AGO & Organ News

Forrest Eimold, a 16-year old AGO student member in the Boston Chapter, was recently featured on “From the Top,” which airs on National Public Radio. He played Carillon de Westminster, Op. 54, No. 6, by Louis Vierne. The performance took place thirty-six feet above the stage of Emory University’s Emerson Concert Hall in Atlanta, Georgia on the Werner Wortsman Memorial Organ. The organ was named in memory of alumnus Werner Wortsman in recognition of his generous support of the arts at Emory. The organ, a mechanical key-action tracker instrument of fifty-four stops and 3,605 pipes, is playable from three manual keyboards and pedal board.

From Winthrop, MA, Forrest is the current organ scholar at St. Paul’s parish in Harvard Square. He’s a big fan of program notes and one of his favorite activities is studying scores. He is, in his own words, really into scholarship–so much so that he once received an overdue notice for $2,000.

“From the Top” is America’s largest national platform dedicated to celebrating the stories, talents, and character of classically-trained young musicians. Through live events, NPR and YouTube broadcasts, scholarships, and leadership programs, it celebrates the stories, talents, and character of classically-trained young musicians. It maintains an archive of broadcasts, including Forrest’s performance, on its website.

The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) College of Fine Arts and the Department of Music will present the world premiere of Dan Locklair’s INITIAL MEMORIES: A Divertimento for Organ and Wind Quintet on Saturday, November 7, at 3 p.m. A pre-concert presentation by the composer will be given at 2:15 p.m. The pre-concert event and the performance, both of which are free and open to the public, will take place in the DiCicco Rehearsal Hall, Cogswell Music Building at IUP, located in Indiana, Pa., 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. All are invited to a reception following the concert.

INITIAL MEMORIES will be presented by members of the IUP music faculty including: Dr. Joseph Baunoch, bass; Dr. Rosemary Brumbelow, clarinet; Dr. Stephanie Caulder, oboe; Dr. Christine Clewell, organ; Dr. Mary Logan Hastings, soprano; Dr. Heidi Lucas, horn; Dr. See-Yin Lo, tenor; Dr. Therese Wacker, flute; Dr. Jason Worzbyt, bassoon; and Brianna Brickner, alto (IUP Class of ’13).

A four-movement divertimento, INITIAL MEMORIES was conceived to highlight the unique tonal aesthetic of the Ronald G. Pogorzelski and Lester D. Yankee Pipe Organ, built by R. J. Brunner & Company of Silver Spring, Pa. The composition was commissioned by IUP in honor of the newly installed organ which is being used by special arrangement with the American Guild of Organists (AGO).

Named the 1996 AGO Distinguished Composer of the Year, Dan Locklair is Composer-in-Residence and Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His compositional catalog, influenced by a wide variety of traditions, includes internationally performed symphonic works, a ballet, an opera, and numerous solo, chamber, vocal, organ, and choral compositions.

In addition to the Locklair premiere, the concert will include organ solo and ensemble works that showcase the Pogorzelski and Yankee Organ. Representative composers include J. S. Bach, PDQ Bach, Gladys Fisher, Libby Larsen, John Knowles Paine, and Wayne Bernard Sanders.

On the eve of the premiere, Friday, November 6, there will be a “Meet-the-Composer” presentation featuring Dan Locklair. This program will be facilitated by IUP Assistant Professor of Theory and Composition Dr. John Levey. Beginning at 5 p.m. in the DiCicco Rehearsal Hall, Cogswell Music Building, this event is also free and open to the general public.

For more information contact Christine Clewell

The American Guild of Organists is sad to announce the death of internationally renowned organist and composer McNeil Robinson on Saturday, May 9, 2015, in New York City, following a long illness. The Guild extends its deepest sympathies to his family and friends, especially his wife, Cristina Cassellato Robinson.

A public memorial service will be held on Tuesday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Church of the Ascension
Fifth Avenue at Tenth Street
New York City, NY 10011

All are welcome.

McNeil Robinson, who chaired the organ department at the Manhattan School of Music for more than two decades, was a world renowned improvisateur who taught more winners in the AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation than any other teacher. He was a commissioned composer for the AGO National Conventions in San Francisco (1984), Boston (1990), and New York City (1996).

