Pipe Organ Encounter -- Positively Outstanding Experience!

Friday, September 25th was the opening Hawaii AGO meeting of the 2009-2010 season. It was held at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, home of a 2-manual Rudolf von Beckerath organ.

The evening began with a time-honored AGO tradition, the potluck supper! We enjoyed fried chicken, meatballs, noodles, sushi, tossed green salad, potato salad, fresh fruit and cookies for dessert.


Then we went into the church where Joey Fala and Jordan McCreary, our POE students, showed slides and videos and talked about their experience in San Diego at Pipe Organ Encounter. By all accounts, it was a fabulous week, filled with music, exploring many types of pipe organs, friendship and fun.
Joey and Jordan each performed one piece on the organ that they had worked on during POE week. Joey played "Recessional" by William Mathias and Jordan played "Poco vivace, op. 9" by Hermann Schroeder. It was a most enjoyable evening for all in attendance.

Hawaii Students at Pipe Organ Encounter

During the week of August 2-8, two Hawaii students, Joey Fala and Jordan McCreary, attended the Pipe Organ Encounter hosted by the San Diego Chapter.

This letter was written to The American Organist magazine, which sums up Joey and Jordan's experience:

I am writing with immense gratitude for the opportunity to attend the Pipe Organ Encounters over the past years. As an aspiring young organist, these weeks have been a source of vigor, camaraderie, and incredible inspiration.

In a sometimes solitary pursuit, the POE draws together organists of varying backgrounds, and ages to share mutual interests and savor one another's talents. My lessons with distinguished instructors have immeasurably guided my techniques and interpretation. My peers have challenged me to greater devotion to our instrument and its divine repertoire. And I am forever thankful for the lasting friendships built from these times together. (Albert W. Tomasso, Farmington, CT)

The week includes group and private lessons, concerts by prominent organists, field trips to a number of different types of organ installations, and lots of fun meeting kids the same age with the same interests.

This group picture was taken on the last day, a concert by the POE students.

There was a field trip to the Blackinton organ factory.

POE students were treated to a theatre organ concert at the Balboa Theatre.

"Open Console" opportunities gave POE students a chance to try out different organs.

They even got a chance to see and hear a pedal harpsichord.

Midsummer Night's Organ Concert, July 19, 2009

(L-R) Margaret Lloyd, John McCreary, Joey Fala, Katherine Crosier, Jordan McCreary,

Yuri McCoy, Nyle Hallman and Gregory Bietz) Click the photo to enlarge it.

For twenty summers, there has been a Midsummer Night's Organ Concert at Central Union Church. The tradition was begun by organist Nyle Hallman and has been continued by her successor, Margaret Lloyd. This year's concert featured nine organists:

Central Union Church

JOEY FALA: Processional for Organ (William Mathias)

MARGARET LLOYD: Andante for Organ in B major (Albert Alain)

NYLE HALLMAN: Chorale in A minor (César Franck)

St. Andrew's Cathedral

JOHN McCREARY: Legend of the Mountain (Sigfrid Karg-Elert)

JOHN RENKE: Organ Fantasy on ‘O Paradise’ (Malcolm Williamson)

YURI McCOY: Suite, op. 5: Toccata (Maurice Duruflé)

Lutheran Church of Honolulu

JORDAN McCREARY: Lost in the Night / Alleluia! Let Praises Ring (Michael Burkhardt)

KATHERINE CROSIER: Toccata in D minor (Max Reger)

Grace Episcopal, St. Helena, CA

GREGORY BIETZ: L’Ascension: Outbursts of joy (Olivier Messiaen)

This concert is the annual fundraiser for the Hawaii Chapter’s scholarship programs. Although the crowd was a little smaller this year, the offering was very generous and will allow us to fund our scholarship program for another year. Traditionally the scholarship winners are also announced for the coming year.

The scholarship winners for 2009-2010 are:

Christy Cho

Abednigo Guevarra

Amy Johnson

Karen Leatherman

Michelle Manuel

Stephen Peters (Aloha Music Scholar)

Joshua Rosales

Megumi Taketa

Miki Yamamoto

Naomi Yuen-Schat

Aaron David Miller in concert, June 12, 2009

Aaron David Miller, director of music and organist of House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN was the featured recitalist at the Hawaii Chapter's Fourth Annual Organ Concert, held on June 12, 2009 at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Honolulu. The program was:

Fantasie, op. 43 (William Crawford)

Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Papillons (Jacques Ibert)

Sonatina, Op. 136b (Felix Mendelssohn)

Carillon (Dom Paul Benoit)

interval

Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the almighty (Lobe den Herren)

Improvisation (Aaron David Miller)

I. Capriccio

II. Andante

III. Scherzo

IV. Finale

Ruth Pfeiffer congratulates Aaron on his stunning recital.

