Organ Dedication July 11, Vero Beach, FL

The Community Church of Vero Beach (UCC) is pleased to announce the Dedication Service and Recital of the new $1.6 million Lively and Fulcher organ. The service will be Sunday, July 11th at 10:00AM and the recital will be the same day at 4:00PM. The recital is free and will feature resident staff organists: Dr José Daniel Flores, Director of Music; and Ryan A. Kasten, Associate Director of Music.

For more information about the organ or the year-long celebration contact: Ryan A. Kasten or call 772.469.2306 or visit the church website.

We welcome colleagues to come experience the new organ in a wonderful vibrant sanctuary (recently completed a $3Million dollar renovation for aesthetics and acoustics). The room, when empty, can have a reverberation of 3 seconds or can be shortened to 1.8 seconds by utilization of sound absorbing curtains. Attached is a picture of the new organ façade and the organ stoplist.

Colleagues and organ students are welcome to come play the instrument by contacting Suzanne Rice, Music Administrator or 772.469-2317 to find out and schedule practice times following the Dedication Sunday.

Summer Organ Week at NCSA

There are still a few open slots for the Summer Organ Week at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, July 19-23, 2010. We are pleased to present UNCSA’s organ faculty member, Timothy Olsen, and two additional outstanding organists/pedagogues for a wonderful week of learning, practicing, and performing. Each day will include individual lesson time, master classes, and practice time, in addition to an occasional organ crawl to local instruments including the wonderfully restored historic 1800 II/P Tannenberg organ, the III/P Flentrop organ at Salem College, and a newly restored V/P Grooms & Payne organ at First Baptist Church.

We are pleased to offer this week full tuition scholarships! The only fees are for Room & Board, and the application fees.

For more information about application, please email Timothy Olson, or go to the summer session web site. We will continue to accept applications up until the week before the camp – if you can get all the appropriate materials submitted and there’s dorm space, you’ll be admitted!

Also, if you’re going to be at the national AGO convention, please stop by and introduce yourself at the UNCSA booth in the exhibit hall.

Nashville Flooding Affects Concert Hall Organ

Our friends in the Nashville AGO Chapter have affected by the severe storms and flooding in the area. The Chapter meeting scheduled for May 3 was cancelled. Many people are without power and have had to evacuate their homes. Some churches have experienced minor flooding. The Schermerhorn Concert Hall, which houses a new Schoenstein pipe organ, was flooded in the basement level. The organ console is stored on that level, and it was ruined, along with two Steinway concert grand pianos. Read the full news article here.

Greater Huntsville Organ Competition Winner Announced

Jacob Benda, Aaron Tan and John Woolsey were the three finalists chosen to compete on Saturday, March 13, 2010. The competition was held at First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Alabama, on the church's 76 rank Casavant organ. Candidates for the competition were chosen through a semi-final recorded round, and are all under the age of 25.

Judges for the final round were Dr. Jeff McClelland, of Independent Presbyterian Church, Birmingham; Dr. Michael Velting, of Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville; and Andrew Risinger, Nashville Symphony Organist. Mr. Paul Jacobs, Professor and Chair of the Organ Department at Juilliard, served as moderator for the judges’ panel, and also played a recital the evening preceding the competition.

First place was awarded to Aaron Tan, and second place to Jacob Benda. Mr. Tan is a student of David Palmer, University of Windsor Ontario, and winner of the 2009 RCCO National Organ Playing competition. Mr. Benda is finishing his master's degree in Organ Performance at Louisiana State University where he studies with Herndon Spillman.

Special thanks goto First Baptist Church, specifically Dr. Elizabeth Hostetter, for hosting this event, to the Huntsville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists for their leadership, to HCMG for sponsorship of Mr. Jacobs, and to the Milnar and Miller Organ companies for their contributions to the cash prize.

Summer Organ Workshop - July 19-23

This organ workshop is part of the North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Music Program. These music workshops are ideal for students wishing to immerse themselves in a rigorous, artistic atmosphere, and study under the guidance of world-class performers and dedicated teachers. The organ faculty for the week is Dr. Timothy Olsen. Please visit the website for more information.

