Nassau Chapter




Last updated: March 10, 2010

Message from the Dean

Dear Visitor/AGO Chapter Member,

Welcome to the website of the Nassau County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists! Our chapter is one of five chapters located on Long Island, situated in Suburban New York City. We are part of Region II.

OUR NEWSLETTER, THE "Pipeline," IS NOW AVAILABLE HERE ON THE WEBSITE ALONG WITH A MORE UP-TO-DATE LISTING OF JOBS AND EVENTS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE AS WE UPDATE THE DATA.

Very truly yours,

Henry Devries, Dean
Nassau Chapter


Passing of Carol Weber
I am sorry to inform you that our friend Carol Weber has passed away. A service was held on Saturday, November 1st at 9:00 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Wantagh. Our prayers are with Carol's family. Henry




Local Events

Calendar of Events:



Duke University Choir,Director Rodney Wynkoop, at St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre, New York. Sunday, March 7, 7:30 PM. $15 and $10. More Information: 516.764.9578, ext. 203.
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St. Agnes Cathedral: Choir of Men and Boys, Cathedral Chorale, Schola Cantorum, Cathedral Girls Choir (Various Services of Music and Concerts) Michael L. Bower, Michael Wustrow, Co-Directors of Music. (516) 764-9578 FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF CONCERTS FOR THE 2007-2008 SEASON, PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE: WWW.STAGNESCATHEDRAL.ORG


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Cathedral of the Incarnation: Choir of Men and Boys and Girls Choir (Various Services of Music and Concerts) Larry Tremsky, Organist and Choirmaster. (516) 248-5704


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Long Island Choral Society: (Four concerts per year including major choral works with orchestra.)Contact their website for information on the season www.lics.org .




Newsletter

December 09 Newsletter




Greetings,

I hope everyone is controlling their stress levels in preparation for the Christmas holidays! This certainly is a tough time of year for church musicians.

The Nassau and Queens Chapters had a great time at the "Northern Blvd. Organ Tour". After meeting at the Community Church of Douglaston, we were able to see the 3 manual Moller organ at the historic Zion Episcopal Church in Douglaston. Father Holtkamp (no relation to the organ-building Holtkamps) gave us a very informative history of the parish before we played the organ. On to St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church in Bayside, where Queens dean, Tom Sexton, demonstrated the 2/8 Estey, and its recording system. In Nassau we were treated to an organ demonstration of the large Aeolian-Skinner at the Congregational Church of Manhasset by organist Judy Feuss and were given some backround of the organ by Craig Tocher. Some brave souls even climbed the ladder into the pipe chambers. We then crossed the parking lot to play the Casavant organ at Our Savior Lutheran Church. On to Port Washington, where we had a chance to have lunch and then visit St. Stephen's Episcopal Church to see the recent Peragallo organ. Finally, many thanks to Nassau Chapter member Alwyn Farey-Jones for letting our group visit his home and see the 3/41 Reuter organ, installed by Elsener in his pool house. The whole day was a very enjoyable time, a good chance for our two chapters to get to know one another, and visit some different organs.

On October 28th, we were treated to a recital at St. Agnes Cathedral by French organ virtuoso, Naji Hakim. Many thanks go to Michael Bower for organizing this event.

In order to “de-stress”, our December event will be a chance for us to sit and relax and listen to some wonderful Christmas music, as we attend Lessons and Carols for Christmas at the Cathedral of the Incarnation on Sunday, December 20th at 4:00 p.m. The Cathedral is located at 50 Cathedral Ave. in Garden City. Any of you that have ever attended an evensong or concert at the Cathedral know what an inspiring time we always have. Please take an hour out of your preparation to relax and join us for Lessons and Carols.

Looking ahead, our January event will be a great event for us to learn and come together with the Queens and Suffolk chapters. Our three chapters will be presenting a Martin Luther King Day Mini-Convention on Monday, January 18 at the Community Church of Douglaston. This will be a daylong event with workshops on children’s choirs, handbells, performance anxiety, substituting in different denominations and accessible organ music. There will be an organ masterclass on Schumann and Mendelssohn presented by David Enlow, and a choral reading with renowned choral composer Robert Lau. Your registration fee will entitle you to your morning coffee and snack, lunch and a packet of music for the choral reading session. Please register early to help us plan accordingly. The registration materials are enclosed with this letter.

Have a glorious Christmas and a blessed New Year!

-Henry



Membership

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We hope you're enjoying our new ebsite which also links you back to the National website and other chapters in the USA!


If you are a visitor and would like to join our chapter, please contact our treasurer/registrar: Sr. Marilyn Pfriender.


