Psallite et Gaudete! St. Barnabas Episcopal Church 91 W. Main Street, Falmouth, MA Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. Compline The short service of Compline, sung a capella by the St. Barnabas Schola, provides an opportunity for quiet and unencumbered meditation in a candlelit church. WELCOMES PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS Admission: FREE Information: (508) 548-3863 www.stbarnabasfalmouth.org West Parish Organ Recital Series West Parish Meetinghouse 2049 Meetinghouse Way (Rte 149), West Barnstable, MA Annual Christmas Organ Recital Friday, November 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. T. Joseph Marchio, Organist Sarah Elizabeth Bach, Soprano The Carillon Handbell Choir (Chatham) and The West Parish Ringers (West Barnstable) The program will include Cornelius' Weihnachtslieder Opus 8 Holiday reception will follow in Parish Hall. Information: pr@westparishmemorialfoundation.org or 508.362.4445 (church office) www.westparishmemorialfoundation.org www.westparish.org/MUSIC Gloria Dei Artes Foundation Church of the Transfiguration Rock Harbor, MA Candle-lit Service of Advent Lessons and Carols Friday, November 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. *Sunday, December 2, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. *(organ prelude 2:30 p.m.) Featuring A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten Gloriae Dei Cantores choir Admission: FREE, All are welcome. Information: 508-240-2400 www.gdaf.org

Pilgrim Festival Chorus Memorial Hall, Plymouth, MA Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. Holiday Pops The Pilgrim Festival Chorus with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra and Boston Pops POPSearch 2005 winner Frances Botelho-Hoeg performing holiday favorites. Cabaret-style, table seating is available for both performances! As always, children are invited to bring a toy for The Old Colony Memorial Children's Holiday Fund and march in the annual March of the Toys, a charity toy drive -- by kids, for kids. www.pilgrimfestival.org www.plymouthphil.org Falmouth Chorale and Orchestra First Congregational Church of Falmouth 68 Main Street, Falmouth, MA Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. John Yankee, Director Randolph S. James, Accompanist Admission: $18 (advance); $20 (at the door) Students 18 and under admitted free 508-495-1878 or purchase online www.falmouthchorale.org

Dear AGO Chapter Leaders,

I have just returned from meetings of the AGO National Council in Minneapolis, and want to share with you news and information about several programs the AGO is working on that are of interest and benefit to our chapters and members. [The National Council comprises the nine Regional Councillors, four National Councillors (Education, Competition & New Music, Conventions, and Professional Development), and the four officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer).]

First of all, I want to personally welcome all the new Deans and Sub-Deans. I am here to help and advise you as questions arise. I am eager to become acquainted with you and your chapter members. Please send me your current membership rosters and regular newsletter and bulletins. This information is most valuable, especially when we meet to discuss your needs and concerns. It is also important to keep your web site current. We are the ONLY region in which all our chapters (twenty in six states) have a web presence! Congratulations!

EACH ONE – REACH ONE

The guild is beginning the third and final year of its membership growth challenge. You are certainly aware that we are facing a downward trend in our national and chapter membership numbers. It will take all of us to reverse this trend.

The goal for this year’s membership campaign is “PERSONAL INVITATION.” Don’t wait for new organists in town to seek US out, GO TO THEM. It is the responsibility of each member to make the phone calls to local organists. Be brave and courageous! Invite them to each chapter meeting and activity. When they do come, roll out the "red carpet" to make them feel welcome.

This year of the challenge will award a prize to the individual (not chapter) who brings in the most new members. The prize will be registration, transportation package, and five-nights of the hotel at the Minneapolis national convention next June. Details are available on the www.agohq.org web site (Each One – Reach One button midway down on the home page).

I attended a membership meeting in Providence this summer where a chapter membership officer described having a membership “kit” available in her car. Whenever she met a new organist or possible member, she gave them the kit that contained a recent issue of The American Organists, her chapter’s newsletter, a membership brochure, and a calendar of the chapter’s events. It was an easy program to implement and was tremendously successful.

YEAR OF THE ORGAN

By now you have heard the 2008-2009 will be the International Year of the Organ. The AGO is coordinating a series of events and publicity to bring the organ into the public spotlight. The year will climax on October 19, 2008 with a nationwide Organ Spectacular. If your chapter has not yet planned a recital, concert, party or daytrip for that date, it is not too late to get on the bandwagon and become part of this huge event. Program committees, plan a member recital, or a solo recital, or a marathon at several local churches, and make sure your local newspaper knows what you are doing! More to come....

TAX LAWS

You should have received a communication from James Thomashower (AGO Executive Director) about the change in tax laws. They now require each chapter to file an annual return. This was followed by a postcard from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Don’t panic! A simple e-postcard will do the trick for most chapters, and the first one isn’t due for a year. Please stay on top of this.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

How would you like your chapter registrar and treasurer to never have to fill out a membership report form again? What if your portion of membership dues appeared automatically in your chapter bank account without your having to process a single check?

All this may soon be in place. Headquarters is exploring a new software package that will enable members to register and pay their dues online, eliminating 90% of the work that chapter officers now have to do. A major upgrade like this is not inexpensive, so please encourage your members to contribute to the Annual Fund to help this project turn into a reality. Many of our chapters make a contribution to the Annual Fund. Thank you for the these and the individual contributions that many of you make!

DISTRICT LEADERSHIP MEETINGS

Our region is divided into three regions (described below). Each district is led by a Convener who could often be your first contact for any concerns relating to your chapter or membership. There are also two Regional Coordinators who focus on Professional Development (e.g., contracts, grievances, church relations) and Education (e.g., certification, outreach, Pedals, Pipes & Pizza). Together, these fives officers and myself are available for chapter visits, lectures, or other needs. Please call upon us.

