Treasure Coast Chapter Choral Festival and Officer Installation

Your Regional Councillor took a lovely Sunday drive down to Vero Beach for the Treasure Coast Chapter's annual choral festival and officer installation. This year the event was held at First Baptist Church with Dr. John Sinclair (Rollins College) serving as guest clinician. Installed were Ron Mattie (Dean), Baden Griffin (SubDean), Ray Hoag (Treasurer), and Daniel Kroger (Secretary). Thanks for a wonderful afternoon!

RCCO 2014

The 2014 RCCO Convention will take place in London, Ontario from July 6-8. London is a two hour drive from both Detroit and Buffalo and easily accessible from most of Michigan, western Pennsylvania and Northern New York. You can learn more about the Royal Canadian College of Organists at: http://www.rcco.ca/index.cfm

Maybe a trip to Canada is in your future?

Memphis AGO Chapter presents a Centennial Celebration Concert Series honoring Tennessee AGO’s Centennial

See below for a detailed listing of events associate with the "Centennial Celebration." Sure to be a wonderful event! 

1) SEPT 8, 2013

    Organ Virtuosi: The Next Generation – An exciting, diverse program of music for organ performed by former scholarship winners, sponsored by Memphis Chapter, American Guild of Organists (AGO). Several of these young musicians now hold professional music positions. This concert is the opening event of the Centennial Celebration hosted by the Memphis Chapter, AGO.

- Sunday, Sept. 8, 4:00 p.m.

- Location: St. Peter Catholic Church, 190 Adams Ave., (intersection: Third St. and Adams), Memphis, TN; Tel: (901) 527-8282, ext. 15.

2) OCT 7,  2013    Play It Again, but on the Organ – Popular orchestral favorites performed by concert artist/composer Dr. Dennis Janzer, hosted by Memphis Chapter, American Guild of Organists (AGO) in its Centennial Celebration season. This program includes organ arrangements of Ravel’s Bolero, Entry of the Gladiators by  Julius Fučík, Light Cavalry overture by Franz von Suppé, and Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune. All ages will enjoy this event that includes all the bells and whistles of the 1921 Möller Organ!
- Monday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.- Location: Scottish Rite, 825 Union Ave. Memphis, TN; Tel: (901) 526-7679  

3) NOV 3, 2013

    Night of 100 Stars: Organ Concerto Concert – A rare opportunity to see Memphis’s Kimball organ starring as the soloist with orchestral accompaniment! Program to be introduced by Kacky Walton and Darel Snodgrass of WKNO, and guest host Michael Barone, Director of National Public Radio’s Pipedreams.
    This once-in-a-lifetime Centennial celebration event showcases members of American Guild of Organists (AGO)—Memphis chapter, the GPAC Youth Symphony Orchestra, and musicians from the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

    Program includes the world premiere of Concerto No. 2 for Organ and Orchestra composed by Memphian Dennis Janzer; Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss; and Symphony for Organ and Orchestra by Charles-Marie Widor. A reception will follow. Hosted by Memphis Chapter, American Guild of Organists (AGO), in its Centennial Celebration season event presented by the Memphis Chapter, AGO.

- Sunday, Nov. 3, 6:00 p.m.

- Location: Bartlett United Methodist Church, 5676 Stage Road in Bartlett, TN 38134; Tel: (901) 386-4563

4) FEB 3, 2014

Centennial Celebration Choral Service – Featuring premiere performance of “You Shall Go Out with Joy “ a Tennessee AGO-commissioned anthem by nationally acclaimed Tennessee composer Daniel Gawthrop. Rhodes College choral ensembles and Christ Church Chamber Choir join together in presenting an all Gawthrop service. Hosted by Memphis Chapter, American Guild of Organists (AGO), in its Centennial Celebration season.

- Monday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m.