You may obtain an online membership registration from the National AGO Website: www.agohq.org

Placement

Positions Available:

Centerport United Methodist Church
97 Little Neck Road
Centerport, Long Island New York 11721
Office: 631 261-5222
www.CenterportUMC.org
Minister of Music (Choir Director/Organist)
Position requires an average of 10-12 hours per week: Compensation is 15 and 20K depending upon experience
Position Requirements:
-Proficiency on both digital electronic organ and grand piano.
-Knowledge of traditional hymns and anthems as well as contemporary music.
-Direct Chancel Choir and play organ & piano at weekly Sunday service (10:00am), multiple services on Easter & Christmas Eve and special services (i.e. Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, etc.). Occasional weddings & funerals that are separately compensated.
-Direct weekly Chancel Choir practices (one evening midweek) and additional practices for special programs.
-Weekly planning meetings with clergy and worship vision team.
Additional consideration given to candidates that possess experience working with contemporary musical groups (Worship Band, Chimes Choir)
-Allen electronic organ with programmable memory and automatic transposition.
For further consideration please forward your resume with three professional references and your salary requirements to the above address, attention Staff Parish Relations Chair or via email to JohnTHenderson@optonline.net. Please indicate if we are able to contact your references.



Christ Church Episcopal, Lynbrook NY
POSITION FILLED!


St. John's Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst NY.
POSITION FILLED


St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 31 Rider Avenue, Patchogue, NY 11772. Phone 631-475-3078, e-mail stpaulschurchny@optimum.net. Contact: The Rev. Paulette Schiff. Position: Part-time organist and choir director. One service on Sundays, 10:00 AM, Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with service music and 5 hymns, or 4 hymns and choir anthem. Choir currently rehearses on Wednesday nights, and Sunday before the service if singing an anthem. Additional services on Holy Days, including Christmas Eve, Epiphany, Maundy Thursday, and 2-6 others. The organ is a 2-manual Ahlborn-Galanti, 1994.

Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild's National Website.

Certification

For information about certifications, please contact: Frank Crosio, FAGO. frankcrosio@yahoo.com


(more information to be added here at a later date.)

Contact Us

CHAPTER OFFICERS:


Dean
Henry DeVries
935-0290
hdevries11801@yahoo.com

sub-dean
open: tbd

Secretary
open: tbd

Treasurer/ Registrar
Sr. Marilyn Pfriender O.P.
827-1091

Placement
Christopher Cusumano,
(631) 271-4635
chapelcus@optoline.net

Members at Large
Michael L. Bower
764-9578
mbower@stagnescathedral.org
David Schmidt
796-1992
d.schmidt@juno.com
Carol Dort
248-2393
CGwenDort@aol.com


Past Dean, Newsletter Editor
Michael L. Bower
516)764-9578, EX. 203
Mikenbob1@aol.com


District Convenor
Metropolitan New York and Europe
Meredith E. Baker, FAGO
43 Vails Gate Heights Dr.
New Windsor, NY 12553
845-938-3544 (W)
845-565-3321 (H)
MBaker@4meb.com


Regional Councillor
Allison Evans Henry, DMA
103 Kline Rd.
Pennellville, NY 13121
315-471-2174 (W)
315-695-6677 (H)
thenry2@lcsfcu.net



Links

Our neighboring Suffolk chapter has a wonderful new website! Please visit them at www.suffolkago.org.


Here’s to the Pipe Organ on Long Island! As many of you know, there was a marvelous article in the New York Times on January 15 regarding the pipe organ and Elsener Organ Works. Feel free to write the Times and thank them for this article. Link to copy of the article: www.elsenerorganworks.com


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St. Agnes Cathedral Singers Program for Saturday October 13, 2007, 7:30 PM Concert at St. Rocco’s Church, Glen Cove, New York

Rejoice in the Lord 16th Century Anonymous

The Silver Swan Orlando Gibbons
(1583-1625)

O Sing Joyfully Adrian Batten
(1591-1637)


Toccata and Fugue in d minor (BWV 565) Johann Sebastian Bach
Organ Soloist: Michael L. Bower (1685-1750)



Cantate Domino Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni
(1657-1743)

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Elizabeth Poston
1905-1987

Sing Ye Praises Aaron Copland
(1900-1990)


Mitridate: Venga pur, minacci e frema Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Soloist: Gustavo A. Leppe, Counter-tenor (1756-1791)


Sing We and Chant It Thomas Morley
(1557-1602)

Mon Coeur se recommande à vous Orlando di Lasso
(1532-1594)

Matonna Mia Cara Orlando di Lasso


Andante (KV 616) W. A. Mozart
Organ Soloist: Michael Bower


Tomorrow Shall Me My Dancing Day John Gardner
(b. 1917)

Lakme: Flower Duet Leo Delibes
Soprano Duet: Peggie Murano and Christina Pizzo Buxton (1836-1891)

What Cheer William Walton
(1902-1983)







INFORMATION ON THE NEWLY REBUILT ORGAN: COMMUNITY CHURCH, STEWART AVENUE, GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK.