In past years, there has been an annual Dean’s Retreat for the entire region. To make it easier for Deans & Sub Deans (or their representatives) to attend, we will be scheduling a Saturday meeting for each district shortly. Each chapter should plan on sending two representatives to their respective meeting.

NATIONAL EVENTS

Please promote and consider attending one or more of the following events. Detailed information is on the Guild’s website.

January 20 – 24, 2008, Mid-Winter Conclave in Tucson
April 13, 2008, Recital and Benefit Gala honoring Fred Swann, Los Angeles
June 22 – 26, 2008, National Convention, Minneapolis

I continue to make plans to visit chapters this year, and I look forward to meeting all of you. Please let me know of any program or meeting where you would like me to attend.

Thank you for all you do for your members and chapters!

Lary
E Lary Grossman PhD SPC
Regional Councillor – New England (Region I)
American Guild of Organists
24 King Street, Hatfield MA 01038
413-247-9426 (h); 413-687-7228 (cell) elg@bradygrossman.com

October 29, 2007

Hello Region I Deans and Sub Deans,

I am excited and honored to be serving as your new Regional Coordinator for Education. I’m a life-long learner who, in addition to my work as musician at The Church of Our Redeemer in Lexington, MA, runs Life Guides, a consulting practice helping clients develop their human potential and make successful, planned change in their lives. I view this new position as a wonderful opportunity to help musicians on the path to learning, growth and achievement in their lives.

To this end, I would like to offer support to you and your chapter in revitalizing Certification programs and classes. The Certification process offers individuals an avenue for growth and skill certification, but to chapters, it offers a link to building up and maintaining membership, a means of identifying new leaders, a way to draw in students and community musicians and provide opportunities for mentoring – thus contributing to the strength and vitality of the chapter while raising professional standards.

I would love to talk with you and your officers about how to encourage participation in the exams by calls to members, offering classes, workshops, or study groups; or I could give a chapter program, possibly cooperatively with your Chapter Education Coordinator, about the Certification Program and how energizing it can be. Please pass this letter on to your Chapter Education Coordinator and ask him/her to contact me to discuss programming and exams. I can also help chapters to identify persons who can help with certification programs and other areas, as well as help smaller chapters to pool their resources.

Especially critical to the Guild’s mission are its programs of outreach to encourage new organists, including Pipe Organ Encounter, PipeWorks, and Pedals, Pipes and Pizza. I urge you and your chapter to make the support of new organists a high priority. We also strive toward national standards for arts education. The national website www.agohq.org has a wealth of information on the many Guild educational offerings and resources.

As organists, we are privileged to do what we love in service to others. Through Guild Educational programs, we can leverage our love and service by teaching, mentoring, and raising up new musicians and leaders. Please contact me if I can help your chapter along this road toward the Guild’s mission and legacy of education and growth.

Sincerely,

Cheryl
Cheryl Duerr AAGO MM
Regional Coordinator for Education
267 Concord Ave, Lexington, MA 02421
781-860-8893, 617-852-3533/cell, clduerr@gmail.com

October 29, 2007

Hi to Region I Deans and Sub Deans!

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the newly appointed Regional Coordinator for Professional Development.

I am here to assist, coach, or give some clarity to many of the non-musical aspects of our profession (although I would prefer to stay out of the potentially thorny question of what color the new choir robes should be).

An important aspect of my duties is to be available to chapters (and your individual members) to help interpret and apply the AGO’s Code of Ethics, Code of Professional Standards, Grievance Procedures and the Discipline. (The latter is a procedure to be used when an AGO member feels it necessary to file a complaint against another member for a violation of the Code of Ethics.) I am here also to be of assistance in exploring the content and scope of a musician’s contract (using the AGO’s model contract as a point of departure). I also have a DVD of a mock job interview that was shown at the AGO National Convention in Chicago and could serve as the basis of a workshop on job hunting and interviewing.

I would be very pleased to come to where you are if you think some type of formal presentation on Professional Development offered to your chapter membership would be helpful.

Please do not hesitate to give me a call or send me an email when I could be of help in matters of Professional Development, or to discuss a presentation to your chapter. Your members should also feel comfortable with contacting me directly.

I believe very strongly in the Guild’s ability to help its membership in a variety of ways and in its ability to raise the level of our overall professionalism. This sweeping point should not be underestimated as we look for ever-increasing respect within the arts, and as we seek to communicate and display our inherent value as church employees.

Sincerely yours,

Donald
Donald Funk AAGO MSM
Regional Coordinator of Profession Development
136 S. Highland Street
West Hartford CT 06119
860-231-8197; dfnkjr@comcast.net

A Reminder: As I mentioned in the last newsletter, if you wish to advertise a one time event with a poster, please send the poster in pdf format by email to newsletter@capecodago.org. The poster must be received on the first of the month (four week notice) prior to publication. A fee of $35.00 sent to the treasurer will be required. This poster will appear in two issues of the Fog Horn. All other press releases and calendar information will be expected on the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Articles and any other information for the December Issue of the Fog Horn are to be submitted the 15th of November. The Fog Horn is published by Cape Cod and the Islands Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. The Fog Horn is published the first of the month and posted on the chapter website: www.capecodago.org. Please submit news, calendar events and other material to Sarah E. Bach, Newsletter Editor, via email: newsletter@capecodago.org or postal mail: 43 Emmons Road, Falmouth, MA 02540

If you are a member or friend of the Cape Cod and the Islands Chapter and have concerts and other musical programs that you wish to publicize, you may submit the press release two months in advance to have the program(s) publicized in two issues of the Fog Horn.