A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS-CINCINNATI CHAPTER

NEWSLETTER1913EST.

APRIL

2011

Paul Tucker WorkshoP reTrosPecTive . . . . . . . 2ago region v MeeTing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2execuTive coMMiTTee elecTions . . . . . . . . . . . 2

nexT Year PrograMMing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2ThoMas MurraY reciTal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

In This Issue

Dear CCAGO Members,

With this newsletter, the Cincinnati Chapter of AGO embarks on a new monthly communication with its membership. Chapter newsletters will come regularly and will be shorter, in order to keep members informed about what is happening, what opportunities are available, and what is planned for the future.

While Larry Klug remains our faithful webmaster, keeping the chapter website updated and connected with our page on FaceBook, Executive Committee member Richard Redmon has volunteered to be the editor of the newsletter. The Executive Committee believes that these changes will strengthen our communication and promote a stronger sense of the organization within the chapter.

If you have information, stories, or news to contribute to the newsletter, please send copy to Richard Redmon at his email address: cosoffice@yahoo.com. The deadline for all newsletters will be the 15th of the month before the issue appears.

If you are sending information about concerts, recitals, or events for the calendar, Richard will forward them to Larry Klug to post on the chapter website. The comprehensive calendar will be on the website while monthly events will posted in the newsletter. We are always happy to have pictures accompany stories; please submit them in either Jpeg or Tiff format.

If you have suggestions about the newsletter, please write to either Richard Redmon or me (or both of us). We will be happy to consider your ideas. This will help shape and improve the communication we are establishing with the monthly newsletter production.

Finally, many, many thanks to Larry Klug and Richard Redmon for their commitment to our current and future work on website and newsletter production!

DEAN OF THE CINCINNATI CHAPTER–AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS

COSOFFICE@YAHOO.COM WWW.CINCINNATIAGO.ORG2

On Saturday morning, February 19th, the chapter co-hosted (with Christ Church Cathedral) a workshop on choral music. This was the third year that a workshop on

choral music was held in February with the support of the Cathedral in celebration of Black History Month.

Paul Tucker, who was born in Jamaica, and now is Director Choral Activities in the School of Music at the University of Kansas, worked with four different choirs in the AGO workshop:

The Cathedral Choir (Stephan Casurella, Conductor), the Cincinnati Boychoir Training Choir (Susan Spain, Conductor), the Gospel Choir of St. Andrew’s Church in Cincinnati/

Evanston; (Jerome Johnson, Conductor); and the Xavier University Concert Choir (Thomas Merrill, Conductor).

Using the same techniques for each choir, Tucker demonstrated convincingly that good vocal and musical skills (e.g. being sure that all singers are singing exactly the same pitch, vowel, and dynamic) along with an understanding of the “dance of the music”—that is, the natural choreography of the text within the musical setting—are more important than the racial or ethnic source of the composition or the singers. Clearly, his techniques worked for the gospel music sung by the St Andrew’s choir as effectively as for the Schubert mass sung by the XU Concert Choir.

In addition, Tucker demonstrated techniques for accompanying congregational singing of gospel music and spirituals.

MUSIC AND ETHNICITY: FINDING THE COMMON THREADTHE PAUL TUCKER WORKSHOP RETROSPECTIVE

This coming June 12-15, the Lexington Chapter of AGO will host the regular regional meeting. An announcement about this meeting is online at www.2011lexingtonago.com. If you check this site, you will find a host of activities and concerts in many churches in Lexington and at the University of Kentucky, as well as in Berea.

Ken Cowan and David Briggs will be featured performers along with Yun Kim of Dayton and an array of other musicians. An optional historic organ tour is also available along with workshops and opportunities to share information and experiences.

This meeting will be a shot in the arm for any church musician—experienced or inexperienced—and for any lover of organ music. Please consider attending!

AGO REGION V MEETINGLEXINGTON, KY Elections of members-at-large to the chapter

Executive Committee will take place as always in June. This year, we will elect three members-at-large to the class of 2014 and one to the class of 2013. If you would like to nominate someone or be considered for nomination, please contact Acting Registrar Dale Harris at 513.271.7216 or by e-mail at daleharris@cinci.rr.com or Dean Bob Benson at 413.523.4684 or by e-mail at bensonra@muohio.edu.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

The chapter Executive Committee is planning programs for this coming year. If you have suggestions about programs you would like the committee to consider, please contact Sub-Dean Sandy Martin at 513.321.0348 or by e-mail at thesandys21@yahoo.com.

