Welcome to the Southeast Region Blog!



Welcome to the Southeast Region Blog!


Greetings to all members in the Southeast Region of the American Guild of Organists. I hope that this blog can be an easy way for us to keep in touch. Please contact me for news and events from your chapter that should be included. I'm happy to spread the word! Scroll to the bottom of the page for the regional events calendar.


Best wishes for a wonderful 2015-2016 season.


Laura


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Ellis visits Wilmington Chapter

On Tuesday, March 13, your regional councillor was once again on the road! I spent a wonderful day in Wilmington, North Carolina. An early morning flight got me into Wilmington in plenty of time to do an organ crawl! Led by the gracious Chapter Dean, Justin Smith, I was able to hear & play the pipe organs in 8 different churches! WOW!

Laura (RC) and Justin Smith (Dean, Wilmington Chapter)

I was honored to be able to attend the memorial service for the Wilmington Secretary, Linda Nance, at First Presbyterian Church. Linda, a dedicated AGO board member, had passed away the previous week.

The evening closed with my dinner presentation for assembled chapter members entitled "The American Guild of Organists: Who are we and what is our future?" As always, it is wonderful to spend time with guild members. Thanks to Justin and the Wilmington Chapter for inviting me!

Monday, March 28, 2016

Spring Greetings from your Regional Councillor

Here are the Top Five Things you should think about now that you have survived Easter:

1) Register for Houston (http://www.agohouston2016.com). I recently registered and it was painless, really . . .  
2) Could your chapter host a regional convention? No chapter is too small and it is never too late to think about it. Hint, hint, we'll soon be looking for a 2021 host. In 2017 we are going to Jacksonville, Florida!
3) Donate to the annual fund as an individual and as a chapter. The national organization needs to be competitive when we apply for grants. Higher percentages of giving among our members and chapters make for a stronger application! No amount is too small and it is never too late to think about it.
4) Support a young organist from your chapter to attend the POE in Atlanta this summer. The future of our organization is in the hands of these energetic folks. Support them!
5)  Go to your local chapter meetings, greet a friend, and greet someone you don’t know. Gee, invite a guest to come with you. Who knows, they might like it!!!


Thanks for all that you do to support the guild. I hope to see each of you at an AGO event soon!

Monday, January 25, 2016

Tompkins performs in Tryon, NC

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross in Tryon, NC is delighted to present Dr. Charles Tompkins, organist, in recital on Saturday, February 13, 2016, 7:00 pm.

Dr. Charles Tompkins is recognized as one of America's most outstanding organ teachers and concert organists. A member of the Furman University faculty since 1986, his students have gained admission to major graduate schools in organ performance--including Yale University, Indiana University, and Florida State University--and may be found in significant church and university positions.

A graduate of the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan, Tompkins performs each year at universities and major churches throughout the United States. He has played recitals at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Piccolo Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston, S.C.

Tompkins has also performed at national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists, Association of Anglican Musicians, Music Teachers National Association, and the College Music Society. His performances have been broadcast nationally on American Public Media's PIPEDREAMS radio program.

Dr. Tompkins' program at Holy Cross on February 13 will include:
J. S. Bach, Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C, BWV 564
Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Opus 65
Ned Rorem, Four Pieces from Organbooks I-III (1989) 
            (Rondo, Pie Jesu, In Nomini Domine, Reveille)
William Albright, Sweet Sixteenths (A Concert Rag for Organ)
Joseph Jongen, Toccata, Opus 104

An active church musician throughout his career, Tompkins has been organist of Greenville's historic First Baptist Church since 1997, where he presides over the largest organ in South Carolina, an 86-rank instrument by Casavant. He has served as consultant for a number of outstanding organs, including Furman's magnificent Hartness Organ, a 42-stop instrument by C.B. Fisk Organbuilders.

This concert will be free and open to the public. Donations to the William E. Seifert Memorial Organ Recital Series will be especially appreciated in order to continue to offer fine organ concerts at Holy Cross. Holy Cross Episcopal Church is located at 150 Melrose Avenue, Tryon, NC. For more information, please call the church office at 828-859-9741.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Snowy NC meetings in Baltimore

National Council meetings were held in Baltimore on January 21-22. Highlights from the meeting include Winter Storm Jonas (29.2 inches of snow reported at the airport) and a good discussion of all things AGO.

Regarding Winter Storm Jonas, here is a picture from my hotel room in the Mt. Vernon area on Saturday morning -- George Washington statue in the background.


Those assembled had a great discussion of the exciting new Virtual Youth Chapters (if you don't know about these, ask an under-30 AGO member near you); a presentation by the Marketing Committee; reports from all councillors; and an update on the guild's discussions with the FTC.

The guild is doing well -- thanks to you!

I hope to return to the Southeast soon. My Friday night flight home was cancelled, as were my rebooked Saturday and Sunday flights. Keep your fingers crossed that my Monday flight is a go. I'm ready to get back to the wonderful southeast region!!!