Aaron meets a young admirer and his mother.

Aaron (second from right) is shown with the Hawaii Chapter AGO Board.

Robert T. Anderson, requiescat in pace

Dr. Robert T. Anderson, retired Chairman of the Organ Department of Southern Methodist University, and honorary member of the Hawaii Chapter AGO, passed away on May 29, 2009 in Honolulu. A memorial service was held at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu on June 3rd . Organist Katherine Crosier played Bob's favorite piece, J. S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue in E-flat, BWV 552. The Bach Chamber Choir and Orchestra was conducted by Carl Crosier and performed Heinrich Schütz' Psalm 150 (arranged by Martin Jean), and Bach's Cantata 150 Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich. Nyle Hallman, harpist and organist, member of the Hawaii AGO, performed Bach's Jesu joy of man's desiring on the harp. For a PDF version of the complete program, please email Katherine Crosier.

A scholarship fund has been established in his name, the Robert T. Anderson Memorial Scholarship. Additional memorial gifts may be sent to the Hawaii Chapter American Guild of Organists, P. O. Box 161046, Honolulu, HI 96816-0923.

After the service, the congregation was invited to peruse Bob's large collection of photos, CDs, magazines, and other paraphernalia related to the pipe organ. They were welcome to take any or all of it for their own enjoyment. And they did!

A table full of organ CDs before the congregation helped themselves!

Bob was a gourmet cook and loved entertaining. He was known for hosting lavish parties and the reception following the service was no exception! It featured upscale hors d'oeuvres and varietal wines, chilled lemon water and fruit punch. The menu included fresh fruits and berries (grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew and strawberries served with a cinnamon yogurt dip; Hawaiian summer rolls (medley of julienne vegetables wrapped in rice paper, seasoned with fresh mint and served with a pineapple salsa); tiny tomato bites stuffed with mozzarella cheese and topped with sliced basil and sea salt; vegetable crudite garnished with fresh herbs and served with a creamy spinach dip; cheese and crackers; jumbo shrimp cocktail and cajun-seared ahi on cucumber rounds with sesame wasabi aioli sauce, garnished with green onions.

Bob would have loved it all!

Jumbo shrimp tray.

Fresh fruit & berry and cheese trays.

Hawaiian Spring Rolls

Cajun seared ahi on cucumber rounds

Young Organists Concert, April 25, 2009

The Third Annual Young Organists Concert was held on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. The program was as follows:

Joshua Rosales, "Fanfare and Meditation on 'My Country 'Tis of Thee" (Murray C. Bradshaw)

Noa Williams, "Surprise Symphony" (Franz Josef Haydn), "Ode to Joy" (German Folk Song)

Naomi Yuen-Schat "Syncopated Flutes" (Larry Visser) and "Sound the Trumpet" (Alfred Fedak)

Nathalie Jones, "Pastorale" (Wilbur Held)

Christopher Lindsay, "Hornpipe" (Robin Dinda)

Adam Simon, "Toccatina on "Hear, O Lord, your servants gather" (Larry Visser) and

"Morning has broken" (Randoph Currie)

Michelle Manuel, "Variations on 'Guardame Las Vacas" (George Lachenauer)

Joshua Yuen-Schat, "Toccata in E minor" (Johann Pachelbel)

intermission

Jordan McCreary, "Prelude and Fugue in B-flat", (J. S. Bach?)

Miki Yamamoto, "Amazing grace" (Robert Hobby)

Joey Fala, "Ave Maris Stella" (Marcel Dupré)

Laura Bleakley, "Fanfare" (Jacques Lemmens)

The Young Organists Concert is a benefit for the scholarship programs of the Hawaii Chapter AGO. To date, 58 students have been awarded monies for organ study.

Joey Fala and Katherine Crosier

.

The youngest performer.

BACHanalia, March 22, 2009

Front Row (L-R): Karl Bachman, Carl Crosier, Miki Yamamoto, Mei-Li Wang, Samuel Lam, Jordan McCreary, 

Ina Young, Yuri McCoy. Back Row: (L-R) Laura Bleakley, Katherine Crosier, Nyle Hallman. 

