American Guild of Organists Westchester Chapter
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2010-2011 Chapter Events

Schedule of Chapter Events -- view calendar for full listings
Date & Time
Event Details
Location
September
The Alexander Technique For Organists
Presented by: Karla Diamond
Hitchcock Presbyterian Church
6 Greenacres Avenue, Scarsdale
October
West Point Organ Crawl
​Presented by: Craig Williams
West Point, NY
November
Pedals, Pipes and Pizza: A Young People's Introduction to the Organ
​Presenters: Joyce Gardner and Joe Nigro
Valhalla United Methodist Church
200 Columbus Ave., Valhalla
January 9
Twelfth Night
Home of Alice Avouris
February 6
"Music For Special Occasions for Organ and Other Instruments" 
​Member Recital
First Congregational Church,
210 Orchard Ridge Road, Chappaqua
March 20
Creating and Maintaining Successful Children's Choirs
​Presenter: Eileen Laurence
First Presbyterian Church
31 Bedford Road, Katonah
May 1
Three Organists Spectacular
​(members may attend for freewill offering, others $10 suggested donation)
Huguenot Memorial Church
901 Pelhamdale Avenue, Pelham Manor
May 22
The Toccata Experience: A Workshop on Analysis and Learning
presented by Organist and Harpsichordist, Dr. Gavin Black,
Director of the Princeton Early Keyboard Center
The Old Dutch Church, Sleepy Hollow
June 25
A Visit to the Wanamaker Organ for Organ Day

Please see the information about this event in the April, 2011 Trompette
Macy's Department Store 
Philadelphia, PA

The Alexander Technique For Organists, Presented by: Karla Diamond

Region II, Westchester County, NY, September 26, the first meeting of the season was held at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale (John King, host). Karla Diamond discussed and demonstrated the Alexander Technique, using chapter members as the subjects. The reception that followed was prepared by Dean Alice Avouris and Timothy Keenan-Devlin.. – Virginia B. Bender

​as published in The American Organist, December, 2010

West Point Organ Crawl

Region II, Westchester County, NY, October 10, Craig S. Williams, organist-choirmaster at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, ledmembers and friends on a tour of the historic Old Cadet Chapel and the Cadet Chapel. They were shown the 19-rank Wicks at the Old Cadet Chapel; and the four manual, 380-rank, 23,500-pipe Möller in the Cadet Chapel, which is the largest sacred organ in the world. After Williams treated the group to a performance/demonstration, most of the members present were thrilled to have the opportunity to try the instrument. Williams then led a tour of the Organ Shop, a small chapel where a Möller Artiste is in use, and the pipe chests.
– Virginia B. Bender
as published in the January, 2011 issue of The American Organist.

Pedals, Pipes and Pizza: A Young People's Introduction to the Organ

Region II, Westchester County, NY, November 6 – the chapter presented a "Pedals, Pipes and Pizza" event at Valhalla United Methodist Church in Valhalla. Five piano students and seven adults attended, along with parents and grandparents. Six chapter members were present to assist. After a video on the history of the organ was shown, Frank Miller spoke about the various parts of a pipe organ and the types of pipes used. He had sample pipes for the group to see and try to create a sound blowing through them. Afterward, hosts Joyce Gardner and Joe Nigro assisted the participants at the organ. Several adult pianists who were present took advantage of the program to try the instrument. The group also toured the organ chamber and saw the pipes. To conclude the event, the participants enjoyed pizza and were given a copy of Sandra Soderlund's A Young Person’s Guide to the Pipe Organ. 
​-- Virginia B. Bender
​
as published in the February, 2011 issue of The American Organist

Twelfth Night

 Westchester, N.Y. Jan. 6, the chapter held its annual Twelfth Night party at the home of Phaedon and Alice Avouris

"Music For Special Occasions for Organ and Other Instruments"  Member Recital

Region II, Westchester County, NY, February 6, 18 musicians took part in a concert, “Music For Special Occasions For Organ and Other Instruments” held at the First Congregational Church in Chappaqua (Keith Robellard, host). To add variety, there was a violin and organ duet, a world premier for organ and five flutes, and a vocalist accompanied by the organ. A reception prepared by Dean Alice Avouris followed the concert.– Virginia B. Bender
​
as published in the May, 2011 issue of The American Organist

The Program 
  
Fanfare by John Cook (1918 - 1984)
Edwin Wallace

Variations on "If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee" by Gustav Merkel (1827 - 1895
Robert Chase

Fuga in C Major (The "Jig Fugue") by Dietrich Buxtehude (1637 - 1707)
Timothy Keenan-Devlin

Meditation by Bach/Gounod, arr. by Smith
Noriko Yamada 

The Naked Seed from Three Songs on Devotional Texts by Jeffrey Hoffman
Anneliese von Goerken, Soprano
Jeffrey Hoffman, Organist

Meditation and Prelude from Six Liturgical Pieces by Isadore Freed (1900-1960)
Jayson Rodovsky-Engquist

Chorale Prelude: "Wenn wir in hochsten noten senn" by J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750)
Trumpet Tune in C by Henry Purcell (1659 - 1695)
Meredith Storer

The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958)
Nicholas Szucs, Violinist
Keith Robellard, Organist


