Now is the time of year that many chapter program committees are meeting to plan programs for the upcoming program year. I am grateful to Paul H. Hesselink, AGO District Convener who lives in Las Vegas, for compiling the following list of program ideas, and to Leslie Wolf Robb, Councillor for Region IX, for forwarding it to all of her fellow Councillors, including me. I hope it's helpful to your chapter! Jan
Program Ideas Gleaned from Issues of The American
Organist
August 2010 through July 2011
I suspect that the “Chapter News” sections of TAO may be among the most “under-read” parts of the magazine.
There are many creative ideas contained in these reports of chapter activities. In compiling this list of program ideas, the more “usual” events such as member recitals, student recitals, Halloween Spooktaculars, organ crawls, and other events often part of regular chapter programming were not included. In order to qualify for the list, the program reported had to have a unique or creative quality. The programs are referenced by issue, page numbers and chapter report so you can go back to the original description for the details.
August 2010—pp.18-30
A presentation (DVD) of early American organs and organ music. (Monmouth, N.J. Chapter)
A workshop on “registration.” (Binghamton, N.Y. Chapter)
A “Members’ Choice Recital” (Westchester County, N. Y. Chapter)
“The Music of Canadian Composer, Denis Bédard” (District of Columbia Chapter)
“Chant Based Works for Organ” (Pittsburgh, Pa Chapter)
A program of organ music for four hands and four feet. (Northern Virginia Chapter) (See also January, 2011, Savannah, Ga. Chapter.)
Workshop on “What to Do with a New Piece.” (Oklahoma City, Okla. Chapter)
“Organ Music 2010: What’s New for Sunday Morning? And Some forget-Me-Nots” (Austin, Tex. Chapter)
September 2010 – pp. 18-32
Dessert buffet and viewing of AGO video
Pulling Out All the Stops. (Lancaster, Pa. Chapter)
October 2010 – pp. 20-29
Not necessarily a “program idea” but perhaps useful: “Getting to Know You.” Members are encouraged to submit brief
bios and each newsletter will feature a
number of them. (Greater Hartford, Conn. Chapter)
“Nordic Delights” – a program of Scandinavian organ music (Central New
Jersey Chapter)
“Taize: How to Make it Work for Your Congregation” (Southern Indiana
Chapter)
November 2010 – pp. 22-26
“Bach’s Schübler Chorales.” Program included singing of each of the
chorales, a performance of the
cantata movement, and playing of the organ setting. (Louisville, Ky. Chapter)
December 2010 – pp. 26-36
An anthem reading session of works representing American folk,
spiritual and gospel styles. (Miami, Fla.
Chapter)
A panel of clergy and musicians discussing trends in liturgy and church
music. (St. Petersburg, Fla.
Chapter)
Workshop on “Music for Solo Voice and Organ.” (East Central Illinois
Chapter)
January 2011 – pp. 22-39
“Improvisation workshop” based on Robert Lau’s new book, A Practical Approach to Improvisation for the Church
Organist. (Suffolk, N.Y Chapter)
(See also June 2011 issue, York, Pa. Chapter)
“Improve Your Skills Workshop” covering subjects “Reducing Orchestral
Scores for Organ,” “Choral Repertoire,”
“Organ Repertoire,” and “Music Technology
for the Uninitiated.” (Southwest Jersey
Chapter)
“A hymn and service-playing workshop.”
(Cumberland Valley, Md. Chapter)
“Workshop/master class on Couperin’s Messe pour les Couvents. (Pittsburgh, PA Chapter)
Hymn festival based on Hal Hopson’s The
Writers Tell Their Stories (Monongahela,
W. Va. Chapter)
Hymn festival “”We Believe in One God—Hymns of the Church Year Through the Nicene Creed.” (Columbus, Ga. Chapter)
“How the Pipe Organ Works” for non-organists (but it could be helpful
to organists as well). (Greater
Greensboro, N.C. Chapter)
A Program of Music by Benjamin Britten (Knoxville, Tenn. Chapter)
Daniel Gawthrop’s tongue-in-cheek Pie
Carols, sung to well-known tunes. (Northeast
Tennessee-Southwest Virginia Chapter)
“Practice Techniques That Pay Off” (Chicago Il. Chapter)
“Organ Music by Women Composers” (Chicago, Il. Chapter)
Master class on the Organ Works
of Paul Hindemith (Lexington, Ky. Chapter)
Master class on the Organ Works
of César Franck (South Dakota Chapter) (See also
May 2011 listing for South Dakota Chapter where it is stated that the organ works of Franck was the study focus for
the chapter during the year)
February 2011 – pp.18-32
Video night—numerous videos on the pipe organ, its history,
construction, etc. available. The
video on the Life and Music of Jean Langlais,
produced by the Mistrettas of the LA
Chapter as an outgrowth of the Region IX
Conclave in Las Vegas in 2006 (Ann
Labounsky) would also be an excellent choice. (Westchester
County, N.Y. Chapter) See also: documentary video about J.S. Bach and The Art of Fugue (Knoxville, Tenn. Chapter)
Workshop with Susan and David Cherwien on “How they write words and
music for their hymns.” [Ed. Another
possibility might be Susan Bentall Boersma, anthem
lyricist-in-residence for Beckenhorst Press.] (Lehigh Valley, Pa. Chapter)
Presentation “The Organist as
Pastor—Creative Hymn and Service-Playing.” (Pittsburgh, Pa. Chapter)
The Music of Craig Phillips, including newly commissioned work Scenes from a Gallery for organ, violin and flute. (Nashville, Tenn.
