Weekly Update - Cleveland Chapter

American Guild of Organists

November 20, 2014

UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS

Friday 1/9/15 - 6 PM to 9 PM

Epiphany Party

Just for fun!

Paul Guyer's home, Solon

Saturday 2/28/15 - Time TBA
Quimby Competition
AGO scholarship competition
Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Cleveland Heights

Sunday 3/6/15 - 7:30 PM
James O'Donnell - Organist and Master of Choristers Westminster Abbey, London
Organ artist recital, AGO co-sponsor
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights*

Sunday 5/3/15 - Time TBA
Psalm Festival / Annual Meeting
Church choirs and congregations
Church of the Covenant, Cleveland, University Circle

From the Dean

New website coming - Our chapter will have a new revamped website in place on Wednesday, December 3. This all began over a year ago when then dean Fern Jennings talked to me as a new member of the executive committee with some IT background about the possibility of a new website. A subcommittee was formed with Bryan Wentzel, Matt Skitzki, and myself. We met and brainstormed the features we thought should be on the new website. We looked at websites from many other chapters and noted ones we liked and didn't like. This was presented to the executive committee. We discussed sources of funding and budgeting and agreed upon how much we wanted to invest in the new site.

We then got three proposals and decided to go with North Forty Road Web Design. This firm is owned by organist Scott Lamlein. They have done excellent work with other chapters, have worked locally with Cliff Hill Music, and did the web work for the AGO Boston National Convention website. North Forty Road specializes in WordPress websites, a relatively new and popular platform. Some samples of their work include Boston AGO, Hartford AGO and as mentioned the National Convention website. A North Forty graphic designer submitted a design which was favorably received by the executive committee and development commenced.

Many thanks and much appreciation to Timothy Robson who created and maintained our current website for many years. Tim, in addition to publishing the weekly update, has done a wonderful job keeping the information on the site looking good and up to date, a formidable task given the amount of musical activity in our area. He asked last spring that the role of webmaster be reassigned so he could focus on other things. We'll be looking for someone to take that on with the new website sometime soon.

Taking a cue from the real estate industry we wanted our new site to be front door attractive. In this day more often than not when people want to find out about an organization they start with a Google search and the first place they look is the organization's website. Our goal is to have an attractive and functional site that would give first time visitors a great impression of our chapter. The URL for our website will be unchanged http://www.agocleveland.org. I look forward to the unveiling on 12/3.

The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow. - Bill Gates

WEEKLY UPDATE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

The Weekly Update will take breaks on the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Please plan accordingly if you need to get announcements in the update.

IDEA CENTER PLAYHOUSE SQUARE TOUR

In response to our renewing sponsorship of Pipe Dreams our chapter has been invited to tour Idea Center at Playhouse Square on December 12 at 2:00-3:00 pm with musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra playing chamber music and being broadcast live. A tour of the facility will follow.

From F. Anthony Thurman, DMA

Director of Development and Communications

American Guild of Organists National Headquarters and THE AMERICAN ORGANIST Magazine

Everyone who joins the AGO the week of November 16-22, 2014, will be entered in a drawing to win one of five copies of the new CD by Stephen Paulus! Please read more online at http://www.agohq.org/membership/join-as-a-chapter-member/#join and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/agohq.

A PERFORMING OPPORTUNITY

The Willoughby Fine Arts Association is looking for an organist to accompany their concert at Painesville United Methodist Church at 4 pm on Sunday, March 22, with evening rehearsals on Fridays March 13 and 20. Works to be performed include the Vivaldi Gloria and some choruses from Messiah, Bach Mass in B minor and St. Mathew Passion. Contact Phyllis Speirs at 216.695.4606 or mezzo1940@att.net.

The Indianapolis Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is proud to host the AGO 2015 Great Lakes Convention. We have planned a fantastic regional convention that you won't want to miss.Mark your calendars for July 12-15, 2015 and RACE TO INDY for Friends, Music and Inspiration.

With twelve world-class organists performing on world-class organs of different styles, twelve workshop opportunities and a keynote address at the convention's opening convocation by the Reverend Canon Victoria Sirota of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, NYC; it is a regional convention you won't want to miss.