Mr. Robinson served as organist of New York City’s most celebrated houses of worship for more than half a century. These included the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the Church of the Holy Family (United Nations), Park Avenue Christian Church, Park Avenue Synagogue, and Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church.

Read the official obituary here: McNeil Robinson Obituary

McNeil Robinson New York Times Obituary

Michael Gilbertson has been awarded the 2016 AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition. The biennial award comes with a $2,000 cash award, publication by ECS Publishing, and a premiere performance at the 2016 AGO National Convention in Houston, Texas.

More information on the award is available here:
AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition

The Northwest Indiana Chapter of AGO, along with the Valparaiso University Student AGO Chapter held its first Pipe Organ Encounter July 5-10, 2015, on the campus of Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana.  Valparaiso’s campus, with 8 pipe organs on campus made for a good and accessible site.  During the week there were thirty-two students in attendance, sixteen faculty, six college counselors, five committee members, and ten volunteers.  Several students had never had an organ lesson before the POE, while one student was attending her fourth POE.  The students were from California, Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee, as well as most Midwestern states.  Guest faculty included Craig Cramer from the University of Notre Dame, Janette Fishell and Jonathan Rudy from Indiana University, Jonathan Moyer from Oberlin University, Christopher Houlihan from Trinity College, Melissa Plamann from Oklahoma City University, Marko Petricic from University of Indianapolis, Marsha Foxgrover from College of DuPage, John Allegar and Cindy Romano from Indianapolis, IN, David Lincoln from Barrington, IL, Karl Bruhn from Batavia, IL,.  Local faculty members from the Northwest Indiana Chapter were Lorraine Brugh, Bill Ickstadt, Stephen Schnurr and Daniel Segner.

The students had one private lesson each morning Monday through Thursday.  At each session they had the opportunity to play a variety of instruments, from tracker to electro-pneumatic and from two to four-manual instruments.  Volunteers from both host churches and the Northwest Indiana AGO chapter helped serve as lesson monitors during the lesson times.

During the week, classes were presented on wide variety of topics including pedal technique, how to practice pieces in various stages, liturgical music leading, hymn playing, practice techniques and how to take the POE home with you. On Tuesday, students had the opportunity to tour the Berghaus Organ Factory. Len Berghaus, retired company president, discussed organ building, pipe voicing, and the different types of organ pipes.  Following a tour of the factory, students were treated to a theater organ demonstration and recital at Beggar’s Pizza. Glenn Taller, the resident organist, gave students opportunity to try out the instrument.

The POE featured evening concerts on the Schlicker/Dobson organ in the Chapel of the Resurrection which were also open to the public.  These events helped bring awareness to the general public about both the organ and the Pipe Organ Encounter program.  On Sunday evening Valparaiso University students Seth Carlson, Daniel Segner, Erik Matson, Michensey Hamlin, Hannah Koby, Kaitlyn Matthews, and Megan Gruenwald presented a recital, followed by open console time for the POE students. Monday evening, Janette Fishell, Jonathan Moyer and John Allegar gave a faculty recital.  On Wednesday evening Christopher Houlihan presented a recital, as both guest artist and faculty member. Thursday afternoon Jonathan Rudy presented a recital, and Thursday evening faculty members Cindy Romano, Marko Petricic and Marsha Foxgrover presented a recital.

Valparaiso University students organized open and recreational time for the students on campus. They led sessions on handbells, harpsichords, and taught students basic techniques for them. They organized recreational time in the athletic center, game room time in the Union, and swimming in the University pool. Students often chose to use recreation time for additional practice. Each student also had a lesson with their teacher on the chapel organ, in preparation for Friday’s recital.

On Friday morning, students had a short warm-up on the chapel organ, then a short coaching session on managing performance anxiety. Following checkout from the dormitory, our POE concluded with the student recital at the Chapel of the Resurrection.  This location was ideal for the recital.  In addition to a visible console for the audience, it allowed each student to play in this large acoustic space on a fine instrument. All thirty-two students elected to play and the performances were greeted with enthusiastic applause from the audience of students, friends, and parents.  Following the recital students departed and the Northwest Indiana AGO held a lunch for the POE Steering Committee, faculty, university counselor, and those who had volunteered their time during the week.