Rockford Chapter

Last updated: April 18, 2008

Message from the Dean
Your Executive Board has been working on the schedule for next season’s AGO programs. Here is the tentative schedule:
  • Monday, September 22, 2008 – Installation of Officers
  • Sunday, October 19, 2008 – PipeSpectacular – 3 p.m.
  • Monday, November 24, 2008 – Professional Concerns
  • Sunday, December 7, 2008 – Hector Olivera Concert at Westminster Presbyterian, 2:00 p.m.
  • Monday, January 26, 2009 – Reading Session
  • Sunday, February 15, 2009 – Youth Choir Festival. Theme: “God Is Love”, 4:00 p.m. Michael Burkhardt, clinician.
  • Monday, March 23, 2009 – Music in the Home
  • Sunday, April 26, 2009 – Pipe Organ Walk
  • Monday, May 18, 2009 – Annual Banquet and Meeting
And now the next step in our planning: we need your input. Specifically, we would like a list of people who would be willing to play for various events (i.e., Installation, PipeSpectacular, Youth Choir Festival), we would like your ideas for issues to be addressed at our Professional Concerns meeting in November, and we would like your ideas for the Reading Session in January (would you be interested in organ, choral, or handbell music). Please e-mail your ideas to me. Thanks!

Bob Bates

Local Events
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Pipe Organ Walk at Court Street Methodist (2:00 p.m.), Second Congregational (3:00 p.m.), Emmanuel Episcopal (4:00 p.m.), and First Presbyterian (5:00 p.m.).

Monday, May 19, 2008
Annual Banquet and Meeting at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Meal will be catered by Betty Dyke, who has catered banquets for us in the past. Banquet cost is $20.00. The menu: Appetizers – Onion Pie, Shrimp, Crackers, Cheese and Fruit. Entree: Chicken Elegant or Vegetarian Ratatouille with Chick Peas, Broccoli and Rice, Vegetable, Green Salad with Pistachios and Avocados, Homemade Rolls, and Dutch Apple Pie. Mail your reservations with a check to Tim Anderson, 5135 Diane Court, Rockford IL 61108. Indicate whether you want the chicken or vegetarian entree.

Newsletter
Pipeline is the monthly newsletter of the Rockford Chapter of the AGO, which is available to members and friends of the Chapter. The following are highlights from the current issue.

Answer to last month’s Trivia Question

Q. Which former U.S. President played the organ?
A. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

From:
http://www.playpiano.com/Articles/presidents-music.htm:

“President Harry S. Truman ... claimed to have practiced his piano lessons for two hours every morning during his childhood. Likewise, President Warren Harding was said to be able to play every instrument except the trombone and the clarinet. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) played the organ. Of course we all remember President Clinton and his saxophone, but did you know that President Nixon was an accomplished pianist?”

Organ Concert

Sunday, May 4 ~ 3:00 pm ~ Jean Anderson and the Westminster Choirs ~ Free-will Offering. This final concert of the Concert Series Season at Westminster Presbyterian Church will feature organist and choir director, Jean Anderson. The concert will begin with “A Trumpet Minuet” by Alfred Hollins and will conclude with an organ transcription of “Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saëns, transcribed by Elaterina Melnikova. The Chancel Choir and Glenn Ringers of Westminster will also be featured on this concert. They will include a performance of the 2006 commissioned work for the dedication of their new building, “Psalm 150”, written by Anne Krentz Organ.

Membership
The following membership levels are available.

Regular voting member$88.00
Special voting member (over 65, under 21, or disabled)$64.00
Full Time Student voting member$36.00
Partner voting member (second member at same address, no TAO)$64.00
Dual voting member (paid to second chapter)$35.00
Student Dual$14.00
Chapter member (local only - no national magazine)$45.00


To register your membership, please contact
Tim Anderson
5135 Diane Ct.
Rockford, IL 61108-2374

Placement
Grace Episcopal Church in Galena is seeking an organist to accompany congregation and choir. Choir rehearses 2 hours on Wednesday, 2 hours on Saturday, and ˝ hour Sunday before worship. Salary: $900/month. New organist needed by June 1, 2008. Contact Pat Perry (contact details in the print version of Pipeline, or contact RockfordAGO@comcast.net).



Notice Informing Membership of Outcome of Case

The National Council has determined that a position at Holy Family Catholic Church in Rockford, IL, was made vacant by wrongful termination of a member of the American Guild of Organists on June 17, 2003.

In keeping with the AGO Code of Ethics, members shall not seek or accept employment or attempt to place a student or colleague in the position until the National Council has declared that differences between the Guild and Holy Family Catholic Church in Rockford, IL have been resolved.
Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild's National Website.

Certification

Contact Us
Rockford chapter webmaster - RockfordAGO@comcast.net

Links
Pipedreams Recordings - http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/listings/
Organmaster Shoes - http://www.organmastershoes.com/
Rockford Area Arts Council - http://www.artsforeveryone.com/
Fox Valley Chapter - http://www.foxvalleyago.org/
Encyclopedia of Organ Stops - http://www.organstops.org/

If you are a Rockford AGO chapter member, you can have your favorite links added to this list by sending an email to RockfordAGO@comcast.net.
Visit the AGO National website