NEXT YEAR PROGRAMMING

COSOFFICE@YAHOO.COM WWW.CINCINNATIAGO.ORG3

RECITAL AND GALA BENEFIT RECEPTION AT YALE UNIVERSITYCelebration of the lifetime aChievements of Yale’s legendarY UniversitY organist Will benefit the ago endoWment fUnd

Each year, the AGO National Council and its Development Committee select a distinguished member of our profession to honor in a recital and gala benefit reception to strengthen the AGO Endowment Fund. This year’s benefit will feature honoree Thomas Murray on Sunday, May 15, 2011, at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

The Recital will begin at 4 p.m. at Woolsey Hall and will feature Thomas Murray giving a solo performance on Yale’s world-renown Newberry Memorial Organ. His program will include Franck’s Symphony in D Minor, trans. by Calvin Hampton. Craig Whitney, New York Times assistant managing editor (retired) and author of All the Stops: The Glorious Pipe Organ and Its American Masters, will serve as emcee. The recital is free and open to the public. The gala benefit reception ($100 ticket required–$75 tax deductible) will follow in the Yale President’s Room; tickets may be purchased online at www.agohq.org or by calling 212-870-2311(x4308).

ALLEN THEATER ORGAN THEA15 + LESLIE TYPE SPEAKER CABINET

CONTACT JOE DICKOW AT859.344.6060

The CCAGO Executive Committee invites you to submit names for our monthly line of communication: OUR NEWSLETTER.

Two names for consideration are: “The Windchest” and “The Reservoir”. Both names are suggestive of a vital component used to make music: AIR. Air is gathered in one location and then distributed throughout, providing the needed vehicle to produce sound.

If you have a pipe organ-termed title that describes the character and vitality of our publication, then please submit your gem by emailing your selection to: cosoffice@yahoo.com

COSOFFICE@YAHOO.COM WWW.CINCINNATIAGO.ORG4

dr . roberT benson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . deansanford MarTin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sub-deankiM heindel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . secreTarYdonald c . auberger, Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurerdale harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . regisTrarlarrY klug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WebMasTerrichard redMon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . neWsleTTer ediTorkrisTY sWifT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2011 class

ToM graler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2011 classshari rasch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2011 classisaiah hYMan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2012 classWinsTon vaughan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2012 classbarbara lisznieWski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2012 classrichard redMon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2013 classMark behnken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2013 classMiTchell Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sTudenT MeMber

CINCINNATI CHAPTER AGO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2010-2011

The purpose of the American Guild of Organists 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 AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS (AGO) IS THE NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION SERVING THE ORGAN AND CHORAL MUSIC FIELDS. THE GUILD SERVES APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MEMBERS IN 330 CHAPTERS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AUSTRALIA; FOUNDED IN 1896 AS BOTH AN EDUCATIONAL AND SERVICE ORGANIZATION, THE GUILD SEEKS TO SET AND MAINTAIN HIGH MUSICAL STANDARDS AND TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF ALL ASPECTS OF ORGAN AND CHORAL MUSIC.

• WE PLEDGE TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF ORGAN AND CHORAL MUSIC, TO INCREASE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AESTHETIC AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES, AND TO PROMOTE THEIR UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION, AND ENJOYMENT.

• WE PLEDGE TO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET FOR DISCUSSION OF PROFESSIONAL TOPICS, AND TO PURSUE SUCH OTHER ACTIVITIES AS CONTRIBUTE TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PURPOSES OF THE GUILD.

• WE PLEDGE TO IMPROVE THE PROFICIENCY OF ORGANISTS AND CHORAL CONDUCTORS.

• WE PLEDGE TO EVALUATE, BY EXAMINATION, ATTAINMENTS IN ORGAN PLAYING, CHORAL TECHNIQUES, CONDUCTING, AND THE THEORY AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC, AND TO GRANT CERTIFICATES TO THOSE WHO PASS SUCH EXAMINATIONS AT SPECIFIED LEVELS OF ATTAINMENT.

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APRIL 3rd . . . Mitchell Miller Recital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:30 PM • SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH–607 SYCAMORE STREET, CINCINNATI 45202; 513.721.4045

3rd . . . Executive Committee Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:00 PM • CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR, EPISCOPAL–65 EAST HOLLISTER STREET, MT. AUBURN 45219; 513.241.1870

10th . . . Isabelle Demers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:00 PM • HYDE PARK COMMUNITY UMC CONCERT SERIES–1345 GRACE AVENUE, CINCINNATI 45208; 513.871.1345

11th . . . Gerre Hancock Recital & Calvary Choir–Howard Helvey, Director . . . . 7:00 PM • CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH–3766 CLIFTON AVENUE #B, CINCINNATI 45220; 513.861.4437

17th . . . Shiloh Roby, Assoc. Director–Christ Church Cathedral. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:00 PM • ORGAN RECITAL SERIES AT CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL–318 EAST FOURTH STREET AT SYCAMORE, CINCINNATI 45202; 513.621.1817