Last updated: February 20, 2015 at 20:02 pm
Welcome to the website of the Bangor (Maine) Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. We have been serving organists, choir directors and sacred music lovers in eastern and northern Maine since 1928.
The mission of the Guild — revised in 2012 — is to enrich lives through organ and choral music. If you are not already a member of the AGO please consider attending one of our sessions and checking us out. Our first two events of the 2013-2014 calendar year are listed below.
For further information, please contact a chapter member (see e-mail addresses below).
With best wishes,
Julia Morris-Myers
Dean
Help! Our substitute list is in need of some new names! If you would be interested in substituting, please contact Alice Mumme (mumme@maine.edu). Also, you may know of some experienced people who are not affiliated with the AGO who might be interested in either piano or organ. If so, you could contact that person, or let me know who it is, and Alice will make the contact.
National and Regional Events
June 28 – July 1, 2015 Register Now! or Click Here for More Information
“Join us for an energetic and inspiring Northeast Regional Convention for the American Guild of Organists! Combining the instruments at Yale University and those at churches in the downtown area. Combining the instruments at Yale University and those at churches in the downtown area, New Haven offers a wealth of organs of different styles, housed in interesting and beautiful locations.
Within walking distance of the elegant Omni Hotel, convention participants can experience world-class organs, a distinguished music library, and a famous instrument collection, along with the beautiful Yale campus and New Haven’s renowned restaurant scene. The dedicated members of the New Haven chapter, led by both upcoming and experienced leaders in our field, will foster a supportive and welcoming atmosphere for a convention of excellent opportunities for learning, fellowship, and artistic experiences. We welcome church musicians and organists of all types, levels, and interests, and promise programming of great variety!
We hope to see you in New Haven next summer! Bring a friend!”
Lars Gjerde, DMA
Convention Coordinator
Local Events
Noon Music in Lent Series at St. Thomas Camden
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church is pleased to again offer Noon Music in Lent, a free program of music in its church followed by a simple lunch of soup and bread in its spacious Sun Room. All are cordially invited. Professional musicians will offer a half hour program on six successive Fridays, beginning February 20. This music program is an appropriate complement to the season of Lent. The series’ musicians donate their time and talent and choose which charitable organization will receive the free-will offering. Each program opens with a short noonday prayer.
The schedule is:
February 20: Howard Walen, organ
February 27: Bay Chamber Vocal Ensemble led by Kathryn DerMarderosian
March 6: Brian MacFarland, organ
March 13: Kathryn DerMarderosian, voice
March 20: Jane Schroeder, organ
March 27: Mid-coast Harp Ensemble led by Mildred Crocker
Jane Schroeder, Minister of Music at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, started the series in 2007 as a way of providing Sabbath time, a pause, a time for reflection at noon on the six Fridays in Lent. St. Thomas Church is located at 33 Chestnut Street in downtown Camden [Map]. A handicap-accessible entrance with adjacent parking is located around the corner on Wood Street.
For more information, please contact Jane Schroeder, Minister of Music at 207-236-3680 or at janeschroeder@roadrunner.com.
March 4 (Wednesday), 2015 – 7:30 pm
St. John’s Organ Society is pleased to announce “Strings with Wind,” a program for violin and organ, featuring Canadian duo, Anne Robert and Jacques Boucher, at St. John’s Catholic Church on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. Boucher will play the historic E. and G. G. Hook organ, Opus 288, and Roberts will play her 1738 Carlo Antonio Testore violin. They will perform music of Corelli, Gounod, Rheinberger, and Bèdard.
Boucher is an organist, a broadcaster, a church musician, and a music professor. He is featured in many recordings and has given concerts in Canada, Europe, the United States, Bermuda, Mexico, and South America. In Montréal, Boucher is principal organist of the Sanctuaire du Saint-Sacrement and the titular organist of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church, which contains Casavant Frères’ Opus 615.
Roberts is an active chamber musician who regularly plays in Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States. She has recorded extensively with a particular affinity for French music. She teaches at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal and at the summer academy of the Orford Arts Center.
The March 4th program continues the tradition of an annual concert by an internationally recognized recitalist on the historic E. and G. G. Hook organ, Opus 288, at St. John’s Catholic Church. Hook’s Opus 288, the largest 19th-Century pipe organ in northern New England, has been described by Alan Laufman (past president of the Organ Historical Society) as “… a national treasure.”
