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Updated 30 Jul 2010 |
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Briefly...
Dates to Remember - Los Angeles Chapter
Dates to Remember - AGO Region IX (Far West)
Dates to Remember - AGO National
Los Angeles Chapter Centennial CelebrationThe Los Angeles Chapter AGO is celebrating its 100th year. The chapter was chartered June 6, 1910, and the Centennial Celebration took place on the anniversary date: Sunday, June 6, 2010. Click here for info. Click here for a flyer about the Gala Concert. See below for a new publication, Organs in the Land of Sunshine, funded by the chapter as part of its Centennial Celebration. For more about the chapter's history, see About AGO and Chapter History. See also an article by Orpha Ochse in the December 2009 issue of The American Organist, page 85.
Organs in the Land of SunshineAs part of its Centennial Celebration, the Los Angeles Chapter AGO has funded publication of the book Organs in the Land of Sunshine, a history of organs in Los Angeles from 1880 to 1932 authored by James Lewis and published by OHS Press. Click here to order.
Pipedreams Programs Highlight Los AngelesTwo upcoming Pipedreams programs will feature performances from Walt Disney Concert Hall and from the AGO 2004 National Convention in Los Angeles. These programs may be heard on the Pipedreams website, and are expected to be broadcast on KUSC 91.5 FM (dates and times to be announced) in observance of the Centennial Celebration of the Los Angeles Chapter AGO.
In memoriamHelen Wunsch, mother of member William Wunsch, passed away April 11, 2010. Funeral services were held April 15 in Illinois. Bill serves as secretary of the chapter's Executive Committee. Obituary A memorial service for longtime chapter member George Davidson was held March 10 at First Friends Church in Whittier. George was born March 10, 1918, and passed away February 15, 2010. He had been organist of First Friends Church ca. 1946. Chapter member Luise Engelhardt passed away January 13, 2010. Born in Germany, Luise served for many years as organist and choirmaster of Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church in Altadena. She moved to Frostburg MD last June to be closer to her family members. Obituary Robert "Bob" Mitchell, one of the Los Angeles Chapter's longest-lived and best-known members, passed away on Saturday, July 4, 2009 at age 96. More
Chapter NewsChristoph Bull is preparing a recording on the Walt Disney Concert Hall organ. It is an eclectic program of music from the 14th to the 20th centuries, to be released in the fall of 2010. Hear an excerpt on his website. Christoph is University Organist and organ professor at UCLA and serves the Los Angeles chapter as education chair. James Vail has taken on the duties of organist and choirmaster at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church after nearly one year in retirement. He states, "Even though I’ve kept busy doing a few recitals and some substituting, I discovered early on that I greatly missed preparing for Thursday rehearsals, Sunday services, and occasional concerts and special services." Member Richard Grayson has posted on YouTube video excerpts from several concerts in which he creates fascinating improvisations on familiar themes in the styles of various composers from Bach to Barber. The most recent postings are from a February 28, 2010 performance at Crossroads School in Santa Monica. The links are on his website. A composition by chapter member Neil Stipp will be performed at the AGO 2010 National Convention in Washington DC. Neil's piece "May Your Life Be Filled With Gladness," for organ, oboe, and SATB choir, will be performed by the Heritage Signature Chorale during their concerts on July 5th at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church. The work was the winner of the 2010 AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition. Craig Phillips has been named Director of Music at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills. This follows the departure of Dale Adelmann, who is now Canon for Music at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta GA. David York has been named Interim Music Director, Organist, and Choir Director at St. John's ProCathedral in Los Angeles, following the departure of Erik Goldstrom, who is now Organist/Choirmaster of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Phoenix AZ. James Vail has been named an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, one of eight persons so named by Bishop J. Jon Bruno at the annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles in December. The title is given by the bishop to clergy and laypersons in recognition of significant service. Dr. Vail, who retired in June after forty years as organist and choirmaster of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Westwood, is also an Honorary Life Member of this chapter. The Los Angeles Chapter was well represented in the December 2009 issue of The American Organist magazine. Orpha Ochse had a short article about the chapter's upcoming centennial (page 85); education chair Christoph Bull had an thoughtful article entitled "Why Isn't the King of Instruments More Popular?" (page 97); and Los Angeles writer Les Hammer had an appreciation entitled "Bob Mitchell: A Legend in His Own Time" (page 105).
"What a Gift to the Organ World" The DVD is available in both American (NTSC) and European (PAL) DVD formats. Click here to learn more about this exciting DVD project, read reviews, play excerpts, or see ordering information. Life and Music of Jean Langlais makes an excellent gift for a favorite organist, teacher, or student -- or for yourself! Another idea: Donate one to a library. See the review of this DVD in the June 2007 issue of The American Organist, page 82.
Region IX BlogVisit the AGO Region IX Blog. It is maintained by chapter member and Region IX Councillor Frances Nobert.
David Britton Memorial WebsiteA website in memory of Dr. David Britton (1942-1992), concert organist and recording artist, has been established by Manuel Rosales. Anyone with material to contribute for the site may contact Manuel by email. Visit the site at DavidBrittonOrganist.info.
From AGO NationalAGO has published a color brochure, What Clergy and Congregational Leaders Should Know About the AGO. Complimentary copies are also available from headquarters on request. On the AGO National website you can find recently updated versions of: Also see these recently added resources:
Quotations About the Organ and Its MusicHave you noticed the quotation at the bottom right of our Home page? It is one of a series about the organ and its music that we change periodically. If you know of an appropriate short quotation, please send it (including source) to our webmaster for possible use. So far, we have quotations from George Ashdown Audsley, J.S. Bach, Honoré de Balzac, Ludwig van Beethoven, Pope Benedict XVI, Charles Burney, E. Power Biggs, Andrew Carnegie, William Horatio Clarke, Charles Courboin, G.D. Cunningham, John Dryden, Marcel Dupré, Archer Gibson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Victor Hugo, Peter Hurford, Olivier Messiaen, John Milton, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Alexander Pope, Camille Saint-Saëns, Robert Schumann, Albert Schweitzer, William Shakespeare, Leo Sowerby, Thomas H. Troeger, Louis Vierne, Charles-Marie Widor, and Filson Young.
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