Nashville Organs in the News

Members of the Nashville Chapter are featured in a newspaper article. Click here to link to the article.

Fourth Annual Young Artist Competition for Pre-College Organists

East Carolina University
April 16-17, 2010

The East Carolina University Young Artist Competition for Pre-College Organists is an innovative outreach program designed to inspire young musicians in our region to strive for the highest level of musicianship and technical accomplishment piano and organ performance. The competition is open to any pre-college student in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia,
Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida. In addition to generous monetary prizes, the first place winner will also receive invitations to return to perform at East Carolina University in the 2010-2011 season.

The competition will be staged in two rounds. From the recorded application round three finalists will be chosen to compete live on April 17. All three will receive prizes and will be considered for two special prizes: The Bach Prize and the Hymn-Playing Prize. Organists chosen for the Final Round arrive for practice on Friday, April 16 and may elect to attend The Marriage of Figaro, staged by ECU Opera Theatre at the School of Music at 7:00 PM.

The organ competition will take place in the afternoon of Saturday, the 17th, on the Perkins and Wells Memorial Organ, C.B. Fisk, Opus 126, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which borders the ECU campus. The weekend will conclude with the awarding of prizes. All recitals, master classes and competitions are free and open to the public. All entrants should complete the application form and submit it by March 15, 2010. For full organ competition details and the application form, please contact Professor Andrew Scanlon at scanlona@ecu.edu.

2010 Distinguished Composer of the Year to perform

David Hurd will perform in concert on Sunday, February 28 at 4:00 pm at historic Sisters Chapel on the campus of Spelman College in Atlanta. A prolific composer of nearly 200 choral, instrumental and organ compositions, David Hurd will be honored at the summer 2010 AGO National Convention in Washington, D.C. Widely recognized as an exceptional concert organist who has performed at many national and regional AGO conventions, Dr. Hurd has won first prizes at the International Congress of Organists in organ playing and in improvisation. He is professor of church music and director of the chapel at The General Theological Seminary in New York. He has also been an adjunct faculty member at Westminster Choir College, Manhattan School of Music, and at Yale University.

University of Florida Sacred Music Workshop

May 2-4, 2010, The University of Florida will host the 3rd Annual Sacred Music Workshop. This year's workshop, "Inspiring Worship," will feature guest clinician David Cherwien and guest ensemble the Orlando Deanery Boychoir and Girls Choir. The registration fee is $75 if postmarked by April 15, and $90 if postmarked after April 15. Group rate hotel rooms are available at Holiday Inn University. For more information, please visit the Sacred Music Workshop web page, or e-mail Alyssa Rodgers at jalyssar@ufl.edu or call 352.273.3181.

Pipedreams in Miami - Feb. 26-28

Michael Barone will be hosting a "Pipedreams in Miami Weekend" in conjunction with the Miami International Organ Competition at Church of the Epiphany in Miami Friday, February 26 through Sunday, February 28. For more information, please visit the Pipedreams website.

Tampa Chapter announces Scholarship Competition

As part of an effort to inspire young people to take up organ study, the Tampa Chapter of the AGO is sponsoring a competition for piano or beginning organ students to be held on Friday, February 26, 2010, at Hyde Park United Methodist Church at 8:00 p.m., following the Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza program—to which contestants are also invited.

The winner will be awarded a $500 scholarship for one year’s organ lessons with a qualified instructor. This scholarship is funded by contributions received at our annual “Bach Birthday Bash” held each March.

For scholarship guidelines and an entry form, please contact Van Howard, Tampa AGO Sub-Dean . The deadline for receipt of the entry forms is Friday, February 19, 2010.

Charlotte Chapter to host Pedals, Pipes and Pizza

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1000 E. Morehead St., Charlotte NC 28204.

