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Home > Our Chapter > Monthly Chapter Programs
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| All evening programs are at
8:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Prior to the program there is dinner at 7:00 p.m.
preceded by punch bowl at 6:30 p.m. The cost for dinner this year is $15.00. For more
information contact dbuteyn@grago.org |
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| September 19, 2011
The opening program of the year was a Guild
Service at Mayflower Congregational Church with
the Muskegon-Lakeshore Chapter, Holland Area Chapter and Southwest Michigan Chapter
of the American Guild of Organists. The music was led by the Mayflower Congregational
Choir directed by Mark Webb and organist Jonathan Tuuk. The Rev. Scott Hoezee, the
Director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary was the
preacher. In addition the
chaplains of the various chapters participated as liturgists for the service. This service
included the installation of officers for the coming year.
You may listen to the entire service HERE
Service Bulletin
September Newsletter |

Mayflower Congregational Church
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| October 17, 2011 Trinity Lutheran Church was
the location for a program featuring music for handbells and organ. Larry Biser, Helen
Hawley and Jonathan Tuuk are members of the Grand Rapids Chapter who performed with Embellish, a local professional handbell ensemble
directed by Stephanie Wiltse. Embellish, a 13 member ensemble, played works for
handbells and organ as well as several new compositions they have recently recorded for
GIA. A full house thoroughly enjoyed new music which most of us have not previously known.
Blue Lake Public Radio recorded the program for later broadcast.
October Newsletter |

Embellish
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| November 2, 2011 On Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. the Grand Rapids Chapter of the
American Guild of Organists presents Pipelines, a program for
fourth graders which introduces them to the pipe organ. This program was begun in 1995 and
is currently supported by funding from the Anne Heyboer Vander Heide Fund of the Grand
Rapids Foundation. The program is presented in cooperation with Central Reformed Church
which has graciously offered its facilities for this important event. |

Organ builder James Lauck directing the "human organ" |
| November 13, 2011 On Sunday, November 13 we will present a special recital at Mayflower Congregational Church which will
inaugurate the Anne Vander Heide Young Artists Organ Recital Series. Anne Vander
Heide was a longtime member of the Grand Rapids Chapter of AGO and this series is
co-sponsored by the Anne Heyboer Vander Heide Fund of the Grand Rapids Foundation.
Our special guest artist is Nathan Laube, one of the shining new organ stars.
The concert is at 3:00 p.m. and this meeting will not include dinner. There will be
a reception for Mr. Laube in the Atrium following the recital. You may hear and see Nathan
Laube perform the Franck E major Chorale here.
November
Newsletter |

Nathan Laube
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| November 21, 2011 The
members of the Grand Rapids Chapter of AGO met at Aquinas College. The focus for the evening was on technology in music. GRAGO members, Joel Gary and Nick Palmer, were the
presenters for the evening. Joel Gary, in his
session, "MIDI - Not Just Another Four-Letter Word," gave members a brief history of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital
Interface) in Kretschmer Recital Hall. He also
demonstrated some ways organists may incorporate MIDI, using an Allen organ provided
by Westfield Organ Company. Down the hall in
the piano lab, Nick Palmer led a workshop on the music writing software, Sibelius.
Beginning with a "how to notate a hymn," members were guided through various
steps using Sibelius. While "technology" may be a frightening word for some
organists, the program for the evening provided members with a taste of how technology can
positively assist organists in their various roles as musicians.
December Newsletter |


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| No December Meeting -
Merry Christmas
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Wanamaker Organ
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| January 16, 2012 St. Mark's Episcopal Church was the venue for an event featuring
several harpsichordists on a variety of instruments. Dr. Gregory Crowell was the
facilitator for this event. Harpsichordists performing included Larry Biser, Elizabeth
Claar, Gregory Crowell, Marilyn Ossentjuk, and Joan Ringerwole.
Also performing were Jimmy Leach on the valveless Baroque
Trumpet and Pablo Mahve-Viglia on and early cello.
January Newsletter |

Dr. Gregory Crowell
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| February 19, 2012 Marilyn Ossentjuk will be the host for a Members' Program at Fountain Street Church on Sunday afternoon at
3:00 p.m. Performers include Grand Rapids Chapter members James Metzler, Elizabeth Claar,
Eric Strand, David Heinze, Brian Bartusch, Rhonda Sider Edgington and Joel Gary. In
addition, students Allison Schepers and Elizabeth Kim will also perform
The Austin-Allen organ at Fountain Street is one of the
largest instruments in the Midwest and this is a great opportunity to hear a wide variety
of literature on an instrument with huge tonal resources in a very felicitous musical
setting.
There is no admission charge and all are encouraged to
attend.
February Newsletter |

Fountain Street Church
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| No Meeting in March |
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| April 16, 2012 Irene Beethe, organist of Immanuel Lutheran Church, will present The
Music of Charles Ore at her church. Composer Dr. Charles Ore will
be our special guest. Charles W. Ore is a nationally recognized organ
recitalist, a composer of organ and choral music, and a leader in the use and development
of improvisation in organ playing. From 1961 until 1966, he was Minister of Music
at First Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago and a member of the music faculty at
Concordia College in River Forest, Illinois. He joined the Concordia, Seward faculty in
1966 and taught there until his retirement in 2001, serving as chair of the Department of
Music from 1995 to 2001. He was cantor of Pacific Hills Lutheran Church in Omaha from 1975
to 2001 and associate organist of First-Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln from
2001 to 2006; in 2006 he was appointed organist of First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln. |

Dr. Charles Ore
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| May 21, 2012 Helen
Hofmeister Hawley will present a recital on the Beckering
Family Carillon on the Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University in downtown Grand
Rapids. Helen holds both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in organ
performance from the University of Kansas and has done post-graduate study in Cologne,
Germany. She received her carillon instruction at the University of Kansas as a
student of Albert Gerken. She is on the national board for the GCNA (Guild of
Carillonneurs in North America) and also has served as a juror on the Exam
Committee. Ms. Hawley has performed carillon recitals in Connecticut, Florida,
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington; and in Europe, Belgium, and the Netherlands. She
currently serves as Minister of Music at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids.
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Helen Hofmeister Hawley
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