Welcome to Advent!!
I’m delighted to report both Linne Dose and Kevin Dzierzawski have renewed with our chapter. And thank you to Linne for her donation to our chapter.
Our deposits for the month total $170.50. With no expenses for November, our checking account balance is $4,115.20. The Scholarship fund balance is $5,300.14 and the Saving account balance is $35,001.58.
Have a great Advent and Christmas. I look forward to seeing you January 6th at the Epiphany party!!
Laurie Stivers
Laurie Stivers, Treasurer
Andrea Handley
My dean’s message this month is actually a message from Isabelle Demers – a request I received in an email from her a few days ago on behalf of the newly formed AGO Committee on New Organists:
Dear chapter deans,
Greetings from Texas! I’m writing on behalf of my colleagues from the Committee on the New Organist (CONO), Brian Mathias, Kip Cortez, and Michael Koenig.
CONO is a newly formed committee whose primary goal is to provide pianists and entry-level organists (“new organists”) with educational resources that will enable them to increase their skill level at the organ. Like many of you, we are concerned by diminishing numbers in the AGO and the organ world in general, and by the dearth of organists in smaller communities. Our work will encompass a variety of mediums, including social media, but today I’m writing with a simpler request.
One of our first goals is to create a list of organ teachers per region/area, including people willing to teach via Facetime, Skype, or other lesson types. To that extent, could you ask your members to provide the following information? It goes without saying that they should only include information that they feel comfortable sharing (for example, listing their work phone number or email if they are worried about online privacy).
Name
Affiliation (work, AGO chapter)
Brief vitae (education, work)
Contact info (email, phone)
Preferred level (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
Are you willing to offer a few (3) pro bono lessons to beginners?
Are you comfortable teaching using Skype, Facetime, or other new mediums?
Many thanks for the time you’ll devote to my request.
With very best wishes,
Isabelle Demers
This initiative is an excellent one, and as dean of the North Shore Chapter, I’m asking you all to respond to this request, so that we can provide a complete list of teachers in our chapter. We’ve made it a little easier for you to fill out this form online by clicking on the following link: http://northshoreago.org/the-new-organist-initiative/
Thank you all in advance, and we look forward to having a comprehensive list of teachers in our area to report to Isabelle and the CONO committee.
Andrea Handley, Dean
Vincent Dubois at the console of the Opus 327
On Friday evening, October 7, the North Shore Chapter continued celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of organ builder Ernest M. Skinner with a dazzling recital by Vincent Dubois, the newest of three titular organists at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. To honor Skinner, Dubois performed on one of the Chicago area’s finest surviving examples of Skinner’s genius, the faithfully restored Opus 327 at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, which was originally installed in 1922. It was a marvelous pairing of performer and instrument! And the 300 or so in the audience were treated to an incredible evening.
Playing entirely from memory, Dubois presented a panoply of great French organ music, including several of the best-known works by Franck, Vierne, Widor, Messiaen, Dupré, and Duruflé. None disappointed!
His phrasing in Franck’s Chorale in A minor was both elegant and warm. His combination of Vierne’s colorful Clair de Lune (dedicated to Ernest M. Skinner) and boisterous Toccata was perfect programming. When the audience responded to his rendition of the first movement of Widor’s 6th Symphony with “bravo’s” and enthusiastic applause, I suspect many may have been thinking what I was: I’ve dreamt of playing Widor like that, but my technique has never been up to the task….
The crowd awaits the beginning of the recital.
Right before intermission Dubois played Edwin Lemare’s transcription of Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, possibly a nod to Halloween? It was virtuosic, theatrical, and great fun, a grand demonstration of the variety of color available on Skinner’s Opus 327, including chimes, celestes, big reeds, and more.
Following intermission, Dubois presented more of the greatest and grandest of French organ repertoire, including Dieu parmi nous from Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur, two movements from Dupré’s Symphonie-Passion, and Duruflé’s Prélude et Fugue sur le Nom d’ALAIN. I began to feel just a little exhausted – I’m ashamed to admit I came close to uttering that infamous line, “too many notes” – but Dubois’ energy never flagged. His registrations continued to serve the music beautifully (see below for more details about the registration), his virtuosity never overwhelmed musical intent, and his programming was still balanced. Presented in the context of so many “big” works, I especially appreciated Dubois’ quieter than usual approach to the Duruflé Prelude and Fugue.