Wondrous Love from Six Pieces Based on Modal Melodies
Herbert Colvin
Judith Barber Abel
Spell 166 for Five Flutes and Organ by Pamela Sklar
(World Premiere) Dianne Spitalny, C Flute
Cecilia Sparacio, Piccolo
Elyse Knobloch, Alto Flute
Alice Avouris, Alto Flute
Pamela Sklar, Bass Flute
Janin Wallour-Thwaite, Organist

Fantasy and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 by J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750)
Frederick Tripodi

Creating and Maintaining Successful Children's Choirs - Presenter: Eileen Laurence

Picturefront row, left to right: Eileen Laurence, Vincent Edwards, John Lettieri, Karen Longwell, Abi Gray, Terry Flanagan center: John King, Lana Kollath, Maureen Kelly back: John Cecconi, Dan Coffman, David Graf, Janine Wallour-Thwaite
Region II, Westchester, NY. March 20, Eileen Laurence of the First Presbyterian Church in Katonah was host and coordinator of “Creating and Maintaining Children’s Choirs.” Fifteen choral directors from Westchester, New York City and Connecticut shared their rehearsal techniques, pitfalls, and successes. Among topics stressed was the importance of support from family, house of worship, and community. Continuing participation for males during and after their vocal change, how to introduce part-singing, learning to be flexible in today’s atmosphere of over-scheduled children, and other relevant topics were enthusiastically discussed by presenters and the attendees. To conclude the program, the Candlewood Children’s Choir from Danbury, Conn., under the direction of Dan Coffman, performed selections from their upcoming spring concert. The reception held following the program was organized by Judith Abel. Pictured are (front row) Eileen Laurence, Vincent Edwards, John Lettieri, Karen Longwell, Abi Gray, Terry Flanagan; (middle row) John King, Lana Kollath, Maureen Kelly; (back row) John Cecconi, Dan Coffman, David Graf, and Janine Wallour-Thwaite. - Alice Avouris
​
as published in The American Organist, June, 2011.


Three Organist's Spectacular at Huguenot Memorial Church​

Picture
The Performers: Thomas Zachacz, Kathryn Jones, Joe Nigro

The Toccata Experience: A Workshop on Analysis and Learning

Picture
Westchester Count, N.Y. May 22, Dr. Gavin Black, director of the Princeton Early Keyboard Center, presented "The Tocatta Experience: A Workshop on Analysis and Learning" at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow (Jeremy Goldsmith, host). After the discussion and demonstrations, Dean Alice Avouris inducted the chapter's three new officers: John Cecconi (chaplain); Frank Miller and Eileen Laurence (directors). Earlier in May, Dean Avouris presented Thomas Zachacz with a plaque and gift for his many years of service to the chapter. He will be moving to Kansas soon. -- Virginia Bender

as published in September, 2011 issue of The American Organist.

​


Picture
Installation of the new officers From the left: John Cecconi, Chaplain; Frank Miller and Eileen Laurence, Directors On the right: Alice Avouris, Dean

A Visit to the Wanamaker Organ for Organ Day

Westchester Count, N.Y. June 25, Twelve members and friends of the chapter traveled to Philadelphia for the Wanamaker Organ Centenary Festival held at Macy's Department Store. They attended three concerts played on the Wanamaker organ, one of which included the Philadelphia Brass and the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ Festival Chorus. They heard part of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto performed by pianist Jeremy Filsell and Wanamaker organist Peter Richard Conte. They also attended the showing of a silent film accompanied by Peter Krasinski. Before returning home, the group crawled through two floors of pipes and had an opportunity to examine the console and the stage.-- Virginia Bender

​as published in the October, 2011 issue of The American Organist
Pictures below were taken by Virginia Bender on a trip in early June. Pictures and a write-up of the June 25th trip can be seen here.
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The American Guild of Organists, founded in 1896,
​is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Pipe Organs of Westchester >
      • Armonk >
        • St. Stephen's
      • Bedford >
        • Bedford
      • Briarcliff >
        • All Saints' Church
        • Scarborough Presbyterian
      • Bronxville >
        • Christ Church
        • Reformed Church
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      • Chappaqua >
        • First Congregational
      • Irvington >
        • Irvington Presbyterian
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      • Katonah >
        • Katonah Presbyterian
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        • Presbyterian Church of Mount Kisco
      • Ossining >
        • St Ann's
        • Grace
      • Pelham >
        • Christ Church
        • Huguenot Memorial
      • Pleasantville >
        • Emanuel Lutheran
        • St. John's Episcopal
      • Pocantico Hills >
        • Union Church
      • Rye >
        • Christ's Church
        • Resurrection Catholic
        • Rye Presbyterian
      • Scarsdale >
        • Hitchcock
        • St. James the Less
      • Sleepy Hollow >
        • Old Dutch Church
      • White Plains >
        • Church in the Highlands
        • White Plains Presbyterian
      • Yonkers >
        • St. Mary's
    • American Guild of Organists
    • AGO Service Playing Certification
  • Events
    • Chapter Events
    • Past Event Galleries >
      • 2021-2022
      • 2020-2021
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      • 2018-2019
      • 2017-2018
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      • 2015-2016
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    • Calendar of Area Events
  • Membership
    • Membership
    • Honors
    • In Memoriam
  • Officers
    • Officers
    • Chapter Deans
  • Trompette
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Substitutes