[Last updated September 9, 2024]
Dean’s Message
Dear Members and Friends of the Greater Lansing AGO Chapter,
I hope that you have had an enjoyable summer with rest, travel and some new or old activities that you enjoy. Fall brings back the start of school and the beginning of musical groups such as choir, handbells and instrumental groups. For those of us who play the organ or piano for worship, we may have played for most of the services over the summer.
This time of year also gives us a new start: a new beginning. I would encourage you to consider attending our AGO Chapter events as part of your musical life and growth. We have a great variety of events planned. Perhaps the most valuable part of attending events is the fellowship, support and encouragement of your fellow AGO members. I want to thank the members of our Board for their efforts in making these events possible.
Please join us.
Dean John Horak
Mission Statement
Our mission is to expose the Greater Lansing Area community
to the beauty and power of music as expressed through both the organ
and the choral experience.
We are dedicated to providing this experience through the following means:
- Making accessible professional training to all interested youth and adults
with the opportunity for on-going scholarships for study. - Providing performances of quality repertoire that reflects the diverse
nature of both the sacred and secular genres in our world through recitals
by Guild members and guest soloists. - Making available continuing education in both the areas of keyboard and
choral music with emphasis on varying levels of complexity that satisfy
the needs of each musician and situation. - Exposing the musician to an eclectic variety of sacred and secular compositions
that will allow for appropriate choices in their field of service. - Providing, through membership in the AGO Guild, a source of networking,
camaraderie, and edification through the sharing of our individual gifts.
Local Events
We are now resuming our usual meetings, programs and concerts for the 2023-2024 season.
Please check in frequently for postings of interesting upcoming meetings, concerts and events. One of the exciting events of the past year was the installation of the new Letourneau pipe organ at Michigan State University’s Alumni Chapel.
Sunday, September 15, 2024, 3:00 pm. Ken Cowan organ recital at MSU Alumni Chapel, MSU Campus.
As one of North America’s most acclaimed concert organists, Ken Cowan brings his virtuosity and captivating artistry with a repertoire that features classical works arranged for organ by Felix Mendelssohn and J.S. Bach, alongside contemporary compositions by Gaston Litaize, Rachel Laurin, Iain Farrington, and more. Experience the grandeur and power of the Red Cedar Organ at the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel as Cowan brings to life a diverse program that promises to thrill and inspire.
Tickets can be purchased through: https://music.msu.edu/event/ken-cowan-organ-guest-organ-recital/
Free parking on Sundays!
Thursday, October 3, 2024, 7:00 pm. Our Savior Lutheran Church, 7910 E. St. Joe Highway (Corner of St. Joe Highway and Broadbent). John Horak, organ and adult choir presents Geistliche Abendmusik – A Worship Service Through Music by Gerhard Krapf (1924-2008).
The adult choir will be leading the singing of the hymns with the congregation.
Each hymn has an introduction and then verses of the hymns are sung to different settings.
Interspersed are verses of scripture which will be read before the hymn is sung.
The Prelude and Postlude of the recital are free pieces by Krapf based on themes of Frescobaldi.
Sunday, October 6, 2024, 3:00 pm. Central United Methodist Church, 215. N. Capitol, Lansing. Timothy Nechuta organ recital.
He will be performing works by J.S. Bach, Dan Locklair, Francois Couperin, Charles W. Ore, and Charles-Marie Widor’s Symphony Romane (complete).
A native of Williamston, Timothy is a 2023 graduate of Hope College where he studied with Dr. Huw Lewis. He began his organ study with Mr. John Horak of Lansing and is a current student of Dr. Steven Egler, Professor Emeritus of Central Michigan University.
Timothy is currently organist at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Holt, MI.
Check back soon to see a list of other events for the remainder of 2024.
Organ Concerts on the Web
While the last year and a half of the pandemic has kept us from attending live concerts, there have been many concerts broadcast live on the Internet. Many, and perhaps most, of these concerts can be found on YouTube. Some of the most popular performances can be heard here:
- Pipedreams. J. Michael Barone hosts the weekly Pipedreams radio program on public radio, nationwide. This syndicated program is heard in many parts of the country. The weekly broadcasts of the full program (two hours) is also broadcast on the Internet. These programs and forty years of archived programs can be found at:
www.pipedreams.org. These programs feature a particular theme each week and these programs include organs and organists from around the world with interesting and informed commentary on the organs and music and occasionally includes interviews with the performers. - A YouTube search of Gert van Hoef will show a large number of his outstanding concerts over the last year or two. Recently, van Hoef received an honor of being one of the few outstanding musicians who has more than 100,000 subscribers to his programs. He often plays on one of many instruments throughout the Netherlands.
- A YouTube search for the Scott Brothers duo or Jonathan Scott, organist will take you to a wide variety of recent programs by Jonathan Scott and occasionally concerts with Jonathan and his brother Tom who is an outstanding pianist.
- Member and East Lansing native and internationally acclaimed concert organist and professor at Wichita State University, Lynne Davis, hosts a concert series on the Marcussen organ. You can find these videos of these programs at: tinyurl.com/wiedemann-videos.
- A quick search will reveal many other interesting live-streamed concerts from around the world.
Board Meetings
The 2024-2025 GLC-AGO Board meetings are held at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Lansing at 12:00 noon. on the following dates:
- Friday, September 13
Newsletter
Membership
Placement
Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild’s National Website.
Certification
Contact Us
Board Members:
- John Horak, Dean,Email
- Barbara Hiranpradist, Newsletter, Email
- Mary Black Junttonen, Secretary, Email
- Lee Hendrickson, Treasurer, Email
- Meredith Hines, Email
- Susanne Hoekzema, Publicity, Email
- Robert Miller, Email