To end the recital, Dubois improvised on the German chorale Christ ist erstanden (chosen from a couple of themes given him just before he performed). He found still more color on the organ, beginning with atmospheric celestes and high pitches. Sometimes evocative, sometimes playful, his textures included perpetual motion, parallelism, and cluster chords – all in all, a fitting conclusion to an amazing display of talent, musicianship, dexterity, and sheer delight in sharing great music on a great instrument.
Instruction sheets prepared by Vincent Dubois for registrants Jay Peterson and Christine Kraemer, used instead of music for his recital at St. Luke’s in Evanston on Friday, Oct 7. M. Dubois called out the circled numbers as he played from memory!
Dubois with registrants Jay Peterson and Christine Kraemer
Kudos for this recital must also go to Jay Peterson and Christine Kraemer (St. Luke’s organist), who played a very important part. At the beginning of the evening, Christine welcomed the audience and explained that Dubois would perform completely from memory, and that she and Jay would serve as registrants. Since the organ console at St. Luke’s is not visible to the audience, I think we all wondered how Jay and Christine knew when to make registration changes with no music score to follow. Here are some of the details (provided to me by Evan DuVall – thank you, Evan!): All the registration was written out and keyed to a numbering scheme on 8×11 sheets of paper. Dubois called out numbers in advance to Christine and Jay, who then set up the stops as outlined (see photo at left below). Dubois also gave other verbal instructions as necessary – while playing! No music was used, even during practice with the registrants – in fact, Jay and Christine are not sure Dubois even brought printed music.
Dubois with Evan Duvall (event chair), Christine Kraemer (Secretary), Andrea Handley (Dean) and Sharon Peterson (Sub-dean)
Clearly, Vincent Dubois is one of the great performers of our time. What a thrill to hear him in person, bringing to life the music and sounds of brilliant organists who were the great performers of their times. Also clearly, St. Luke’s Skinner Opus 327 is one of our local treasures, a most worthy channel for bringing the sounds of the past into the present. Thank you to all involved for making possible this confluence of music, musician, and organ!
Dr. Elizabeth Naegele,
North Shore AGO member
Christopher Urban
I started taking organ lessons in 7th grade. I was involved with music at church from a very early age and was always fascinated by the sound of the organ and all the buttons! I started taking piano lessons in 2nd grade and never really liked it. When I started taking organ lessons I had discovered my true musical calling.
One of my favorite roles has been leading the congregation in worship. The most fulfilling part of my job is playing the great hymns of the church. I am lucky to serve a congregation that loves music and sings the hymns of our faith with vigor and vitality. I also enjoy playing recitals on the church’s concert series. This gives the congregation the opportunity to hear the organ outside of the context of a worship experience.
When I’m not at the console, I am the Sr. Director of Marketing at Kraft Heinz where I lead the Lunchables, P3 and Claussen pickles businesses. I have been at Kraft Heinz for ten years. In addition, I have a love for BMWs: I have three, an X5, 3-series convertible, and a 5-series. My partner Todd and I enjoy traveling and spending time at our house in Saugatuck, MI.
I think of the AGO as a great opportunity for getting to know other organists and really get ideas for new repertoire. I always love reading TAO, especially the story about the featured instrument.
Christopher Urban
Laurie Stivers
I am delighted to report that in October we received renewals from Mark Law, Michael Stutzman, Phillip Kloeckner and Kirsten Santor Rutschman. And many thanks to Phillip for his donation to our chapter. Our deposits for the month total $155.
All of our expenses in October were related to the Vincent Dubois concert. The $6,162.32 of expenses covers the concert fee, lodging, advertising, and printing expenses. Many thanks to those who volunteered their time to make the concert possible.
In summary, our checking account balance is $5,535.68. The savings account for scholarships and the general savings account balances are now $5,300.01 and $35,000.10 respectively.
Laurie Stivers,
Treasurer