St. John’s Catholic Church is located at 207 York Street in Bangor [Map]. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated and will benefit outreach and education projects of St. John’s Organ Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of the historic E. & G. G. Hook Organ built in 1860. For more information, visit www.HookOpus288.org.
March 21 (Saturday), 2015 – 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
A joint meeting with the Portland Chapter for an all-day organ crawl in the city of Portland.
Parking: The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street, Portland, ME [Map]
10:00 AM – The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
When the Cathedral was built in 1869, two mechanical action organs (three manual instruments in the rear, two manual instruments in the chancel) were installed by the Henry Erben Company of New York. In 1929 the W. W. Laws Company of Wenham, Massachusetts converted the old chests to electro pneumatic action and made considerable changes in the pipework, under the direction of Rev. Father Finn, and organ architect of note. The new type of action with its new electric consoles made it possible to play both organs from the gallery or the chapel. In 1969, a contract was awarded to the Leighton Organ Service of Yarmouth through the Portland Baldwin Studios to replace completely the wind chests, wind system, and wiring for the organs; refurbish the consoles, and make tonal changes in the Chancel Division to make it more suitable for accompaniment of the choir, now located in the front of the church. The chapel console was relocated and now only controls the chancel division. The main console was taken out of the balcony and relocated to the front of the church where the choir is now and still controls both organs. In 2000, the Faucher Organ Company in Biddeford, ME revamped the organ once again, adding 10 digital stops to the Gallery Division and completely renovating the electronics within the consoles. To date, the organ has 3,336 pipes and 65 pipe ranks/10 complete electronic ranks. The space is vast and affords a lengthy reverberation; however, playing the instrument from a console nearly 300 feet away can be a challenge!
11:00 AM – First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 [Map]
The First Parish instrument is a relatively new electric action organ that shows the diversity in pipe organ construction and voicing.
11:45 AM – Move cars from Cathedral parking lot to State Street.
12 – 1 PM – Catered Lunch at State Street Church, 159 State Street, Portland, ME 04101 [Map]
1 PM-1:30 PM Joint Meeting – News from Portland and Bangor Chapters and Region 1
1:30 PM – State Street Church – Roosevelt Organ
State Street is a good example (the Roosevelt portions) of a turn-of-the-century (20th) electric action organ. As a close friend of Thomas Edison, Roosevelt was a pioneer in adapting electricity to the pipe organ.
May 31 (Sunday), 2015 – 4:00 pm
Members’ Recital and Annual Meeting, St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church, Bar Harbor. The theme for the recital will be Organ Plus: organ plus voice, organ plus another instrument, organ duet-sounds fun! (a heads-up: the organ and piano will most likely not be in close enough tune for piano/organ duos.)
Other Chapter Features
Lending Library
Our chapter has a lending library. It is located in the Parish House of St. John’s Episcopal Church (234 French Street, Bangor), contains a large collection of organ music, organ-related books, etc., and is open to chapter members and the general public. The church office (and hence the lending library) is open from 9 am to 1 pm Monday-Friday, or at other times by appointment: call (207) 947-0156.
Scholarships
The chapter offers scholarship aid to one or more qualified organ students annually; for more information and application procedure, contact the Scholarship Committee chair, Dr. Kevin Birch (207) 942-6941.
Newsletter
Our Newsletter is produced and delivered in electronic format (e-mail) as needed.
To post an event or job opening, to consult an up-to-date substitute list, or to be added to the mailing list, please contact:
Alice Mummé, Newsletter Editor
mumme@maine.edu
We’re Here for You
Do you have professional concerns? Are you looking for educational resources? Do you want to involve the chapter in an event or special service? Do you wish to learn more about organ playing and literature? The chapter, like the Guild as a whole, is here to help you. To reach us, see “Contact” section below.
Membership
All individuals interested in the organ and choral music fields are invited to join the American Guild of Organists. Membership is open to everyone, regardless of denominational affiliation, musical training, or ability. Posted on Website 8, January, 2015
For more information and membership materials, visit: www.agohq.org/membership
You are also encouraged to contact:
Brian MacFarland, Chapter Treasurer/Registrar
bmacfarland1948@gmail.com
Placement/Job
Our substitute list is in need of some new names! If any of you who do not have regular jobs, and would be interested in substituting, please contact Alice Mumme (mumme@maine.edu). Also, you may know of some experienced people who are not affiliated with the AGO who might be interested in either piano or organ. If so, you could contact that person, or let me know who it is, and I will make the contact.
- Position: Organist and/or Choir Director at Dover Foxcroft Congregational Church, UCC
I am writing to let people know that our search process for an accompanist and choir director continue. These are two separate position but applicants are welcome to apply for both. For more information on these positions and an application form please visit the link below. If you are not interested but know of other who might be, please share this with them. www.dfcongo.org/music.pdf . If you are unable to access the file or have specific question don’t hesitate to contact me via email dfrev@myfairpoint.net or by phone at 207-564-2872. We will be making our decision mid to late November. Those interested should submit application in a timely manner. Thank you for your time and consideration. Rev. Chad L. Poland, Pastor. Please note that office hours are Tuesday-Thursday 8am-12pm. I am not always able to receive email outside those hours.
- Position: Organist/pianist at First United Methodist Church of Brewer
The First United Methodist Church of Brewer, located at 40 South Main Street, Brewer, Maine 04412, is seeking for organist/pianist. The weekly service is at 11:00 on Sundays. There is no choir. The Faucher pipe organ has some electronic enhancements. The start date is February 1, 2015. Salary is negotiable.
Please call 207.989.7310 or send your resume to 40 S Main St, Brewer ME 04412. Alternately, you may call Ronald Moll at 207.989.0117 or email Ronald at e-mail: fumcob@myfairpoint.ne
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- Posting Jobs in The American Organist (The AGO’s official magazine.)
Employers are invited to post notices of available positions in The American Organist, free of charge, in the next available issue. Send e-mail listings to jobs@agohq.org, using the format below. The deadline is the 15th of the second preceding month (July issue closes May 15th). The position announcement will run in one issue and include the following information:
Name of church, business, or institution; full postal address; website address; position title (Ex: “Full-time organist/choir director”); contact (name, phone number, fax, e-mail address).
Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild’s National Website.
Certification
The American Guild of Organists was chartered in 1896 by the Board of Regents, University of the State of New York, to administer a comprehensive series of examinations for professional certification. Through the Professional Certification Committee the Guild offers the following certificates:
Service Playing Certificate (SPC)
Colleague (CAGO)
Choir Master (ChM)
Associateship (AAGO)
Fellowship (FAGO)
For more information on certification, visit: www.agohq.org/education
Substitutes
- Clayton Rogers: Sunday services, weddings, funerals. 207-989-7628
- Joan Kroehler: Weddings and funerals only, organ or vocal. 207-947-7804, ldhbenefits@msn.com
- Barbara Fenlason: Sunday services, weddings, funerals, organ or piano. 207-469-3573 (before noon), barbara.fenlason@yahoo.com
- Tracy Bigney: 207-947-7710, tbig@gwi.net
- Kay Lindstrom: Bangor/Brewer area, 207 947-3469 kayli1001@gmail,com
- Brian MacFarland: Weddings and funerals, organ only. bmacfarland948@gmail.com
- Robin Barron: Weddings, funerals, special services anywhere in the state, any time except Sunday. wyldegeese@gmail.com
- Bill Voorhies: 207-244-9226 billv27@roadrunner.com
- Richard Hyman: piano or organ. 659-7131, 992-3106 rlhyman@yahoo.com
If there are additions or corrections to this list, please contact Alice Mummé at 866-2655 or mumme@maine.edu
Contact Us
Julia Morris-Myers, Dean
jmorrismyers@myfairpoint.net
Kevin F. Birch, Sub-Dean
kevinbirch@umitmaine.edu
Brian A. MacFarland, Treasurer and Registrar
bmacfarland1948@gmail.com
Catherine [Kay] Byther Eames, Secretary
kb10bdwy@aol.com
Alice Mummé, Newsletter Editor and Senior Advisor
mumme@maine.edu
Catherine J. (Cathy) Bruno, Member-at-Large, Exec. Comm.
cathy.bruno@gmail.com
Douglas Beck, Member-at-Large, Exec. Comm.
douglasbeck@mac.com
Dr. Kevin F. Birch, Chair, Scholarship Committee
kevinbirch@umitmaine.edu
Larry Philbrick, Website Maintenance
LarryPhilbrick@gmail.com
Links
The St. John’s Organ Society (Bangor)
www.hookopus288.org
Portland (Maine) Chapter, AGO
http://www.agoportlandmaine.com/
Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ (Portland)
www.foko.org
The Organ Historical Society
www.organsociety.org
The Royal School of Church Music
www.rscmamerica.org
