AGO logo Weekly Update - Cleveland Chapter

American Guild of Organists

September 25, 2014
UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS


Sunday 10/12/14 - 4 PM
Anthem Reading Session
Bring your favorite piece from your choral music library, we read them through. Get ideas for your church programming
Gesu Parish, 2470 Miramar Blvd, University Hts, OH

Saturday 11/1/14 - 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Roberta Gary - Professor Emerita of Organ at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
Body Mapping for Organists Workshop, co-sponsored by Oberlin, CIM
Church of the Covenant, Cleveland*

Friday 11/14/14 - 7:30 PM
Jonathan Rudy - Winner of the 2014 National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance
Organ recital sponsored by AGO, St. John's Cathedral, and Trinity Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Cleveland*
 

From the Subdean, Matt Skitzki    

 

Next chapter event:
Choral Reading Session  
Sunday, October 12, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Church of the Gesu
2470 Miramar Blvd. University Heights, Ohio 44118
St. Francis Chapel

Bring your favorite choir anthem.  We will read through each other's favorites, have fun making some music together, and get ideas for your choir programming.  If you have never been to a choral reading session, they are a great way to discover new music!  And if you have never been to the St. Francis Chapel at Gesu, you are in for a treat.  It is a beautiful space, cozy but resonant, perfect for this occasion, with a fine one manual organ and grand piano.  Special thanks to Dr. Joe Metzinger, Director of Music Ministries at Gesu, for arranging for us to use the chapel.  We all had a blast at the kick-off party.  Let's keep this season going strong!

Gesu is across the street from John Carroll University.
Free parking in adjacent lot.

Contact me, Matt Skitzki, your Sub-Dean, at 216-832-1378 if you have any questions.
 

 

SEEKING AGO CLEVELAND NEWS

Newsletter information is always welcome for these weekly updates. Please send news items of all kinds to newsletter@agocleveland.org. Items for the concert calendar should be sent to calendar@agocleveland.org.

PHANTOM AT THE OPERA AT SEVERANCE HALL

Tuesday, October 28 - 8:30 pm Severance Hall
Lon Chaney as the Phantom

"Phantom of the Opera" silent movie accompanied by organist, Todd Wilson. Film projected on a large screen above the Severance Hall stage. Film music played and improvised on Severance Hall's Norton Memorial Organ which will be onstage.

Experience the terror and fun of Halloween with one of the greatest horror films ever made and live accompaniment improvised by acclaimed organist, Todd Wilson. In this classic 1925 movie about romance and murder, the love-obsessed Phantom (Lon Chaney Sr.) haunts the Paris Opera House in pursuit of Christine (Mary Philbin). The fully improvised accompaniment features Severance Hall's mighty Norton Memorial Organ, considered one of the finest concert organs ever built.

Cleveland AGO is interested in supporting the public use of the concert organ at Severance Hall . Our chapter is reserving a block of tickets for our members in the center section of the hall and close to the stage. The discounted group price is $40. (regularly $50.) If you are interested in purchasing one or more of these tickets, please contact Don Jackson at donclef@aol.com by Friday, October 10th. These tickets may go quickly. First come - first served.

AN INVITATION TO ORGANISTS AND CHOIR DIRECTORS FROM QUIRE

Dear Organists & Choir Directors,

Won't you be our guest at Quire Cleveland's upcoming concerts this weekend? 

"The Flower of Flanders" includes works by the greatest composers of the Renaissance - Josquin, DuFay, Ockeghem, Willært, Lassus, Rore, and more. The music ranges from the humble "Pater noster" by Jacob Arcadelt to the 12-voice Kyrie from Brumel's "Earthquake" Mass (Missa Et ecce terræ motus). There are tributes, too, like Gombert's "Musæ Jovis," a moving lament for Josquin, and Isaac's "Quis dabit oculi mei," in tribute to Lorenzo Il Magnifico de' Medici. And in honor of the dedication of the Duomo in Florence is DuFay's "Nuper rosarum flores," full of awe and wonder.

Your complimentary ticket is available online with the discount code CDO (for Choir Directors & Organists). Just click on the date that you'd like to attend and order a General Admission ticket:

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
2747 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland Heights

Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church
4223 Pearl Rd, Old Brooklyn

Historic St. Peter's Church
E 17th St & Superior Ave, downtown Cleveland.

