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SouthEast Jersey Chapter |
| Last updated: May 13, 2012 |
Message from the Dean |
Welcome to the SouthEast Jersey Chapter. For more than a century, the American Guild of Organists has been the largest, unified voice in the world dedicated to supporting the organ and those who play it. In recent years, the Guild has rededicated its energies toward broadening the appreciation and understanding of organ music, and to restoring the glory of the King of Instruments throughout our society. The Guild's mission is to: -- promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles, -- encourage excellence in the performance of organ and choral music, and -- provide a forum for the support, inspiration, education, and certification of Members. With over 18,000 Members, the Guild has a headquarters in New York and over 340 local chapters in the United States and internationally. The SouthEast Jersey Chapter serves Atlantic County, Cape May County, and the southern Delaware Bay portion of Cumberland County. Geographically speaking, we are the second largest Chapter in the United States. First and foremost, we welcome you to our musical events. We enjoy making music. We invite you to be part of the experience. We also provide educational programs such as registration workshops, accompaniment classes, and organ "crawls," to name a few. At times, we participate in ventures with other Chapters. We also participate in events for young people. If you are not a Member or Chapter Friend, please consider joining us. We welcome your participation. All who are interested in the organ and choral music fields are invited to join. Membership is open to everyone, regardless of religion, denomination, or musical ability. Students, amateurs, hobbyists, professionals, virtuosos, and others make up our ranks. My thanks to all in our Chapter who volunteer and help out in so many ways. If you have any questions or if our Chapter can be of help to you, please do not hesitate to get in touch. My appreciation, too, to all our Chapter Members and Friends. Without your continued support, our work is not possible. As Charles Marie Widor states, "Organ playing is the manifestation of a will filled with the vision of eternity." And according to Honore de Balzac, "The organ is the grandest, the most daring, the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius." God bless. Sincerely, Dennis E. Cook, Dean 609-345-7686, decook5454@gmail.com ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ |
Local Events |
♫ Organ Recital – May 20, 2012 – Sunday – 3:00 PM • First Presbyterian Church, 119 West Commerce Street (at the corner of Giles Street), Bridgeton, NJ • Scott J. Breiner, organist • Phone: 856-455-0809 ♫ Organ Recital by David Ball – May 20, 2012 – Sunday – 4:00 PM • Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Roman Catholic Church, 1409 Pacific Avenue (Tennessee and Pacific Avenues), Atlantic City, NJ • David Ball was the Organ Scholar at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis for four years. He currently is studying at Juilliard and is Assistant Organist at St. Malachy's, "The Actor's Chapel", in New York City. • $10.00 donation per person requested for the organ restoration fund. ♫ “Sea-Themed” Music – Cape Shore Chorale – June 3, 2012 – Sunday – 3:00 PM • Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 30th Street and Bay Avenue (2998 Bay Avenue), Ocean City, NJ • Scott J. Breiner, Director ♫ Philadelphia Boys Choir – June 23, 2012 – Saturday – 7:00 PM • Saint Peter’s United Methodist Church, Eighth Street and Central Avenue (501 East Eighth Street), Ocean City, NJ • Tickets are $10.00 each. Available at the door, or in advance by calling 609-399-2741. ♫ Saint Peter’s United Methodist Church Annual Music Camp – July 16 to 20, 2012 – Monday to Friday – 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon • Saint Peter’s United Methodist Church, Eighth Street and Central Avenue (501 East Eighth Street), Ocean City, NJ • For children 4 years old through 8th grade. • Call John Gregory Bate at 609-399-2988 for further details. ♫ The Masterworks Choir of Ocean City presents “Those Fantastic Americans” – July 26, 2012 – Thursday – 7:30 PM • Saint Peter’s United Methodist Church, Eighth Street and Central Avenue (501 East Eighth Street), Ocean City, NJ • Music of the 20th century featuring works by Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein. • The Masterworks Choir of Ocean City will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at 6:00 PM in the Music Room of Saint Peter's United Methodist Church for this concert. Masterworks Choir is open to all, and no audition is necessary. Call John Gregory Bate at 609-399-2988 for further information and any questions. ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ |
Newsletter |
Fyi... ♫ Allen organ for sale. Contact Eric Dolch at edolch@comcast.net. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Newsletter Spring 2012 (April/May/June) http://cid-511486f723cf7aeb.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Documents/PipelineSpring2012.pdf ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ |
Membership |
Why Join? The SouthEast Jersey Chapter welcomes all interested in the organ, choral activities, and related music. Membership is open to everyone, regardless of religion, denominational affiliation, or musical ability. The Southeast Jersey Chapter serves Atlantic County. Cape May County, and the southern Delaware Bay section of Cumberland County. ■ Why join the SouthEast Jersey Chapter? Joining the Chapter benefits you, others like you (musicians and non-musicians alike), those for whom you perform or sponsor musical events, and, in general, all who love organ music. ■ Must I be an organist or a musician to join? No. ■ If I am an organist, must I be a seasoned performer to join? No. Students, amateurs, hobbyists, professionals, virtuosos, and others make up our ranks. ■ In what ways can I join? Two ways: as a Voting Member or as a Chapter Friend. Those who are not organists may join either as a Voting Member or Chapter Friend. Joining as a Chapter Friend does not include all benefits of Voting Membership (e.g. receiving The American Organist). ■ How are dues used? Part stays with the SouthEast Jersey Chapter for work we do. Part covers your subscription to The American Organist (if joining as a Member). Part supports the work of national headquarters. ■ What are the benefits of being a Chapter Member?