Chapter)
Dramatic enactment of Mark Schweitzer’s The Organist Wore Pumps, a liturgical mystery (Louisville, Ky. Chapter) (See also June 2011 issue,
Northeast Tennessee-Southwest
Virginia Chapter for additional possibilities).
A Service of Psalms and Songs (Saginaw Valley, Mich. Chapter)
Open console session, perhaps on the newest organ in town or one that
usually isn’t very accessible. Important
is that the individual organists be scheduled for
a certain amount of time and that they have the time alone with the organ without listeners…for those who might
be more timid! (We have done this at
UNLV in Las Vegas and should probably do it again now at Christ Church Episcopal on the new 54-rank, four
manual Schantz.) (Sioux Trails, Minn.
Chapter)
Organ Music 2010 – What’s New for Sunday
Morning? a survey of newly-published organ literature. (Oklahoma
City, Okla. Chapter)
March 2011 – pp. 14-26
The Care and Feeding of Small---and Even
Smaller--- Choirs. (Portland, Maine Chapter)
Teaching New Music to Congregations (Harrisburg, Pa. Chapter)
Celebrating a Chapter Anniversary (Richmond, Va. Chapter)
Exploring: Organs and
Organists—Where we have been—Where we are now--- Where are we going? (St.
Petersburg, Fla. Chapter)
Ways in which organists can avoid
physical stress and injury at the keyboard. (Taubman technique) (Spartenburg, S.C. Chapter)
Cookies and Carols an informal meeting in a member home featuring
seasonal organ and piano music, carols
old and new.
April 2011 – pp. 20-32
Elements of the Service Playing and
Colleague Exams (Suffolk, N. Y.
Chapter)
“AGO Gives Back,” an evening of caroling at a retirement home
(Spartanburg, S.C. Chapter)
Used organ music sale before and after a session/meeting. Perhaps
proceeds could be used to support a scholarship fund. (Ann Arbor, Mich. Chapter)
“A Digital Saturday,” an opportunity to hear three electronic organ
installations. (Los Angeles, Calif.
Chapter)
May 2011 –pp. 16-28
Creative Use of Handbells in Worship (Miami, Fla. Chapter)
Jehan Alain Centennial Celebration (Charlotte, N.C. Chapter)
A Trip Down Memory Lane—Reminiscences by
AGO Members and Friends (Knoxville, Tenn. Chapter)
Program of Organ Music and Vocal
Selections Suitable for Weddings. Wedding “horror” stories were shared over
dinner. (Northeast Tennessee-Southwest Virginia
Chapter)
June 2011—pp. 16—29
J. S. Bach Birthday Marathon
(Richmond, Va. Chapter)
“How to Learn Vierne” (Wilmington, N.C. Chapter)
“Gregory’s Music: Magnificent Monody (A Whistle-Stop Tour of Western Plainsong).” (Charleston, S. C. Chapter)
The Music of Calvin Hampton (1938-1984) (Knoxville, Tenn. Chapter)
A Festival Service Featuring the Music
of Healey Willan (1880-1968) Saginaw Valley, Mich. Chapter)
July 2011—pp 20-27
“Bach Birthday Bash” – A performance of Orgelbüchlein by seven members
of the chapter. (New Hampshire
Chapter)
“Organ Expo 2011” An event for the public, parents and children, organ demonstration, with hands-on time
after the presentation. (Suffolk, N. Y. Chapter)
“This Works for Me,” a workshop by members sharing favorite anthems and
organ selections (Harrisburg, Pa
Chapter)
“A Virtual Tour of the North German Baroque Organ.” “An interactive
journey of some of the most beautiful
organs in the world.” (Charlottesville-Albermarle,
Va. Chapter)
“Bach Birthday Bash,” a progressive concert featuring local organists, instrumentalists and choral groups in three
churches. (Tampa, Fla. Chapter)
“Great Hymns of the Faith: A Festival of Hymns.” Singing of nine hymns
and playing of compositions based on the
hymn tunes. (Wilmington, N.C. Chapter)
“Voluntaries Old and New” designed around the liturgical year featuring
both well-known and contemporary
composers. Followed by a “garage sale” of music
donated by chapter members, proceeds to benefit the AGO Annual Fund. (Columbia, S.C. Chapter)
Workshop on “Effective Accompanying” (Grand Rapids, Mich. Chapter)
“A ‘POP’ Concert” (preludes, offertories and postludes) (Fort Worth,
Tex. Chapter
I may have “missed” some ideas for programming which could be perfect
for your chapter. Some of the program
ideas above will depend on what sort of local talent you have in the chapter,
what your chapter’s budget may allow for the importing of a specialist,
etc. I hope, however, that you may find
some ideas useful for your chapter.
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