Saturday 9:00am – 1pm

This event is designed to give young people in grades 4 and above, a brief introduction to the pipe organ and its music. Participants will have the opportunity to hear two different organs: a five-manual Aeolian-Skinner of 96 ranks in the chancel and a two manual Schlicker of 37 ranks in the gallery. If you know children or young piano students who might be interested in attending, please contact Alan Reed, coordinator of this event, at alan@saintjohns-charlotte.org or 704-366-3034. There is a $5 registration fee which can be mailed to Alan Reed, 8808 Darcy Hopkins Drive, Charlotte NC 28277. Checks should be made to Charlotte Chapter AGO. All are welcome to attend.

Register NOW for our regional convention!

Don't wait! Register before Oct. 31 to receive the discounted early registration rate. The Sarasota Chapter has been working hard to prepare a fabulous convention for us January 17-20. You will be very happy staying at the convention hotel right on the beach, the Lido Beach Resort. The featured performers are Balint Karosi, John Fenstermaker, Dr. Laura Ellis, Tom Trenney, Ahreum Han, Felix Hell, Dr. Janette Fishell, The Richard Zielinski Singers and Cynthia Roberts-Greene. You will hear organs built by Letourneau, Nichols and Simpson and more! Visit the Psalms and Palms convention website to learn more and to download the registration form. Plan now to take a break after Christmas, and come to be with friends, and spend some days learning and listening to great music. You will leave inspired, refreshed and renewed. I look forward to seeing you there!

Sarah Hawbecker, Regional Councillor

Alabama Organ Scholarship Competition

Announcing the University of Alabama School of Music 2010 Organ Scholarship Competition. First place is an $8,000 UA Scholarship or a $500 cash prize; Second place is a $5,000 UA Scholarship or a $200 cash prize; and Third place is a $3,000 UA Scholarship. The first place winner will perform in concert at the University of Alabama 2010 Church Music Conference on Friday, January 29, 2010. All winners will have automatic acceptance into the University of Alabama School of Music. This competition is open organists who live or study in the United States or Canada. There are no age restrictions. The application deadline is November 16, 2009. For more information contact Dr. Faythe Freese or visit the University of Alabama Organ Department website.

We're invited to the NC ACDA Conference

The North Carolina ACDA is hosting its fall conference September 18-19 at the UNC
Greensboro School of Music. The clinician is Bob Chilcott. The event
includes 4 sessions with Bob Chilcott, 2 interest sessions, reading sessions,
and 5 choral concerts. Click here for the conference website. For
more information, you may contact Ginger Wyrick, NC ACDA President.

Huntsville Organ Festival - March 12-13, 2010

The Greater Huntsville, AL AGO Chapter announces its festival weekend celebrating and promoting excellence in young organists. On Friday, March 12 at 7:30, Paul Jacobs will present a Gala Concert at Trinity United Methodist Church. On Saturday, March 13, Huntsville will host an Organ Competition and Master Class with Paul Jacobs. First Prize is $1000. Audition CDs are due January 16, 2010. Click here for repertoire requirements, application and all other information.

RCYO winners

The Region IV AGO/Quimby Regional Competition for Young Organists announces the results of the competition, held on June 17, 2009 at Christ Church Episcopal Church, Bradenton, FL and hosted by the Sarasota/Bradenton Chapter. The judges were Bonnie Wolfgram, Dr. Robert Parrish and Dwight Thomas.

Pictured are competitors Kenneth Miller, Josiah Armes, Catherine Elliott, Kevin Neel and Christin Baker. (Not pictured are Justin Maxey, Christopher Ray and Nathan Stewart.)

The First Prize winner is Josiah Armes, of Lakeland Florida, representing the Jacksonville Chapter. Josiah is a graduate of Stetson University and is currently a graduate student at Yale University, studying with Thomas Murray. Josiah will perform a recital during the regional convention, to be held in Sarasota January 17-20, 2010. He will also perform as a Rising Star at the National Convention in Washington, DC next summer.

Second prize was awarded to Catherine Elliott, who had won the Nashville Chapter competition. Catherine is a student of Dr. Janette Fishell at Indiana University.