The regional convention will be headquartered in the luxurious Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites in beautiful downtown Indianapolis offering reasonable rates, spacious accommodations, impeccable service and minutes away from major attractions in the city. Convention attendees can enjoy dining at the two restaurants within the hotel, 120 West Bar and Grill and McCormick & Schmick's, or enjoy a wide selection of restaurants to fit any taste and budget all within a few blocks of the hotel.

It is the mission of the Convention Steering Committee and the Indianapolis Chapter, AGO to host a regional convention that is fulfilling, inspirational, educational and provides convention attendees fellowship and networking opportunities. We hope you will join us July 12-15, 2015.

Visit our website at http://www.indyago.org/ago-racetoindy2015/

Todd A. Saul
Convention Coordinator
Convention Steering Committee, Chair

THIS WEEK IN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY

On November 21, 1877, German composer Sigfrid Karg-Elert was born. He died in 1933. He wrote a great many organ compositions, especially fantasias on Lutheran chorales. Here is Karg-Elert's famous setting of "Nun danket alle Gott," (Now Thank We All Our God) performed by Alexander D�rr on the Sauer-Orgel in St. Marien, M�hlhausen (Th�ringen).

Sigfrid Karg-Elert: NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT (Marche triomphale) op. 65

CONCERTS OF INTEREST
(Some of these listings are adapted from those on the website ClevelandClassical.com. Please visit their site to see other concerts in Cleveland and northeast Ohio, as well as many articles and reviews of concerts.)

Wednesday, November 19 - 12:15 pm - Robert Myers, organ. Selections from J.S. Bach's Clavier�bung III (German Organ Mass). Trinity Lutheran Church, W. 30th & Lorain, Cleveland. Freewill offering.

Friday, November 21 - 7:30 pm - Trinity Cathedral Choir, Trinity Singers & Trinity Chamber Orchestra, Todd Wilson, conducting, with Jinjoo Cho, violin & Parker Ramsey, solo organ. Works by J.S. Bach including the cantatas Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4 & Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben, BWV 8. Pre-concert lecture by Judith Eckelmeyer at 6:30 pm. Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Tickets: $25, available online.

Sunday, November 23, 4:00 pm - Cleveland Messiah Chorus, Virginia Wieland-Mast, conducting, with Chris Toth, organ, Traci Nelson, trumpet, Janine Porter, soprano, David Wittmer, tenor, Andrew Lipian, countertenor & Jason Fuh, bass. 92nd performance of Handel's Messiah. Grace Lutheran Church, 13001 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights. Freewill offering.

Sunday, November 23, 5:00 pm - Organ Recital & Compline, with the Trinity Compline Choir, Buck McDaniel, organist & choirmaster. Works by William Byrd, Thomas Weelkes, and Felice Anerio. Historic St. John's Episcopal Church, 2600 Church Avenue in Ohio City, Cleveland. Freewill offering.

Tuesday, November 25, 12:10 pm - Music for Tuesdays: David Gooding, organ. Music by Guilmant, Franck & Vierne. Lunches welcome. Messiah Lutheran Church, 21485 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park. Freewill offering.

Wednesday, November 26, 12:15 pm - Robert Myers, organ. Selections from J.S. Bach's Clavier�bung III (German Organ Mass). Trinity Lutheran Church, W. 30th & Lorain, Cleveland. Freewill offering.

Sunday, December 7, 3:00 pm - Advent Music, with selections from Handel's Messiah. FIRST�music will present an Advent Music service at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 647 Reid Ave., Lorain on Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m. The Advent portions of Handel's beloved Messiah will be set in a reflective service of Evening Prayer. A string quartet and soloists will join First Lutheran's Adult Choir under Director of Music Brian Wentzel. Advent Music is an annual event at First Lutheran, based on the Abendmusiken (evening music) made famous by Dieterich Buxtehude and Hugo Distler in L�beck, Germany. Set within the framework of the Evening Prayer, these events use magnificent music to enhance the service and move the listener. This reflective service is a perfect way to slow down during the busy holiday season. Free and open to the public. brian@firstlutheranlorain.org. www.firstlutheranlorain.org/firstmusic(440) 244-6286

Sunday, December 14, 3:30 pm - A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols, featuring nine readings of Salvation with choral/instrumental to follow. Music provided by the Parish Choir of St. Sebastian (60 voice choir), Handbell Choir, Gregorian Schola and Praise and worship ensemble. St. Sebastian Parish, 476 Mull Ave., Akron. Free and open to the public.

Quick Links

Web Site

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:

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.

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.