basic hymn practice involves reading the text through and then playing only the melody line to make sure I am playing a perfect legato except at the breaths. I check to see if the breaks go with the text. Next I add the inner voices, thinking especially about repeated notes and whether they will break or tie. Then I add the pedal, making sure each note is secure and legato, unless there is a break or the style indicates non legato. Put it all together and my hymn is ready go. Hopefully now with a renewed appreciation and focus.

Playing elaborate hymn reharmonizations or intros is fun, but first, let's make sure we have a good clean basic hymn-playing style that our congregations can follow!

Best to you,

Fern  

 

UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS

Jazz Vespers at Forest Hill Church
Jazz Vespers
Sunday, April 6 - 7:30 pm

SACRED JAZZ VESPERS  
Swing to the Lord a New Song

Forest Hill Presbyterian Church
3031 Monticello Blvd. Cleveland Heights

Forest Hill Church choirs (Anne Wilson, director)  join a jazz combo from the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra in performing sacred works in jazz styles. Join your fellow AGO members in experiencing this special musical service.

Reception with New Orleans bread pudding with bourbon sauce afterwards!

Free program and free-will offering received.  Guests expected and welcome!

PRE-PROGRAM DINNER. For Chapter members and guests who would like to meet for dinner before the program we will meet at the Thai Lotus House 1918 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. http://www.lotusthaihouse.com/ at 5:30 pm for food and fellowship. Please RSVP to Fern Jennings if you are planning to attend.


Bach Institute Open House
Friday, April 25 - 1:00 OM
Bach Library, Rm. 160 Boesel Musical Arts Center, 
new wing of the  Baldwin Wallace Conservatory.

Dr. Melvin Unger, Bach Institute Director, will share treasured scores from the Bach Library vaults.

Entrance to the building is at 49 Seminary Street, Berea, Ohio 4401. Parking at corner lot across the street.  

Following the tour our group will walk to Sweet Mango, 43 Front St. for refreshments.

If your schedule allows, you may want to stay on campus for the 4 pm Opening Concert of the Bach Festival. See program and ticket information below.  

Please send your reservation for the library tour and/or Sweet Mango Restaurant to Sub-Dean, Barbara MacGregor, macmus@roadrunner.com by Monday, April 21st.

BACH FESTIVAL FIRST CONCERT  Friday, April 25, 2014 - 4:00 p.m.  Gamble Auditorium, Baldwin Wallace University, featuring Baldwin Wallace Conservatory Alumni: Gene Stenger '10, tenor; Michael Keelan '02, violin; Heidi Albert '90, cello; Sean Gabriel '82, flute;
Charles Berginc '76, trumpet; Lyle Steelman '01, trumpet; Nicole Keller '97, organ and harpsichord; William Shaffer '98, organ and harpsichord.
Works by Johann Friedrich Fasch, J. S. Bach, Jean-Philippe Rameau, George Friedrich Handel,  G.B. Viotti, and Francesco Manfredini

Tickets are priced at $35. $30. and $20. Purchase through the Special Events Coordinator, BW Conservatory.  440.826.8070 (ehaskell@bw.edu)

See the full  Bach Festival Schedule of Events at www.bw.edu/academics/libraries/bach/festivals/bachfest/
NEXT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

Monday, April 7, 2014, 7:30 pm, Church of the Savior, 2537 Lee Road.
We have been invited by Bob Day to view the new organ console of the church at 7:00 pm. Bob will demonstrate the console and invites us to play if we like. 
 
ONCARD

You should have received in your inbox by now a notification from AGO headquarters about how to access your personal information on the Oncard system. Please follow the directions to go to the site and make sure your information is correct. We will use this information for our chapter directory so it is important that you keep it updated. We have also added a Cleveland Chapter specific listing for the chapter substitute list.



CHAPTER NOMINATIONS

The report of the 2014 nominating committee and bios of the candidates can be found on our website: agocleveland.org.


