I had the pleasure of working with Lee for seven years at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, where I currently serve as Associate Director of Music and Organist. Lee was a very supportive colleague and mentor to me as a young church musician. He shared...
In March of 2020, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic began to quickly and dramatically immobilize the country and the world. Worship was interrupted. Life was no longer life as we knew it especially in the realm of worship, music and the arts. Even today, all of...
What’s sitting on my desk right now? Too many papers! I'm determined to go through them before next Wednesday!!! Book 2 of Biblical Word Searches is at the printer, but I'm being lured into roughing out Book 3, when I should be re-mastering my music...
Lee was such a great musician in both organ playing and choral conducting! Not everyone has the choral skills he had, combined with a personality on the podium that could command the attention and delight in volunteer singers. Handling volunteer church...
Some interesting reading from a printed article and score in the January 1918 Etude magazine. The Etude January 1918 - Nov 15 2020 - 2-49 PMDownload Gavotte In A Gluck-Brahms - Nov 15 2020 - 2-46 PMDownload Department Of Organists - Nov 15 2020 - 3-03 PMDownload...
On the afternoon of Thursday, March 12, I arrived at Winnetka Congregational Church about 2:00pm to prepare for 6:00pm handbell rehearsal and 7:00pm Chancel Choir rehearsal. By 4:00pm the decision was made to close the church for the foreseeable future and...
By Morgan SimmonsFormer Organist and Choirmaster at Fourth Presbyterian Church, ChicagoMorgan and Mary, his wife, served there together for 28 years Morgan Simmons (right) and wife, Mary Last month, I asked Morgan Simmons if he would share some of his life’s story...
Guest Contributor: Karl Bruhn At the church where I have played (and directed) for the past 15+ years, I felt the need to “do something” this past year (plus)—since the covid pandemic had struck. As with probably all of you, our worship services were cancelled. No...
So you want to be a substitute organist? As I have found over several years as a substitute organist, this can be a creative challenge as all organs, organ consoles, all pedal boards, all churches and all services/Masses may be quite different! From the very first...
Members of our chapter were asked to share some of the things you are doing during this shelter-in-place time. Here are some things your colleagues are doing. (Some of them were too humble to send them in, so we had to use scouts in the field.) Barry Wenger: This is...
Royce Eckhardt (Editor’s note: Persuaded by a family member, Royce Eckhardt recently agreed to write his memoir, a narrative which in large part describes his journey and adventures in becoming a church musician. I encouraged him to submit a brief excerpt of his life...