 |
Sacramento Chapter |
| Last updated: June 16, 2008 |
Message from the Dean |
| Dean’s Message
Hasn’t the year gone by quickly! Easter is past, Pentecost is close at hand, and it will soon be time to kick back for a more restful summer. But for AGO Members, there is a lot going on in the next few weeks. We will gather on Sunday, May 18 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Citrus Heights for an interesting concert featuring our Scholarship Winners and their teachers, followed by our annual dinner meeting. You’ll want to hear these fine young musicians that we have supported through our “Bach-a-Thons”, and observe their musical progress. Also this month brings an opportunity to visit the installation of the new Bedient organ at St. John’s Lutheran Church. This is indeed a special event – it is a long time between new organ installations in Sacramento, so you’ll want to calendar Tuesday May 13, 7pm to view the installation-in-progress. Yet another opportunity will take place Tuesday, June 10 at 7pm, for a conversation with builder Gene Bedient as he voices the St. John’s instrument, his last before his retirement. Save these important dates! I am, frankly, disappointed in the lack of response from Chapter members to my request to serve on committees related to the celebration of the Sacramento Chapter’s 75th Anniversary in the coming year. This is an opportunity, if we all work together, to make our Chapter known in the community, and especially, to promote to the general public this instrument we all love. Please help your Dean overcome feelings of rejection: consider volunteering for one of these committees that will be working together over the summer to develop action plans from now to June, 2009! For which committee would you like to volunteer? Planning Fundraising/Grant Writing Concerts/Programs Publicity Banquet Anniversary Brochure Telephone Please contact me ASAP to volunteer, email rsmiller@starstream.net, or phone 624-2045. It is also time to renew your AGO Membership. Details are elsewhere in the newsletter. Please also complete the questionnaire on the back of the membership renewal form, to give your Board a sense of what would be of value to you as a member. Mail all with your check to Cindy Carleton, Treasurer. Sue Miller, Dean Nomination for AGO Board Nancy Metzger’s term as a Board Member expires at the end of June, but we’re happy she’ll still be involved and in touch, as she has accepted the position of District Convenor. Many thanks for all you have done for the Chapter, Nancy! The Nominating Committee has nominated Doris Baxter to fill a one-year term on the Board. This will be voted upon at our May 18 annual dinner. Greg Merwin, Nominating Committee Chairperson Donations to Leland Ralph Memorial Sacramento Chapter has received memorial donations in memory of Leland Ralph from Eloine, Gwen and Maude Ralph. These funds will be used in support of a future organ concert as we celebrate the Chapter’s 75th Anniversary. Many thanks to these members of the Ralph family. The American Guild of Organists Honors Frederick Swann with a Gala Event At The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles “Fred Swann has dedicated his service to the Guild for more than a half century and has been called the “Crown Prince of the King of Instruments” Sunday afternoon, April 13 at 4 pm Fred Swann treated a VERY appreciative audience to a concert on the 346 (approx)rank, 265 stop, 233 voice 18 division and more than 20,000 pipe organ (s) at the First Congregational Church. The program began with the Symphony of the Mystic Lamb by Paul de Maleingreau, followed by Lyric Rhapsody, Searle Wright; Prelude and Fugue in C, Bach; Jesus Dulcis Memoria, H. Walford Davies and Flourish and Fugue by John Cook. After a short intermission the audience enjoyed the incredibly creative “A Sweet for Mother Goose” with Kathie Freeman narrating a most interesting set of Mother Goose poems set to music, or should I say with music editorials! Mr. Swann closed the concert with the Postlude for the Office of Compline, Jehan Alain (stunning) and Fantasia and Fugue in G. by C. Hubert H. Perry. All in all it was a wonderful afternoon of music, and I might add a thrill to hear the artistry of one of the icons in the organ world. No one does the “fade out” quite like Fred Swann! He is a master of registration and was so at home at the console of this fine instrument. Following the recital there was a Gala Reception in the newly refurbished basement to honor Mr. Swann. It was an honor to be in the audience and participate in this event which raised money for the Endowment Fund of the AGO. I am also pleased that Mr. Swann will be bringing a wonderful program of “great organ music” to Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church this fall as we celebrate the Year of the Organ. Carol Newton Hawk NEWS From St. John’s Lutheran Church Confirmation was received for the delivery of the NEW Bedient organ! The truck from Nebraska is scheduled to arrive at noon on Sunday, May 4th, and the congregation of St. John’s has been asked to help unload it. It is estimated that 16 to 24 people will be able to have it unloaded in about two hours. If there are those in the AGO who wish to help out with the unloading process, they are certainly welcome! The installation crew from Bedient will be at St. John's from May 4th for two weeks. Gene Bedient is scheduled to come out for the voicing the week of May 20 for two weeks, and again on June 1 for two weeks. Tuesday, May 13th, 7-9pm the members of the AGO Chapter are invited to meet with Chad Johnson and the installation crew from Bedient, for an "organ crawl". Chad is the project manager on the job, he's the one that actually designed the majority of the instrument. He has worked with Bedient for about 15 years, starting out at a pipe maker. The crew will share their knowledgeable about the building process for St. John's organ. The instrument will not be playable at this time, but this is a wonderful experience and a chance to ask questions. This evening is also open to the congregation of St. John’s as well. Tuesday, June 10th, 7-9pm, the AGO chapter members will have the opportunity to meet with Gene Bedient. At this point, the organ should be "playable", However, it will not be an “open console”, so don’t pack your shoes and music just yet!! END OF THE YEAR EVENT ~~~~~ Sunday, May 18, 5:15 pm Sunday, May 18 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Citrus Heights Concert featuring our Scholarship Winners and their teachers You’ll want to hear these fine young musicians that we have supported through our “Bach-a-Thons”, and observe their musical progress. Annual Dinner/meeting at Marie Callendar's Restaurant 5525 Sunrise Blvd., Citrus Heights, CA 95610 (very close to St. Mark's) 916-961-8571 The restaurant is located on Sunrise Blvd., between Uplands Way and Kingswood Drive (No. of Madison Ave.) Dinner may be selected from the following: • Lemon Chicken Dinner • Baked Chicken Pomodoro • Chicken Broccoli Pasta Alfredo • Meatloaf Dinner. All dinners include Caesar Salad, cornbread and fountain drinks, iced tea or coffee and a slice of Apple, Chocolate Cream or Lemon Meringue Pie. COST: $15.00 for AGO members - $20.00 Guests Please make your reservation BY May 15 - chawksac@pacbell.net or 988-1447 Home HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE! Other Newsletter Items: New Placement Chairperson Donna Oakleaf has graciously agreed to serve as the Sacramento Chapter’s Placement Chairperson. She is in the process of building a list of substitutes for church services, weddings, and/or funerals. If you want to let her know your availability or you are seeking a substitute, please contact Donna at 973-3266 or by email oakassoc@hotmail.com. Community Events: * Saturday, May 10 at 8 PM Pre-talk at 7 PM Sacramento Community Center Theater (With supertitles) Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra Presents: Requiem - Mozart Lux Aeterna - Lauridsen Sandra Rubalcava, Soprano Oksana Sitnitska, Mezzo David Robinson, Tenor Elias Mokole, Bass Mozart's Requiem - featured in the 1984 movie Amadeus - remains an imperishable musical treasure surrounded by historical mystique. Recapture the memories of the SCSO's Summer 2004 European Tour with their performance of Lauridsen's powerful Lux Aeterna that brought audiences to their feet in Munich, Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Ticket information: 800-225-2277 or 916-808-5181 ****************************************** AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS AWARDED $25,000 IN GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS NEA Funding Will Support New Music Commissions and Premier Performances at the AGO Biennial National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., June 22–26, 2008 NEW YORK CITY — The American Guild of Organists (AGO) has been awarded two grants over 2007 and 2008 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grants, totaling $25,000, support the commissioning and premier performances of an hour of new music at the AGO National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., and carry a mandate that they be matched dollar for dollar from other funding sources. The 2008 calendar year marks the third consecutive year the AGO has received funding through the NEA's "Access to Artistic Excellence" program. For its 49th biennial national convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, the AGO has commissioned new music works from: Judith Bingham, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Aaron Kernis, Libby Larsen, Steven Stucky; and a collection of chamber music for organ and instruments from Carol Barnett, Cary John Franklin, Linda Tutas Haugen, Monte Mason, David Evan Thomas, and Janika Vandervelde being published by Augsburg Fortress Press. Premier performances of the commissioned works will be given by organists Stephen Cleobury, David Higgs, and Catherine Rodland; Vocal Essence, and local orchestral musicians. "Since its founding in 1896, the AGO has commissioned more new works for organ and choir than any other single organization in the world," declared AGO President Frederick Swann. "The AGO also provides auspicious performances of these works by recognized artists. It is an honor for us to be recognized by the NEA, and we are highly grateful for the grants that will enable this tradition to continue when we meet for our 2008 AGO National Convention in the Twin Cities. The recognition by the NEA reaffirms the importance of new music commissions to increase organ and choral repertoire available to future generations, and to increase the American public's knowledge of and appreciation for contemporary classical music. The AGO is especially interested in supporting new music for the concert stage, as there are increasing numbers of American concert halls being constructed or renewed that contain new or rebuilt organs." The NEA will award $20.2 million to fund 908 grants in 2008, continuing its legacy of bringing arts of the highest quality to communities nationwide. The Endowment will distribute $19.189 million to not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations across the country through "Access to Artistic Excellence" grants. Through this category, the NEA will fund 866 projects out of 1,312 eligible applications. "This group of NEA grants supports a wide range of artistically excellent projects across the country," stated NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "Access to Artistic Excellence grants support the creation and presentation of work in dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, media arts, museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting, theater, and visual arts." For further information about the AGO National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, please visit AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS AWARDED $25,000 IN GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS NEA Funding Will Support New Music Commissions and Premier Performances at the AGO Biennial National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., June 22–26, 2008 NEW YORK CITY — The American Guild of Organists (AGO) has been awarded two grants over 2007 and 2008 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grants, totaling $25,000, support the commissioning and premier performances of an hour of new music at the AGO National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., and carry a mandate that they be matched dollar for dollar from other funding sources. The 2008 calendar year marks the third consecutive year the AGO has received funding through the NEA's "Access to Artistic Excellence" program. For its 49th biennial national convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, the AGO has commissioned new music works from: Judith Bingham, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Aaron Kernis, Libby Larsen, Steven Stucky; and a collection of chamber music for organ and instruments from Carol Barnett, Cary John Franklin, Linda Tutas Haugen, Monte Mason, David Evan Thomas, and Janika Vandervelde being published by Augsburg Fortress Press. Premier performances of the commissioned works will be given by organists Stephen Cleobury, David Higgs, and Catherine Rodland; Vocal Essence, and local orchestral musicians. "Since its founding in 1896, the AGO has commissioned more new works for organ and choir than any other single organization in the world," declared AGO President Frederick Swann. "The AGO also provides auspicious performances of these works by recognized artists. It is an honor for us to be recognized by the NEA, and we are highly grateful for the grants that will enable this tradition to continue when we meet for our 2008 AGO National Convention in the Twin Cities. The recognition by the NEA reaffirms the importance of new music commissions to increase organ and choral repertoire available to future generations, and to increase the American public's knowledge of and appreciation for contemporary classical music. The AGO is especially interested in supporting new music for the concert stage, as there are increasing numbers of American concert halls being constructed or renewed that contain new or rebuilt organs." The NEA will award $20.2 million to fund 908 grants in 2008, continuing its legacy of bringing arts of the highest quality to communities nationwide. The Endowment will distribute $19.189 million to not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations across the country through "Access to Artistic Excellence" grants. Through this category, the NEA will fund 866 projects out of 1,312 eligible applications. "This group of NEA grants supports a wide range of artistically excellent projects across the country," stated NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "Access to Artistic Excellence grants support the creation and presentation of work in dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, media arts, museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting, theater, and visual arts." For further information about the AGO National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, please visit ****************************************** AGO NATIONAL CONVENTION WILL CELEBRATE THE KING OF INSTRUMENTS The Forty-Ninth AGO National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., June 22–26, 2008 Will Inaugurate the International Year of the Organ and Feature Premier Performances of New Organ and Choral Music NEW YORK CITY—The American Guild of Organists (AGO) will hold its 49th biennial National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., June 22–26, 2008. More than 2,000 are expected to attend with more than 1,500 already registered. While convention registration is open to all, AGO members receive a discounted registration rate. Convention headquarters will be the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel. Complete details, including convention and hotel registration, are available online at The 2008 AGO NATIONAL CONVENTION is the first to be held in the Twin Cities since 1980. Celebrating the "King of Instruments," the convention will include a plethora of inspiring performances of organ and choral music by internationally recognized artists and ensembles; more than 65 workshops on a variety of professional and interesting topics, including a Messiaen pedagogy track and choral reading sessions; and 100 exhibits by organbuilders, music publishers, and other vendors providing products of interest and services to the organ and choral music profession. The INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE ORGAN (IYO), a year-long celebration of the organ, will be inaugurated at the AGO National Convention in the Twin Cities. The year will include various events in this country and abroad designed to entertain, inform, and engage new audiences for organ music, while giving seasoned listeners a fresh perspective on the organ's expansive repertoire. The convention will feature the premier performances of works by Stephen Paulus of St. Paul, Minn., and Bernard Wayne Sanders of Muehlheim, Germany, composed specifically for the IYO. The AGO's prestigious national competitions in organ performance and improvisation will be conducted during the convention; each winner will be featured in recital. The winners of the AGO/Quimby Regional Competitions for Young Organists will be presented in nine "Rising Stars" recitals. The winning compositions of the AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition and the AGO Award in Organ Composition will receive their premier performances. American Public Media's Pipedreams Live will crown the convention and be recorded for future broadcast. The world renowned Saint Paul Cathedral Choir, London, under the direction of Andrew Carwood, will be in residence for three days of the convention. The choir will give a full concert at the Saint Paul Cathedral in St. Paul, and will sing Choral Matins and Evensong at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. The choir's participation in the convention is made possible by a generous grant from the St. Paul Foundation, Katherine B. Andersen Fund. The commissioning and premier performances of 11 masterworks representing an hour of new music has garnered the support of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Commissioned composers include Judith Bingham, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Aaron Kernis, Libby Larsen, and Steven Stucky. In addition, six short pieces for organ and orchestral instruments were commissioned for the Little (Minnesota) Organ Book, to be published by Augsburg Fortress Press. This collection will contain the commissioned works of Carol Barnett, Cary John Franklin, Linda Tutas Haugen, Monte Mason, David Evan Thomas, and Janika Vandervelde. For further information, please contact AGO National Convention Coordinator Bill Stump, e-mail <whstump@msn.com>. ****************************************** WEB INFO ****************************************** Information regarding the guild and its programs will be sent in a newsletter as well as listed on this website. Stay tuned for further information regarding this. This website is maintained by Carol Newton Hawk: (chawksac@pacbell.net or 988-1447) To have information published, please send it via email. ****************************************** The AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. Founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization, it sets and maintains high musical standards and promotes the understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music. The purpose of the AGO 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. The Guild currently serves more than 20,000 members in more than 340 local chapters throughout the United States and abroad. The American Organist Magazine, the official journal of the AGO, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, reaches an audience of more than 24,000 each month. |
Local Events |
| AGO SACRAMENTO CHAPTER EVENTS:
Other AGO Dates to Reserve: Sunday, September 21, 5:00 pm Frederick Swann in Concert Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church 11427 Fair Oaks Blvd., F.O. Ca More information to follow *********** ATTENTION ALL PIANO TEACHERS: The following application is for our Organ Scholarship Program. For additional information, please contact Nancy Metzger 916-422-5168 This form may be selected and copied, or you may obtain one by contacting Nancy. Sacramento Chapter, American Guild of Organists 2008-09 Application for A.G.O. Organ Scholarship (scholarship consists of 20 free organ lessons with qualified A.G.O. teacher) Eligibility: Pianists with no previous organ studies; Suggested Age Group: 12-22 Application Deadline: 9/15/08 For the Student Name____________________________________________Home Phone__________________________ Address____________________________________City__________________________Zip___________ E-mail_____________________________________Cell__________________________Age___________ Name of School______________________________________ Grade in School____________________ Do you play piano?__________# of years__________________lessons now?____________________ Name of Piano Teacher(s)___________________________________________________________ Another instrument or voice?________Which one(s)_____________________# of yrs. Studied_____ What musical activities do you now participate in?__________________________________________ On the back, please tell us why you want to learn to play the organ: For the Teacher/Church Representative Please comment on the student’s musical abilities and commitment to learning organ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Signature ____________________________________________ Position Feel free to duplicate this form or to add information on the back Return to: Nancy Metzger, 6827 Coachlite Way, Sacramento CA 95831-2152 *********** COMMUNITY LISTINGS: ******** Piano Recital Saturday July 19, 2008 at 7pm at St. John's Lutheran Church at 1701 L Street in Sacramento. Tanya will be presenting the world premier of her new original piano compostion. Tanya Plescia (916) 383-2321 Plescia11@sbcglobal.net ****************** Schoenstein Open House Sunday, August 24, from 3-5 p.m. at our new plant located in Benicia. This is an exciting time in our shop with five Schoenstein organs awaiting installation. The new two-manual, 17 