HOLTKAMP ORGAN COMPANY OPEN HOUSE

What: Holtkamp Organ Company Open House
When: Saturday 5 April, 2014 from 10:30 AM - 12 noon
Where: 2909 Meyer Avenue, Cleveland, OH
What to see: 10 stop house organ to go to Ashland, KY, assembled and ready to play.
How: Call or email to let us know if you will be attending, and the name and number of your party.
216 741 5180 or Office@holtkamporgan.com
Coffee, tea and breakfast snacks will be served

THIS WEEK IN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY

English organist and conductor, Martin Neary, was born on this date in 1940. Neary is best known as music director of Westminster Abbey for the funeral of Princess Diana. He has been a promoter of the music of John Tavener, whose "Song for Athene" was performed by the choir of the Abbey. He was dismissed from the Abbey by the Dean of the Abbey in 1998, a dismissal that was upheld although his musical abilities and the work he had done for the Abbey were recognized. After leaving his Westminster post, Martin Neary has continued his career as an organist, conductor and writer. He performs frequently in the U.S.  Here is a video of Neary playing Bach's Toccata in D Minor at the BBC Proms in 2004, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, playing the Fugue in Sir Henry Wood's arrangement..

Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor (orch. Wood) - Slatkin conducts 
Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor - Martin Neary, organist 
 
 
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.   



Stambaugh Organ Series: Edward Moore, organ & Nathan Carterette, piano. Sunday, March 30, 4:00 pm. The Star-Spangled Banner, J.S. Bach's Komm, süsser Tod (arr. Virgil Fox), Liszt's Totentanz, Vierne's Carillon de Longpont, Ravel's Jeux d'eau & Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Stambaugh Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Avenue, Youngstown. Tickets available online. 
 
Bach Birthday Concert, Brian Wentzel, organ. Sunday, March 30, 3:00 pm. Prelude and Fugue in B minor, Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, Trio sonata No. 1 in E flat, Wachet Aur, ruft uns die Stimme, Canonic Variation on Von HImmel Hoch, Concerto in A minor after Vivaldi, Jesu, Joy (with Choir) and Prelude and Fugue in D Major. First Lutheran Church 603 Washington Ave Lorain

NEOsonicfest: Jonathan Moyer, organ. Monday, March 31, 7:30. "Music from the Abyss" by Bach, Messiaen, Kee, Ligeti, Schoenberg & Bolcom. Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Free, donations welcome.

Music for Tuesdays: Samantha Fitzenrider, soprano & Sam Morgan, baritone. Tuesday, April 1, 12:10 pm. "On the lighter side of church and stage". Lunches welcome. Messiah Lutheran Church, 21485 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park. Freewill offering.  

Justin Murphy-Mancini, organ (Oberlin). Tuesday, April 1, 12:15 pm.  Program to be announced. 12 Noon Carillon recital by George Leggiero. Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Free.

Trinity Brownbag Concert: Judith Overcash, soprano & Allen Huszti, baritone. Wednesday, April 2, 12:10 pm "Love, Lost and Found". Lunches welcome, $5 lunch available. Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Frewill offering.

Florence Mustric, organ. Wednesday, April 2, 12:15 pm. "Menu of Favorites" to be selected by the audience. Beckerath organ. Trinity Lutheran Church, W. 30th & Lorain, Cleveland. Freewill offering.

Sonnenberg Station, Men's choral ensemble, Tim Shue, director. Saturday, April 5, 7:00 pm."The Wait and the Walk", classical and contemporary songs about moving forward and standing still. Dover Congregational UCC Church, 2239 Dover Ctr. Rd., Westlake. Freewill offering.

Quire Cleveland, Ross Duffin, conducting. "American Choral Gems." Saturday, April 5, 7:30 pm. Program includes music by Stephen Foster, William Billings, Amy Beach & Patty Stair. Christ Episcopal Church, 3445 Warrensville Center Rd., Shaker Heights. Tickets available online (under 18 free).

Timothy Robson & Daniel Parks, organ. Sunday, April 6 1:15 pm. Recitals on the Ruggles and Schantz organs in memory of Richard Ruggles, M.D. Brunch at noon. Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights. Freewill offering, donation for brunch.

Holtkamp Organ Dedication Recital, Mark Lindgren & Gary Pinter, organ & piano.Sunday, April 6, 4:00 pm. Program to be announced. Fairlawn Lutheran Church, 3415 W. Market St., Fairlawn. Freewill offering.

Quire Cleveland, Ross Duffin, conducting. "American Choral Gems." Sunday, April 6 4:00 pm. Program includes music by Stephen Foster, William Billings, Amy Beach & Patty Stair. Historic St. Peter's Church, 1533 E. 17th Street at Superior, Cleveland. Tickets available online (under 18 free).
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.