Moeller, Rebuilt by Foley-Baker

The organ at Garden City Community Church is Opus 10172 of M.P. Moller,
built in 1966 and designed by Dr. Robert Baker. It is a 3-manual, 55-rank
instrument that has just been reinstalled in the church after a complete
restoration and releathering by Foley-Baker of Tolland, Connecticut. The
work of Foley-Baker, in addition to releathering of bellows and windchests,
included replacement of manual keyboards, addition of 32'Bourdon and 32'
Lieblich Gedeckt from Walker Electronics, new solid state combination action
from Classic Organ Works, and replacement of a heavy grille cloth covering
the instrument at the front of the church with a much lighter weight cloth.
The work has had a very positive effect on the sound of the organ, which now
speaks into the room with a much clearer and distinctive presence.
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Neighboring Chapters with websites:

Brooklyn: www.home.nyc.rr.com/gynyc

New York City: www.nycago.org

Queens: www.agohq.org/chapter/?handle-queens


Other related links:

The Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America
www.apoba.com

Organ Clearing House
www.organclearinghouse.com

The Organ Historical Society
www.organsociety.org

The Encyclopedia of Organ Stops
www.organstops.org

Pipedreams
www.pipedreams.org

American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
www.acdaonline.org

The Hymn Society
www.bu.edu/sth/hymn

Chorus America
www.chorusamerica.org


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WITH GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE AGO FOR THE CONTINUING EFFORTS OF THIS BENEFIT CONCERT! Michael L. Bower:

A Christmas Concert
Saturday Evening, December 9, 2006

to benefit The American Cancer Society/ The St. Agnes Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys/ Cathedral Chorale/ Chamber Orchestra/ Holliday Haynes, Contralto /Christina Pizzo Buxton, Soprano/ Peggie Murano, Soprano/Gustavo A. Leppe, Counter Tenor/Matthew Koraus, Organist Michael L. Bower, Conductor
Saturday Evening, December 9, 7:30 PM
St. Joseph's Church Garden City, New York

PROGRAM

O Come, All Ye Faithful John Francis Wade
Combined Choirs (1710-1786)
arr. Sir David Willcocks
(b. 1919)

Regina Coeli Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Men and Boys (1765-1791)

Pastoral Symphony (Messiah) George Frederick Handel
Orchestra (1685-1759)

Angels' Carol John Rutter
Combined Choirs (b. 1945)

I Wonder as I Wander American Folk Carol/arr. John Jacob Niles
Holliday Haynes, Contralto Soloist (1892-1980)

There is No Rose (Ceremony of Carols) Benjamin Britten
Peggie Murano, Christina Pizzo Buxton, Holliday Haynes (1913-1976)

Choral: Wachet auf, Ruft uns die Stimme (Advent Cantata #140) Johann Sebastian Bach
Combined Choirs (1685-1750)

Wachet Auf (Sleepers Wake) J.S. Bach
Matthew Koraus, Organ Soloist

Shepherd's Pipe Carol John Rutter
Chorale Schola

O Holy Night Adolphe Adam
Combined Choirs and Christina Pizzo Buxton, Soprano Soloist (1803-1856)

INTERMISSION

Gloria in Excelsis (Gloria, RV 589) Antonio Vivaldi
1. Allegro Combined Choirs (1678-1741)

Exultate Jubilate W.A. Mozart
Alleluia Peggie Murano, Soprano Soloist

Organ Concerto in F Major, Opus 4, No.4 G.F. Handel
1. Allegro Matthew Koraus, Organ Concerto Soloist


Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant French Carol
Choir of Men and Boys arr. John Rutter

And the Glory of the Lord (Messiah) G.F. Handel
Combined Choirs

Star Carol John RutterBoys Choir Trebles

Esurientes (Magnificat) J.S. Bach
Gustavo A. Leppe, Countertenor

Hodie, Christus Natus Est Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck
Cathedral Singers (1562-1621)

I Saw Three Ships English Carol
Combined Choirs arr. John Rutter

*Special Dedication to Our American Soldiers and Their Families*

Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah # 44) G.F. Handel
Combined Choirs



Michael L. Bower: Premier Recital on the New Organs
at St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre, New York
Sunday, February 2, 2003, 7:30 PM


PROGRAM:

Concerto in a minor (BWV 593) Antonio Vivaldi
/Johann Sebastian Bach
"Allegro" (1678-1741)/(1685-1750)

Fantasie over het leid Piet Post
"Heilig, Heilig, Heilig" (b. 1919)

"Adagio for Strings" Samuel Barber
(1910-1981)
arr. William Strickland
(1899-1981)
Dedicated to the men and women who died
in the World Trade Center, New York City
September 11, 2001

Symphony No. 2 Louis Vierne
"Scherzo" (1870-1937)

Symphony No. 3 Louis Vierne
"Final"


INTERMISSION


"Fugue in G Major (Jig Fugue)" (BWV 577) J.S. Bach

Sonata in D Major (K. 288) Domenico Scarlatti
"Allegro" (1685-1757)

"Choral in a minor" César Franck
(1822-1890)

Symphony Gothique Charles-Marie Widor
"Andante Sostenuto" (1844-1937)

Symphony No. 5 Charles Marie Widor
"Toccata"


ENCORE:
"Toccata in d minor/Maple Leaf Rag"
J.S. Bach/Scott Joplin
arr. Michael Bower

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