rank instrument for the gallery at Saint James’ Episcopal Church in New York City will be playing and available for open console. The new four-manual, 76 rank chancel organ for St. James’ is under construction in the erecting room. Two Schoenstein organs being relocated are also set up – one going to St. Joseph’s in Pinole and the other to a residence in New York. The first organ of our second century is moving to Fair Hope, Alabama. We have just shipped a nice two-manual Möller to a residence in Angwin and we have a similar two-manual, 4 rank Möller available for sale. There will be plentiful refreshments, and plentiful parking. Schoenstein & Co. is located at 4001 Industrial Way, Benicia, CA 94510. Phone: (707) 747-5858. Directions: From 80: At Vallejo take 780 toward Benicia. After the East Fifth Street Exit, get in the right lane. Exit onto 680-North (Exit 7A). From 680: At Benicia, take Lake Herman Road (Exit 61). Go East (toward the water) on Lake Herman Road. Go over the railroad overpass. Take the first right onto Industrial Way. Go 1.3 miles. The plant is on the right just past a curve (look for the 42’ tall erecting room!). ****************** 2008 Hymn Society Annual Conference Comes to Berkeley July 13-17, 2008 Singers, composers, writers, analysts, arrangers and all users of hymns eagerly anticipate the 2008 annual conference of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, being held in Berkeley, July 13-17, having waited since the 1995 conference in San Diego for The Hymn Society to return to California. Many organists will attend, as many are members of both The Hymn Society and either the AGO or the Royal Canadian College of Organists. The theme of the conference is "Congregational Song and the Arts: Gifts for Worship and Ministry." Plenary speakers, worship and workshop leaders, performers and hymn festival designers include not only musicians but persons who will bring perspectives from the visual arts, dance, drama and architecture. Over 30 of them are California-based, including the organists Sandra Soderlund, James Welch, Larry Marietta, Beverly Howard, Gerald Asheim and John Walko, giving the conference a distinctive California flavor. Leaders and participants will also come from trans-Pacific nations. The conference offers registrants some 40 choices of Sectionals, several publishers' showcases, plenary presentations by Don Saliers, Carla de Sola, Thomas Troeger and Sally Ann Morris and daily Morning Prayer and Night Prayer liturgies which honor the ethnic and denominational diversity of California congregations. But some of the most enjoyable events at a Hymn Society conference are the ones that are free. This year those include a Sunday afternoon recital by Sandra Soderlund on the Petty-Madden organ at First Congregational Church, Berkeley, a liturgical arts show and sale, also on Sunday afternoon, and four evening hymn festivals, each having a very different theme and held in a different historic Berkeley church. These will draw members of local congregations who will join conference attendees to lift their voices in glorious song. Detailed information about the conference, including the full schedule, descriptions of the conference venues in Berkeley and the registration form are displayed on the Hymn Society website: www.thehymnsociety.org. The Local Committee invites your email inquiries at hsberkeley08@gmail.com and looks forward to welcoming AGO members, pastors, choir directors and hymn-singers to Berkeley in July. Donna Hamilton HS Berkeley '08 Local Committee Chair ********* Please get your community events to Carol Newton Hawk 988-1447 ~ email ~ chawksac@pacbell.net |
Newsletter |
| THINGS FOR SALE OR FREE !
************* Position Available Bethany Presbyterian Church 5625 24th Street Sacramento, CA 95822 (916) 428-5281 Part-Time Music Director Opening A complete description of this position is available, please contact Carol Newton Hawk at chawksac@pacbell.net *********** ORGAN FOR SALE !!!!! Technique Theatre Organ. The model: Americana SX-F100. Originally retailed for $22,500. This model was a limited edition and has the most modern computerized data you would ever want. For additional information, please contact: mdebellis@comcast.net melahu@aol.com ********* PIANO FOR SALE: c. 1900 Chickering grand (6’2”), Victorian style, all-original ivory keys, light action, sweet tone, some work and maintenance done to it in the past. The harp has been regilded, so the serial number has been lost. Pictures attached. Asking $10K, but that price may be negotiable. For additional Information, please contact: Rich Schatz RDSchatz8@yahoo.com or Jim Shultz jimshultz@pacbell.net 916.451.4929 |
Membership |
| Cindy Carleton ccarle30144@aol.com |
Placement |
| Substitutes:
Thomas Stahl 427-2020 No preference of liturgy Carole Maxon 852-8141 No preference of liturgy Robert Edmondson(Dr.)530-662-7856 No preference of liturgy Joan Tennis 334-3846 No preference of liturgy Kevin Manz 524-5342 UCC, Episc. AMC, ELCA Pres. Jane Fanucci 224-4917 Rosemary Wren 475-6873 Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild's National Website. |
Certification |
Contact Us |
| Dean - Sue Miller - 916-624-2045
rsmiller@starstream.net Sub Dean - Scott Nelson - 916-399-9752 organtunr@aol.com Treasurer - Cindy Carleton - 916-726-3511 JAYCEE6760@aol.com Secretary - Barry Moenter - 916-424-0444 bmoenter@hotmail.com Mem.at large - Nancy Metzger - 916-422-5168 nmetzger@rcip.com Mem.at large - Gerald Perry - 916-492-2926 gerald.perry@sbcglobal.net Mem.at large - Carol Newton Hawk - 916-988-1447 chawksac@pacbell.net |
Links |
| Visit the AGO National website |