Program information, directions and other information is available at quirecleveland.org.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to seeing you at Quire Cleveland concerts!

Cordially,
Bev

Beverly Simmons, Executive Director


AN INVITATION FROM THE LORAIN AGO CHAPTER

Sunday, September 28, 2014,  3pm-5pm
First Congregational United Church of Christ
140 S.Main Street, Wellington, OH 44090

The Leek Pipe Organ Company along with The Lorain County Chapter of American Guild of Organists and The First Congregational Church of Wellington, warmly invite you to join us.

Exemplary craftsmanship by the renowned JW Steere & Son Company in 1896, coupled with routine care and a commitment to musical excellence has preserved the 117-year-old Opus 417 pipe organ at First Congregational Church. It has helped also that the Wellington, Ohio, church has entrusted the upkeep of the historic instrument to our firm and engaged us to perform a complete an extensive restoration of the instrument. The two manual Steere was built as an early vintage combination tubular pneumatic (Pedal division) and tracker action (Great and Swell divisions). Enhancements over the years included installation of a 30-note pedalboard and slide tuners on metal treble pipes. Currently the pipe organ has three divisions, 13 stops. Its manual compass is 58 notes and its pedal compass is 27 notes. It has slider chests and a freestanding oak case. To learn more visit http://www.leekpipeorgans.com/news/recent-projects.html

James Leek and staff will do a brief presentation on the recent restoration of the instrument. Organist John Kearin, a recent graduate of Oberlin Conservatory will demonstrate a few pieces. Interested AGO Members will have an opportunity to play the instrument. Light refreshments will be served as well.

We are grateful to Reverend Brian Burke and Organist Gordon Black who have generously opened up their church to host this event. If you have any questions please email or call Nichole Weeden at nichole@leekpipeorgans.com/440-775-4111. Please bring a friend or colleague and forward this on to anyone else that may be interested.

We look forward to a pleasant afternoon of fine music and fellowship.

CONCERTS OF INTEREST

Weekly Tuesday lunchtime concerts at Church of the Covenant. See the schedule. 

September 26, 27, 28. See concert details. The Flower of Flanders: Masterpieces of Renaissance Polyphony. Quire Cleveland brings you glorious music by the greatest composers of the Renaissance: Josquin Desprez ("The Prince of Music"), Guillaume DuFay, Roland de Lassus, and many more! These composers from Flanders dominated music in the same way that Italians dominated the visual arts. Giants like Leonardo, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Tintoretto had their counterparts in DuFay, Josquin, Willært, and Lassus, and a remarkable number of other sublimely talented composers. They were trained in the choir schools of the North, and often drawn to the brilliant courts of Renaissance Italy. Come hear the flower of their music: exquisite motets of contrapuntal mastery, astonishing variety, and sonorous splendor!

September 28, 2:00pm. Salzedo Harp Duo: Nancy Lendrim and Jody Guinn, Sunday, September 28 at 2:00 p.m. The Salzedo Harp Duo, Nancy Lendrim and Jody Guinn, performs at the Church of the Saviour 2537 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, one block north of Fairmount Blvd. The church has free parking and is handicapped-accessible.

 

Sunday, October 12, during the 10am worship service, the Old Stone Choir, soloists and a chamber orchestra will perform Charles Gounod's St. Cecilia's Mass. St. Cecilia is the patron saint of music, and has become a symbol of the conviction that good music is an integral part of the liturgy. FREE valet and validated parking for the 10am Sunday service. Old Stone ChurcH, 91 Public Square, Cleveland. 216.241.6145 www.OldStoneChurch.org
 

THIS WEEK IN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY

Yesterday, September 24, 2014, the great English scholar, conductor, and musician Christopher Hogwood died at the age of 73. He was a mega-star of the historically informed performance practice movement, from the early 1970s onward. You can read his obituary in The Guardian. Here is an excerpt from a 1982 performance of Handel's Messiah at Westminster Abbey with the Academy of Ancient Music, which Hogwood founded in 1973.

HANDEL - MESSIAH - Hallelujah - Westminster Abbey, 1982
HANDEL - MESSIAH - Hallelujah - Westminster Abbey, 1982
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Job Openings/Substitutes

 

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Church of Covenant lamps
Handel, George Frideric
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
34520 Sherbrook Park Dr.
Solon, Ohio 44139
440-349-7086
 
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.