Not Shown: Thomas Rhoads

Twelve organists played to an overflow crowd at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, Sunday, March 22nd, in celebration of the International Year of the Organ and Johann Sebastian Bach's 324th birthday. The program was:

Fantasia in G major, BWV 572 (Samuel Lam)

Partita on "Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig," BWV 768 (Katherine Crosier)

Prelude and Fugue in F major, BWV 556 (Jordan McCreary)

Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903 (Carl Crosier, harpsichord)

Four Chorale Preludes from Orgelbüchlein (C. Thomas Rhoads)

   Christus, der uns selig macht, BWV 620

   Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599

   Das alte Jahre vergangen ist, BWV 614

   Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten, BWV 642

Prelude and Fugue in E minor "Cathedral", BWV 533 (Miki Yamamoto)

interval

Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (Carl Crosier)

Trio Sonata in C major, BWV 529 (Karl Bachman)

Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 (Laura Bleakley)

Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654 (Ina Young)

Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 (Mei-Li Wang)

Pastorale, BWV 590 (Nyle Hallman)

Prelude and Fugue in D major (BWV 532), Yuri McCoy

Carl Crosier at the Beckerath Organ (1975)

(click to enlarge photo)

Following the organ concert, a catered "Bach's Lunch" was available in the courtyard. 

At 5:15 pm, Bach Vespers for Lent was presented by the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir and Bach Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Carl Crosier with Katherine Crosier, organist. The music included:

Prelude: O Gott du frommer Gott, BWV 767

Processional Hymn: Our God, to whom we turn (O Gott, du frommer Gott)

Preces and Responses

Psalm 6 (Heinrich Schütz)

Psalm 130 De Profundis (Aus tiefer Not)

Chorale Prelude: Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BuxWV 178 (Dietrich Buxtehude)

Office Hymn: Commit whatever grieves thee (Herzlich tut mich verlangen)

Magnificat: Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, BWV 10

Cantata: Jesu nahm zu sich die Zwölfe, BWV 22

Offertory Motet: O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 118b

Chorale Prelude: Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn, BWV 601

Processional Hymn: When o'er my sins I sorrow, Lord (Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn)

Postlude: Aus tiefer Not, schrei ich zu dir, BWV 686

Dr. Joyce Jones in Hawaii

Dr. Joyce Jones, Baylor University's Joyce Oliver Bowden Professor of Music and Organist-in-Residence, was in Hawaii with her husband, Bob, for a cruise of the Hawaiian islands. On March 15th at Central Union Church, Dr. Jones talked about her career as a professional concert organist and teacher, and why she calls herself "an accidental organist." Even though she had not played an organ keyboard in 10 days,  she delighted the audience with an informal program which showcased the various colors of the organ. The program included the first movement of Bach's transcription of Vivaldi's "Concerto in A minor," "Pastorale in the Aviary" by Myron Roberts, "Variations on a Noel" by Marcel Dupré, Charles Ives' "Variations on America," and several of her own compositions, concluding with "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Rimsky-Korsakov. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon was spent by all.

Hawaii Chapter AGO Board members welcome Dr. Joyce Jones.

Dr. Jones meets Naomi, a young organ student.

Here are the organ students who came to the afternoon program.

Fred Swann's Concert, January 16, 2009

It is always a delight to welcome former National AGO President, Dr. Frederick Swann, to Hawaii, and he says it's one of his favorite places to visit, having come here on a regular basis since 1957. Nearly 200 people braved storm threats to come to the concert.

Shown with Margaret Lloyd, host organist of Central Union Church.

Friends for over 50 years: Nyle Hallman and Fred Swann.

Fred Swann is flanked by Carl and Kathy Crosier.

Jordan and his grandfather, John McCreary.

Don Conover is all smiles with Fred Swann.

One of the youngest organists, Christopher.

Fred Swann at the console of the Aeolian-Skinner organ at Central Union Church.

Frederick Swann in Concert, January 16, 2009

Frederick Swann is shown with young organ students Joey and Christopher.

Frederick Swann, immediate past President of the American Guild of Organists (2002-2008), organist emeritus of the Crystal Cathedral and the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, gave an organ recital on Friday, January 16, 2009 at Central Union Church.

Program:

Charles-Marie Widor: Finale (Symphony Op. 13, No. 4) 

Robert Schumann: Fugue on B-A-C-H, op. 60, no. 3

J. S. Bach: Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542

John Huston: Psalm Prelude on "By the waters of Babylon"

Cesar Franck: Fantaisie in A

Robert Hebble: Dedication Fanfare

intermission

Bruce Simonds: As now the sun's declining rays

Josef Rheinberger: Introduction and Passacaglia (Sonata 8, op. 132)