Voting Member or Chapter Friend? Voting Member: Voting Membership is available to organists, choral conductors, and anyone who supports the mission of the Guild. Voting membership includes participation in all national activities, elections, eligibility for certification examinations and for all insurance plans, and a one-year subscription to The American Organist. Voting Membership is available at reduced rates to those age 65 or older, under 21, the disabled, and full-time students. Dual Voting Membership is available for Members who want to be involved with more than one Chapter. You need not be an organist, choral conductor, singer, or musician to join as a Voting Member.
Another way to be affiliated with our Chapter is to join as a Chapter Friend. Chapter Friends support the local Chapter, receive Chapter newsletters, and participate in Chapter events. A Chapter Friend membership does not include national voting privileges, membership benefits, or a subscription to The American Organist. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dues / How to Join or Renew Membership For current dues information and any current special promotions, and for membership applications and membership renewal forms, please contact the Southeast Jersey Chapter Treasurer: George H. “Buddy” Grover 220 North New Hampshire Avenue - #1411 Atlantic City, NJ 08401-5554 phone: 609-344-7770 ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ |
Placement |
To list a post, contact Dennis E. Cook 609-345-7686, decook5454@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ■ Organist Position Lutheran Church of Our Savior 204 Wayne Ave., Haddonfield, NJ 08033 The Lutheran Church of Our Savior is seeking a part-time (8 – 10 hours a week) organist/accompanist to select and/or provide organ/piano music for all Sunday morning services and other services of the church including but not limited to as Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Other duties include: 1. Accompany the Adult Choir at one mid-week rehearsal and on Sunday morning. 2. Accompany various choirs and ensembles on Sunday morning during the 10:30 service. 3. Rehearse with instrumental and vocal soloists as necessary. 4. Opportunity of providing organ music for all weddings and funerals held at the church, consulting with wedding couples or families if requested. The organist gets first right of refusal. 5. Provide an annual report detailing the condition of the organ and piano(s) and specifying any necessary maintenance for submission to the Director of Music to be included in the Annual Report. 6. Arrange for a capable substitute at least two - four weeks in advance of any approved absences. 7. Provide music for additional special events including but not limited to musicals, pageants, festival rehearsals, and concerts. The organ is a Steiner pipe organ. If interested, please send a cover letter and resume to John Drozdal (john.drozdal@gmail.com) Electronic submissions are preferred, but materials will be accepted at the church. Send it Attn: John Drozdal. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ■ Small, summer-only Cape May Point, Presbyterian Church looking for an organist from the end of May, June and July. Small congregation with limited resources, and small electronic organ. No choir. Service is at 10 AM. Please contact Cheryl Krutz, 609-898-0536. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ■ Keyboardist (Gospel, Praise, Worship Music) – Divine Destiny Worship Center, Cherry Hill, NJ Divine Destiny Worship Center in Cherry Hill NJ is looking for a new musician! The musician for this position must be flexible, self-motivated and an inspiring leader able to play piano/keyboard, creatively integrate music into worship and maintain an environment which encourages the congregation to offer their musical gifts. Duties will include coordinating and facilitating weekly praise team and choir rehearsal, playing for regular Sunday worship (10:30 AM) and special events with the praise team, and occasionally traveling locally with the Pastor/congregation when we participate in other churches’ programs. This position pays between $100.00 - $250.00 per week depending on experience. We are a small but growing, vibrant multi-generational congregation. Our instruments include a Yamaha MO8 88 keys synthesizer keyboard. Interested musicians may contact Mike Davie via the following: • phone: 267-240-5561 • email: mikeshermand@comcast.net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Substitute Organists Helena Bew 609-884-7068 (H), 609-425-8112 (C), Thebews@comcast.net Dennis E. Cook 609-641-2330, 609-345-7686, 609-641-6555(F), decook5454@gmail.com Sallie B. Mellem 609-884-8625 (H), 609-884-3065 (W) Jean C. Ridgway 609-399-7186 (H), 609-398-3155 (2nd), 609-399-1833 (W) You also may wish to reference the substitute list on the *Southwest* Jersey Chapter website: http://agohq.org/chapter/?handle=southwestjersey as well as the Ocean County, NJ Chapter website: http://agohq.org/chapter/?handle=njoceancounty ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild's National Website. |
