Front row: John Allegar, student of Lorraine Brugh, Valparaiso University;Thatcher Lyman, 1st place, student of James David Christie, Oberlin Conservatory;Tracey Figaar, student of Margaret Kemper, Northwestern University;Jessica French, 2nd place, student of Larry Smith, Indiana University;
Back row: Adjudicators: Dr. Christa Rakich, New England Conservatory;Dr. Gregory Crowell, Grand Valley State University;Dr. James Kibbie, University of Michigan.

   Paul Herrema, tenor, sings Herbert Howell's Nunc Dimittis with the Calvin College Alumni Choir

Immediately following the service, an organ and orchestral concert was presented at nearby Central Reformed Church.  Organist Bradley Welch and Grand Rapids Symphony conductor David Lockington were of one heart and mind as concerti of Rheinberger and Hanson stirred the standing-room only crowd and drew them to their feet with applause.

The Basilica of St. Adalbert

National AGO President, Fred Swann

Registrants were offered four Monday workshops.  MIDI and the Pipe Organ was presented by Joel Gary and Joel Hurley, a choral anthem reading session was led by Kent and Janet Hill, author Suzanne Tiemstra presented Music of Latin American Composers, and Gillian Weir taught the first of two masterclasses.

Choral reading session at Seventh Day Adventist
Church with Drs. Kent and Janet Hill

Monday recitals included Huw Lewis playing the new IV/69 Walker organ at St. Mark's Episcopal Church,

a delightful harpsichord recital by Gregory Crowell at Immanuel Lutheran Church, and Christopher Young playing an evening recital at Fountain Street Church on the V/172 Austin-Allen,

followed by a late night of fun and festivity with Barry Baker at the Wurlitzer theatre organ housed in the Van Andel Museum Center's Meijer Theatre.

Organ builder, Fernand Létourneau; Marilyn Mason, U of M; Brandon Spence, cathedral organist and graduate of U of M; Michelle Johns, U of M and James Kibbie U of M following Dr. Kibbie's recital

Pamela Decker at LaGrave Avenue CRC

Following a delicious buffet luncheon and business

meeting at Calvin College, several informative workshops were presented throughout the afternoon on the College and Seminary campus.  Ann Marie Koukios presented a session on Youth and Children's Choirs, Andrew Atwood, Jim Owen, and Linda Strouf held a Professional Concerns Forum, and Jeffrey Carter lectured on The Howells Requiem. Gillian Weir held a master class at the Calvin College Chapel .

Dame Gillian Weir with masterclass participant Rex Rallanka

A varied program of Bach, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Dahl, and an improvisation by the performer, Christa Rakich , delighted the audience listening to Grace Episcopal Church's III/56 Noack organ.   Rakich also demonstrated her authority on improvisation at a workshop the following day, Improvisation in 15 Minutes a Day East Congregational Church (below) .

Christa Rakich at East Congregational Church

NEOS at Trinity United Methodist Church

As if the convention had not already thrilled and inspired, the final recital presented by Dame Gillian Weir at Mayflower Congregational Church left all present in a state of awe, wishing the evening wouldn't end.  With five manuals and 93 ranks at Weir's command, the music of Reubke, Dupré, Bovet, and Lanquetuit came alive, all with the greatest ease and poise.  As a full church of 600-plus organists and organ music lovers stood offering thunderous applause, an ensuing encore was inevitable.

 
Competition winner: Thatcher Lyman

A service of Evensong at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church officially began the convention early Sunday evening.   Music of Franck, Visser, Howells, and Jongen was played on the V/108 Austin-Allen organ by resident organist Larry Visser.  The Calvin College Alumni Choir (Pearl Shangkuan, director, Kenneth Bos, organ accompanist) participated by singing music of Wood, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bainton, and a Psalm 63 setting by Emma Lou Diemer commissioned by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.  Most notable was the vigorous congregational singing which lifted hearts heavenward.

Bradley Welch with the Grand Rapids Symphony

Monday morning's Festival Worship Service was no less inspiring as organist Jonathan Tuuk, the Chamber Choir of Grand Rapids (Larry Biser, director), the Grand Rapids Cantata Choir (Suzanne Tiemstra, director), and homilist Frederick L. Swann led worshipers in praise and proclamation.   Swann's eloquent message spoke of the need for love and charity among all organists, echoing the first line of the choir's introit, Duruflé's Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.  The choirs also sang A Hymn for St. Cecilia by Eleanor Daley, the second anthem commissioned for the convention.

Chamber Choir of Grand Rapids and
The Grand Rapids Cantata Choir

MIDI workshop at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church
with Joel Gary and Joel Hurley

Christopher Young

The Cathedral of St. Andrew

One block away at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Pamela Decker used the large Austin-Allen to its fullest extent and concluded on a personal note playing her own contrapuntal marvel, Passacaglia on BACH, and a final piece composed by her husband and console assistant, Ken Yukl.

Lunch at Calvin College Commons

AGO Region V Councillor, Steve Egler

Christa Rakich at Grace Episcopal Church

The success of any convention is due in large part to the work of its steering committee and ultimately its coordinator.  Region V is deeply indebted to coordinator, Ronald Krebs, for his unwavering vision, exemplary leadership, and countless hours of work carried out with kindness, patience and excellence.

"Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river"  As the rapids of the city's Grand River flow endlessly, so also will the music and fond memories of the 2005 Region V convention flow in our hearts forever, or at least until we meet again in the "Grand" city of churches. 

Text by Larry Visser

Photography by Verlyn Schultz