- Location: Wilson Chapel at Christ United Methodist Church, 4488 Poplar Avenue;
Tel: (901) 683-3521

5) MARCH 21, 2014

    Paul Jacobs in Recital – Called “precisely what the organ scene needs right now” by the Los Angeles Times, Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs has been lauded by critics and audiences alike for his tremendous technical abilities and for the wide range of emotions he is able to coax from the instrument. First receiving acclaim for his sweeping marathon performances of the complete works of Bach and Messiaen, Jacobs has proven himself a tireless advocate for new organ works and core repertoire for nearly two decades.
    At 26, Paul Jacobs was invited to join the faculty of the Juilliard School, and in 2004, at age 27, was named chairman of the organ department, one of the youngest faculty appointees in the school’s history.

   In addition to his concert and teaching appearances, Paul Jacobs is a frequent performer at international and national festivals, and has appeared on American Public Media’s Pipedreams, Performance Today and Saint Paul Sunday, as well as NPR’s Morning Edition, Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power from the Crystal Cathedral and ABC-TV’s World News Tonight, among others.

This program is sponsored by St. Mary’s Cathedral and by the Memphis Chapter, American Guild of Organists (AGO) in its Centennial Celebration.

- Friday, March 21, 7:30 p.m.
-Location: St. Mary's Cathedral, 700 Poplar Avenue; Tel: (901) 527-6123

6) MARCH 22, 10:00 a.m.

    Master Class with Paul Jacobs – Especially for organ students and professionals, an opportunity to learn from one of the world’s best! Paul Jacob chairs the Organ Department at the Juilliard School.  Hosted by Memphis Chapter, American Guild of Organists (AGO), in its Centennial Celebration season.

- Saturday, March 22, 10:00 a.m.

- Location: St. George’s Episcopal Church, 2425 S. Germantown Rd., Germantown, TN; Tel: (901) 754-7282

From the 2013 POE in Birmingham . . .

Day One of the Birmingham POE 2013. Many fine students, instructors, and organs. Opening program of organ and instruments at Birmingham-Southern last night. In addition to student lessons and practice today, Dr. Faythe Freese gave a talk on Practice Techniques and Bryan Anderson (former POE/POE-Advanced attendee and 2012 Region IV Rising Star) gave an inspiring recital at Reid Chapel on the Samford University Campus.

Below: Bryan Anderson following his recital on the Aeolian-Skinner/Quimby organ in Reid Hall, Samford.

Columbia 2013 Regional: Top Five List for Day Four

What a successful convention in Columbia! Thanks to all involved (Tony Roof, Convention Coordinator, steering committee, performers, presenters) for all of their hard work.

5: A post-convention journey to Winthrop University to hear the Skinner organ at Byrnes Auditorium played by Christopher Houlihan (I especially liked the newly commissioned piece entitled 'Steel Symphony')
4: Workshops (I went to two very good sessions -- care of the young and aging voice and improvisation with David Arcus).
3: A great recital at St. Peter's by Janette Fishell -- complete Vierne 3 . . . what more can be said?
2: Meeting so many wonderful folks from Region IV and beyond. Thanks to all that attended!
1: Columbia . . . a great destination :-)

Columbia 2013 Regional: Top Five List for Day Three

My, what a busy day on Friday! Sorry for the late posting, but here is my Top Five List for Friday at Columbia:

5: Charles Tompkins in recital at the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Stunning - AND - the premiere of a new work of Robert Powell.
4: Evensong in Trinity Cathedral . . . what a way to end the evening.
3: Rain, again??? (and, again?)
2: Hymn Festival by Michael Burkhardt -- if you have never attended one of his hymn festivals, do. Inspiring and innovative!
1: Intriguing Haitian Mass performed by the Sandlapper Singers. Who knew??

Ready for Day Four . . .

Columbia 2013 Regional: Top Five List for Day Two

Another fine day in Columbia, South Carolina.

5: The raffle at the regional meeting. Some good prizes this year!
4: Hearing fireworks as we left Shandon UMC following a performance of the Stars and Stripes by the Chenaults! What a way to end the 4th of July.
3: Seeing lots of people at the exhibit hall after our busy day -- exciting to meet artists, composers, and presenters.
2: Dongho Lee's performance at USC . . . graceful.
1: Carolyn Craig's performance as the Quimby/RCYO winner. Gotta love hearing young organists . . . the future is bright!

More news tomorrow.