Membership Renewal & New Board Members
I hope you’re having a wonderful summer and finding some time to recharge before fall. July 1 is the start date for our newly-elected board members James Russell Brown and Eun Joo Ju. We also extend our gratitude to Derek Nickels, Pat Radosavlevic, and Gary Wendt who have completed their 3-year terms on our board. Thank you for your service to our chapter! July 1 was also previously everyone’s renewal date before AGO headquarters adopted rolling memberships that begin and renew annually from the date you joined the AGO. Membership dues are the primary source of funding for chapter programming but also allow you to continue to receive our chapter communications.
Please email registrar@teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com or dean@teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com if you need assistance with your renewal. While you will likely receive a reminder from National, a recurring calendar entry for a month prior to your renewal date would be a great safeguard to ensure your membership remains active.
September 14 | Chapter Potluck
Speaking of programming offered by our chapter, please join us for the first event of our 2025-2026 program cycle. We will gather on Sunday, September 14 at 2:00pm at Christ Church in Winnetka for our NSAGO Chapter Potluck. Please RSVP here and indicate what dish you intend to bring (salad, dessert, casserole, veggies and dip, bottle of wine, etc.). Hot dogs, Italian beef, soda, and water will be provided. The church address is 784 Sheridan Road, Winnetka, IL 60093. On-street parking is available and we will enter via the door on the south side of the building on Humboldt Avenue. Please invite a colleague who serves at a church near yours to join us. Friends and significant others are also welcome. Simply list them as your guest or have them complete this RSVP. We ask that you RSVP before the end of August. Christ Church will also host a Taizé Service at 5:30pm on the day of the potluck in case you would like to stick around for that. You may also bring along any organ music that you would like to pass along and share with other organists to the potluck. Leftover music will be shared with current organ students at MIC and local universities.
Trenney & Banquet Recap
In May we concluded our season with a masterclass and hymn festival with Tom Trenney followed by our annual banquet. On May 17 Tom Trenney presented a masterclass on organ improvisation at Loyola University’s Madonna della Strada Chapel. Emphasis was placed on the inherent characteristics of hymn tunes as generative material for improvisation. While some had time on the bench to try an improvisatory technique, everyone in attendance experimented with the musical materials by clapping rhythm variations and singing various manipulations of the subject material. Trenney shared his own experiences preparing for improvisation competitions using flashcards naming different improvisatory strategies and choosing them at random to build practice single or multiple skills. One of the main takeaways was that improvisation is a skill to be practiced and developed throughout our careers. The Sunday hymn festival, “Sing Glory to the Name of God,” was an engaging program that mixed readings from various sources with singing in unison, in harmony, in canon, and even whistling! One of the most memorable moments was the unaccompanied singing of “Sometimes I feel like a motherless child” utilizing humming, drones, 2-part singing, and group improvisation by the assembly. The hymn festival concluded with “Lift high the cross” and Trenney’s improvisation on CRUCIFER (a tune workshopped at the masterclass). We were lucky to have this leader in church music with us here on the North Shore. We extend our thanks to the Chicago chapter and Opus 327 for co-sponsoring the Trenney events.
After the hymn festival, North Shore members gathered at the Firehouse Grill in Evanston for our annual banquet. We enjoyed drinks and a buffet dinner before announcing the results of our election and thanking outgoing board members. We had over 20 in attendance and was able to introduce themselves and share something they celebrated this past year. I look forward to being with you all again on September 14 when we will gather in Winnetka for our potluck. RSVP now and see you there!
Brian Schoettler, DMA
Dean, North Shore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
dean@teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com
Make a donation to support our chapter: https://teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com/donate/
Submit an event: https://teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com/submit-an-event/
Post or search for a local position: https://teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com/for-members/job-listings/
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshoreago