Springfield, Missouri Chapter




Last updated: February 23, 2010

Message from the Dean

Dear colleagues,

There’s a different feeling in the chapel these days. If you haven’t noticed, the air is thick with minor keys and a curious absence of Alleluias. For our own part, the Springfield AGO is taking our Lenten hiatus so that we can all prepare for Holy Week and Easter.

This is not only a season for doing without, but also for self-reflection and study. In the next few weeks, the Board will start thinking about programming options for next year. We’d be very interested in hearing what sorts of programs you might think would best benefit our chapter. We’ve had a number of educational workshops so far: sharing music for Advent and Christmas, the Organists’ Conference in Monett, and the presentation on musical rhetoric by Leon Couch. During Easter, we’ll focus more on performance, with our member’s recital and a performance from Michael Emmerich, the winner of the Region VI Competition for Young Organists. If you liked these programs, or have suggestions for new programs, please let the board know. We want the Guild to have value for each of its members.

Continuing with the theme of self-reflection and study, I would also like to draw your attention to the numerous educational opportunities beyond the chapter. This year, the St. Louis AGO will host a Pipe Organ Encounter. If you’ve never experienced one of these events, it’s hard to explain what a great chance it is to recruit new young organists. Please consider informing your congregation about the many POE locations this summer. Also, for those of us who are just a few years too old for the POE, consider working towards professional certification through the Guild. Jeff Verkuilen, our regional education coordinator, has organized a regional support group for anyone preparing for exams. The many chapter members who have taken the exams are also a great resource. For every certification level, there is a chapter member who has successfully taken the exam.

Best wishes for a great 40 days,
Jeremy

Local Events

March 3, 2010 – 12:10 PM
ORGAN RECITAL
Mark Bowdidge, organ
University Heights Baptist Church

Friday, March 5, 2010 7:30 PM
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY KAPELLE
Dr. Charles Brown, Conductor
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Monett
23237 Hwy H
Monett, MO 65708
(See below)
The Concordia University Chicago Concert Choir, Kapelle, will perform in Monett, MO on Friday, March 5 while on its annual spring concert tour. Kapelle is conducted by Charles P. Brown, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Concordia University Chicago.
The ensemble will perform at Saint John’s Lutheran Church, 23237 Highway H; Monett, MO on Friday, March 05 at 7:30pm. Kapelle is the premier choral ensemble of the University. Chosen by audition, the choir prepares a variety of music for local and national audiences. At Christmas, Kapelle presents a Service of Lessons and Carols; each spring the choir embarks on a 10-day tour which has taken them to all regions of the United States. Additionally, Kapelle embarks on an international tour every four years. Recently, Kapelle has performed internationally in Europe and South America including Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Chile and Argentina. Kapelle is scheduled to perform in France in May of 2011. The ensemble has produced five recordings and is currently in production of a sixth.
The concert program will center on the Passion of Our Lord including a variety of pieces, programmed for wide audience appeal. Admission is free, however, a free will offering will be received. For more information please contact Mark Peters at 417.235.3416.
Concordia University Chicago is a distinctive, comprehensive university of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and based in the liberal arts. Concordia University equips men and women to serve and lead with integrity, creativity, competence, and compassion in a diverse, interconnected, and, increasingly urbanized church and world.
I hope you will be able to join us for this workshop and concert. The address of the church is below, and feel free to call or email if you need directions.
23237 Hwy H, Monett, MO 65708
cantorman26@gmail.com
417.235.3416 x4

March 14, 2010 – 2:30 PM
T. DANIEL HANCOCK, Organist
First and Calvary
In the Sanctuary

March 21, 2010 - 3:30 PM
Jonathan Casady, Senior Recital
Ellis Hall, Missouri State University

March 31, 2010 – 4:00 PM
Holy Week Concert
Vicky Claborn, Organ
College of the Ozarks

APRIL AND MAY
CHAPTER MEETING TIMES AND DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
STUDENT/MEMBER RECITAL
MICHAEL EMMERICH, REGION VI AWARD WINNER CONCERT

April 11, 2010 – 2:30 PM
SPRINGFIELD CHAMBER CHORUS
James Davidson, Director
First and Calvary
In the Atrium

April 11, 2010 – 3:30 PM
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Installation of MSU’s Casavant Organ
MARY BETH WITTRY, Organist
Ellis Recital Hall, MSU
Free parking-lot 24 (SW corner of National and Grand)

April 25, 2010 – 2:30 PM
MSU COMMUNITY BAND
Ron Brammer, Director
First and Calvary
In the Multi-Purpose Room

JUNE
END OF YEAR BUSINESS MEETING

Newsletter

If you have anything interesting going on at your congregation, such as a special event, or some research or an old book that you would love to write a short summary of, we would love to have your input and would really enjoy having that information in our newsletter!