Certification |
Education and certification are at the heart of the Guild's mission and have been since it originally was chartered over a century ago. The Guild's certification program "is comparable to license and accreditation board standards in other fields, such as medicine, accounting, law, [and] education... "Preparation for the exams strengthens you in areas that you use all the time: sight-reading, transposition, modulation, improvisation, accompaniment, and hymn-playing. Preparation is completely flexible. You can study on your own; you can work with a teacher; you can prepare as a group. "The certification process is anonymous and it is fair. No one needs to know anything about it except the one chapter member who makes the arrangements. The examiners never see you and don't know who you are. You could be a high school student or a college professor. "You will know exactly what will happen at the exam. There are no surprises. All the procedures are spelled out in detail for all participants... "The most important reason to become certified, of course, is that you will be a better organist and a better musician. The preparation will make you more skilled and confident. And the certificate will give you the respect of your employer and your peers, and a justified feeling of accomplishment." (from the Guild's Certification document at www.agohq.org ). For additional information, please see: www.agohq.org/education/indexpcertify.html To pursue certification, please contact Dennis E. Cook, Dean, at 609-345-7686 or decook5454@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SouthEast Jersey Chapter Scholarship Program, and Musical Instruction and Services Students who want to pursue organ studies as part of their college education may apply for a scholarship from the SouthEast Jersey Chapter. In addition, the Chapter provides scholarships for Members who wish to pursue organ studies with a Member instructor. For information on scholarship programs, please contact Dennis E. Cook, Dean, 609-345-7686, decook5454@gmail.com. The following SouthEast Jersey Chapter Members provide musical services and/or instruction. John Gregory Bate: piano and organ choirboyjohn@comcast.net Helena Bew: piano 609-884-7068 (H), Thebews@comcast.net JoAnne G. Blackwelder: organ and piano 609-399-7767 (H, F), 917-626-0322 (C), Joanne743@aol.com Scott J. Breiner: organ, piano, and voice 609-399-6476 (H), 917-822-8036 (C), Scottyjim77@aol.com Dennis E. Cook: organ instruction, pipe organ restoration and service 609-345-7686, decook5454@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Contribution$ Contributions to the Chapter’s scholarship program and other educational and Chapter projects are gratefully appreciated and tax-deductible. Please mail contributions to: SouthEast Jersey Chapter AGO Dennis E. Cook, Dean 54 South La Clede Place Atlantic City, NJ 08401-5806 ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ |
Contact Us |
| SouthEast Jersey Chapter Mailing Address
SouthEast Jersey Chapter AGO Dennis E. Cook, Dean 54 South La Clede Place Atlantic City, NJ 08401-5806 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter Board - Dean: Dennis E. Cook 609-641-2330, 609-345-7686, 609-641-6555(F), decook5454@gmail.com - Secretary: Helena Bew 609-884-7068 (H), 609-425-8112 (C)Thebews@comcast.net - Treasurer: George H. Grover 609-344-7770 (H) - Chaplain: Reverend Miles J. Barrett, CDR CHC USN 609-884-3604(H),Miles4724@netzero.com - Councilor: JoAnne G. Blackwelder 609-399-7767 (H, F), 917-626-0322 (C), Joanne743@aol.com (2010-2012) - Councilor: Anthony Navarra 609-889-0667,Anthony_Navarra@comcast.net (2010-2012) Committee Chairpersons - Professional Concerns: Richard Bew 609-884-7068 (H), Thebews@comcast.net - Education: Mary K. Snyder 609-425-4084 (H), mk.snyder2@comcast.net - Placement: Helena Bew 609-884-7068 (H), 609-425-8112 (C)Thebews@comcast.net ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ |
Links |
| Boardwalk Pipes
http://www.boardwalkpipes.com/ Cape Shore Chorale http://capeshorechorale.org/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cape-Shore-Chorale/172409739449087?sk=wall www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxRMvKSpYK0 |
| Visit the AGO National website |