The other competitors were Christin Baker, (East Carolina Chapter), a student of Colin Andrews at East Carolina University; Justin Maxey (Atlanta Chapter), who studies with Dr. Peter Dewitt at Shorter College; Kenneth Miller (Charlotte Chapter), a student of Dr. Florence Jowers at Lenoir-Ryne University; Kevin Neel, an Indiana University student studying with Janette Fishell; Christopher Ray (Jackson Chapter), a student of Dr. Robert Knupp at Mississippi College; and Nathan Stewart (Knoxville Chapter), a student of Dr. John Brock at the University of Tennessee.

All of these young organists are to be congratulated for their achievements in this competition. Chapters are encouraged to feature these fine artists in upcoming programs. For information on how to contact any of these competitors for a recital, please contact Sarah Hawbecker.

Winthrop Organ Festival, August 13-16, 2009

Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, will host a festival of four concerts, lectures, workshops and a masterclass, all celebrating the restoration of the D.B. Johnson Memorial Organ, James F. Byrnes Auditorium Organ by Aeolian-Skinner, Op. 1257, 1955. The organ is the last of any large instruments tonally finished by G. Donald Harrison. Virgil Fox played the inaugural concert on November 2, 1955.

Alumni Recital
Thursday, August 13 - 7:30 pm

Richard Elliott, Mormon Tabernacle Organist
Friday, August 14 - 7:30 pm

David Lowry, Professor of Music Emeritus at Winthrop University
Saturday, August 15 - 2:00 pm

Robert Ridgell, Associate Organist of New York's Trinity Episcopal Church, Wall St.
Sunday, August 16 - 7:30 pm

For more information, contact Dr. David Lowry. Click here for the link to the Festival brochure.

Eight Young Organists to Compete June 17

The 2009 Quimby/Regional Competition for Young Organists for Region IV will be hosted by the Sarasota Chapter on Wednesday, June 17. The competition will take place at Christ Church, Bradenton, FL. The public is invited to attend.

The purpose of the RCYO competitions is to encourage younger organists to pursue excellence, to gain performance experience, and to receive recognition for their achievements. These competitions begin at the Chapter level and conclude at the nine regional conventions. The winner of each Regional Competition will be invited to perform as a Rising Star at the 2010 National Convention in Washington, D.C. The AGO/Quimby Regional Competitions are made possible by a generous grant from Michael Quimby, President, Quimby Pipe Organs. The eight organists competing on June 17 in Bradenton have won their respective local competitions in Atlanta, Charlotte, East Carolina, Jackson, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Nashville and Winston-Salem. The winner of the regional competition will also perform a recital during the regional convention in Sarasota, January 17-20, 2010.

2009 Charlotte Chapter Summer Recital Series

All programs are at 7:30 pm unless noted.

June 7 - Erica Johnson, Organ Professor, North Carolina School of the Arts
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Rd. East, 28203

June 14 - Florence Jowers
First Baptist Church, 301 S. Davidson St., 28202

June 21 - Leon Couch
Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1000 E. Morehead St., 28204

June 28 - Jim Glass
First Presbyterian Church, 700 N. Main St., Lancaster, SC 29270

July 5 - Katie Ann McCarty
Davidson United Methodist Church, 233 S. Main St., Davidson, NC 28036

July 12 - RSCM Evensong (4:00 PM) with Malcom Archer, director and Patrick Pope, organist
Myers Park Baptist Church, 1931 Selwyn Ave., 28207

July 19 - Student Recital featuring the Stigall Scholarship Recipient and Students of the Charlotte Chapter AGO
Myers Park Baptist Church, 1931 Selwyn Ave., 28207

July 26 - Thomas Fielding, Dean, Raleigh Chapter AGO
Davidson College Presbyterian Church, 100 N. Main St., Davidson, NC 28036

August 2 - Jonathan Ryan
Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1000 E. Morehead St., 28204

August 9 - Brennan Szafron
First Presbyterian Church, 1621 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia, NC 28054

August 16 - Robert Ridgell
Byrnes Auditorium, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC 29733

August 23 - Adam Ward
Sardis Presbyterian Church, 6100 Sardis Rd., 28270

August 30 - Sacred Choral Festival Featuring the combined choirs of Covenant Presbyterian Church, Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Sardis Presbyterian Church, Trinity Presbyterian Church and Myers Park Presbyterian Church
2501 Oxford Pl., 28207