Thank you to all members of the Springfield chapter and interested organists from churches throughout SW Missouri that came to our second annual Organist’s Workshop and Concert this year. We had about 20 in attendance and we had a great time learning more about Paul Manz, and I had a great time sharing the information with the attendees as well as sharing some great organ and choral music collections. I especially enjoyed performing the concert of wedding music for trumpet and organ, hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks to everyone who made the long drive down here. We’re looking forward to having it again next year – it looks like the date will be Saturday, February 5.
Cantor Mark Peters

Lutheran Summer Music Acadamy
Summer academy held June 20-July 18 at Luther College in Decorah, IA. Open to all denominations. Contact Katherine Singer at KSinger@lutheransummermusic.org or http://www.lutheransummermusic.org

Pipe Organ Encounter in Milwaukee
July 18-23. Contact Larry Wheelock at llwheels@me.com

Membership

$92.00 – Regular Membership
$67.00 – Special Membership (age 65 +)
$37.00 – Student Membership
$36.00 – Dual (must be full member of another Chapter)
$30.00 – Chapter Friend (includes local Chapter rights and correspondence only. Does not include national membership, or subscription to THE AMERICAN ORGANIST.

Please make your check payable to AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS and mail to:

Vicki Claborn, Treasurer
AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS
5736 S Wedgewood Ave
Springfield, MO 65810-3126
(417) 886-2873



Placement

Organist Substitute List:
Below are listed available substitutes. Having this substitute listing provided is one of the benefits of being an AGO member!

Benjamin Boyer
1111 N. Glenstone Ave.
Springfield, MO 65802
SC 215
269.317.2888

Hannah Wolf
1216 S. Airwood Dr.
Springfield, MO 65804
Phone: 417-887-6943 Cell: 417-234-8230
hrwolf@swbell.net

Mark Bowdidge
2017 S. Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MO 65804
417.883.0859
mark_bowdidge@yahoo.com

Ronald Hailey
Home: 417-368-1746 Cell: 314-599-2268
Email: nejuma@mediacombb.net

Job Opportunities:
Choir Director and Accompanist, Pathways United Methodist Church. Sunday service and Wednesday choir. Approximately $510 a month. Contact Rev. Tom Vansant at pathwaysumc@gmail.com
Employers and job seekers are invited to post and search listings of available positions on the Guild's National Website.

Certification

If you are interested in pursuing Certification, please speak to a Chapter Officer. See http://www.agohq.org/education/indexpcertify.html for further details.
Have you considered working toward and achieving an AGO certification? A Region VI "Certification Support Group" has been formed and is looking for new members to join, to support AGO members in the region who are interested in or working toward any of the five Guild certifications: Service Playing, Colleague, Associate, Fellow, and Choir Master.
One of the concerns that is raised frequently by both people considering certification and those who have achieved certification is that the effort can be an isolated, lonely process, one seemingly without the support of others. This Certification Support Group will help eliminate this sense of isolation!
Two communication options will be available to the Support Group members. First, I will share your name and e-mail address with others who are interested in the same certification. You can then exchange information, thoughts, suggestions, and encouragement with each other by e-mail, and if you choose, you can arrange to discuss by phone or meet in person.
Additionally, resource people are being arranged throughout Region VI who have achieved certification levels; all certifications will have resource people designated for them. They may be contacted by any Certification Support Group member with questions. These certificate holders will be able to share their certification experience, provide suggestions for study, and offer encouragement.
To join the Region VI Certification Support Group is simple: Contact me, your Region VI Education Coordinator, at jeffverkuilen@new.rr.com, and provide to me: (a) your name, (b) your e-mail address, (c) your AGO chapter, and (d) the certification that you are pursuing or are interested in working toward.
Join the hundreds of AGO members in our region who have gone through the certification process, who can speak for the benefits of working toward and achieving certification and can demonstrate their resulting improved musicianship. And, they have lived to tell about it and enjoy the benefits! If you have any questions about the Certification Support Group, or AGO certifications in general, please feel free to contact me, and I will try to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey (Jeff) Verkuilen, AAGO
Education Coordinator, AGO Region VI

Contact Us

Dean: Jeremy Chesman
jchesman@missouristate.edu
417.836.3028

Sub-Dean: Mark Peters
cantorman26@gmail.com
417.393.9353

Treasurer: Vicki Claborn
dvrclaborn@att.net
417.886.2873

Secretary: Theresa Stocker
efpd12@yahoo.com
417.833.5984

Newsletter Editor: Mark Peters
cantorman26@gmail.com

Links

Please send me your church's Web site address to list on this page.
http://www.agohq.org
http://www.alcm.org
http://www.stjohns-monett.com

Visit the AGO National website