2018 Chapter Election Ballots will be mailed March 6. You may vote for nominated officers and two nominees for the Executive Board.

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1 ENCHAMADE THE CHARLOTTE CHAPTER OF THE MARCH 2018 AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS 2018 Chapter Election Ballots will be mailed March 6 You may vote for nominated officers and two nominees for the Executive Board. Please remember to vote to approve out new Operating Procedures. To compare old and new procedures see the following links: Thank you to this year s nominating committee and those who agreed to run for chapter leadership. IN THIS ISSUE Dean s Message Featured AGO Members: Marilyn and Luther Wade Your AGO Board at work Upcoming Concerts Charlotte AGO Programs Peek Weekend Photo Recap Advertisements "The mission of the American Guild of Organists is to foster a thriving community of musicians who share their knowledge and inspire passion for the organ."

2 Jane Cain, AAGO, Charlotte Chapter Dean Office: (704) A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN Did you notice that not only did Ash Wednesday fall on Valentine s Day, but Easter falls on April Fool s Day this year? I think there s a sermon in there somewhere. With the busy-ness of Lent and Easter, there will not be a chapter program during March, but we have a wonderful workshop planned for April, with something interesting for everyone. Renee Ann Louprette gave a brilliant concert for the Peek Memorial weekend. At the master class on Saturday we heard music of Mendelssohn, Bach and Messiaen by four of our student chapter members, and Ms. Louprette gave us the interesting concept of imagining yourself playing the next chord before you move your fingers, so that your brain is already there. I m going to be working on that. We appreciate all the hard work of Rob Dicks at Covenant, who really made it happen. The Summer Recital Series is almost complete and will be published next month. As of this writing, there are one or two openings; if you would like to perform, Kevin Haney today, khaney01@gmail.com. If you are sponsoring concerts, church programs, and the like, please be sure to submit them to our newsletter editor, Beth Harrison, elizabethaharrison@yahoo.com. By attending programs of our colleagues, we not only support each other but enrich ourselves. Likewise, if you have questions, joys or concerns to share, let me know at jcain@dcpc.org. Have a Blessed Lent, Jane

3 Featured Charlotte AGO Member: An Interview with Marilyn and Luther Wade by Jane Cain JC: Marylyn, tell us about your early music studies, how you got interested in the organ, and where you studied in college. MW: I began piano lessons at age 6. My mother made me do this because she wished that she had stuck with her piano lessons and could play. I always sang in church choirs while growing up and loved singing. I majored in voice and minored in piano at Louisiana State University and thought I was too old to begin organ lessons in college! However, I had always loved the organ and so a little later in life I decided I d never get any younger and began serious organ study at Southeastern Louisiana University where Luther was teaching. I worked hard at it and received a Master s Degree. JC: How did the two of you meet? Did music bring you together? MW: We met in the A cappella Choir at Louisiana State University and studied with the same voice teacher. JC: Marylyn, you were Dean of our chapter. Were there any interesting issues or outstanding programs that you remember while you were Dean? MW: Before I became Dean I was the coordinator of the Summer Recital Series for 8 years and worked very hard to publicize it and build up the audiences. While I was Dean the chapter worked on the process of setting up the Stigall Organ Scholarship. JC: Luther, you wrote and hosted a program on WDAV, called Viva Voce, for many years. How did that get started? How did you decide on your topic for each week s program? LW: Being a music fan I listened to WDAV regularly, but, at that time, they had very little, if any, vocal music. I had done a radio program about J.S. Bach on the campus station at Southeastern Louisiana University where I taught and so I contacted WDAV and said I would be glad to give advice about a vocal music program. They said, well, why don t you just come and do it? So I did, for 17 years. I decided on topics by different ways sometimes honoring a particular composer, sometimes giving the program to some specific theme. I did the program out of my own CD collection because I had more vocal music than the station.

4 JC: I understand that you attend the Edinburgh Festival every summer and Luther writes reviews for Opera News. That sounds like a great gig if you can get it. Luther, what is your background with opera? How did you land this opportunity? LW: I studied opera at LSU under Peter Paul Fuchs and performed a number of roles there. I then became the Graduate Assistant for the opera program and started to stage productions there. My Ph.D. is in theater with Master s in Music History and during my college teaching career I staged operas as well as musicals and plays. My reviewing for Opera News came about because the magazine had contacted Larry Toppman about someone to review Opera Carolina productions. He couldn t do it himself because he was singing in the chorus, so he suggested that I do it. I wrote about Opera Carolina, and the editor of that section of the magazine told me I could send in reviews from other companies because of our travels, so when we started attending the Edinburgh Festival I started reviewing the vocal music there. It s a tough life, but someone has to do it! JC: You also lead annual tours of England, is that correct? Tell us more about that. LW: We ve been leading an annual budget trip to London for the last 37 years. I started it for students, but when other people found out it was a good price, we decided anyone could sign up. In addition to that trip (which is not really a guided tour---people do what they want to), I have designed and we have led guided tours to various parts of Europe over the years. For example, a Joan of Arc trip to France, a Galileo trip to Italy, etc. JC: Anything else interesting you d like to add? MW/LW: We have two sons who live in the Charlotte area and four grandchildren ranging from 24 years old down to 6. We have taken them all to Europe and plan to keep on traveling with them and all of our groups as long as we are able to do so! JC: Thank you for sharing your story with the Charlotte Chapter. Your Board at work.... Your Charlotte AGO board met on Monday night February 5. Some of the topics discussed were: Working on a new chapter logo design Further discussion on our Summer Recital Series for 2018 Final plans for the Peek Recital/Masterclass weekend with Renee Anne Louprette Ensuring that our chapter remains in sound financial condition

5 The Charlotte AGO expresses sympathy to Jane Cain upon the passing of her father, Thomas Herbert Dimmock, Jr. November 29, 1921 February 21, Upcoming Concerts March 1 at 8:00 PM, Allan Ware, clarinet, accompanied by David Gilliland, performs a program entitled French Fireworks featuring works by Poulenc, Saint-Saens, Milhaud, and Debussy. Belmont Abbey Basilica, Belmont, NC. Free admission; donations accepted. For more information, visit March 4 at 4:00 PM, David Brinson, Organist, performs works by Bonnet, Bach, Reger, Franck, Vierne, and others. Matthews Presbyterian Church, Matthews, NC. Free admission. March 12 at 7:30 PM, Bach Birthday Bash entitled Arnstadt to Leipzig: Bach s Organ Music from Start to Finish, featuring a possible visit from the great man himself, concert is at Davidson College Presbyterian Church (Davidson, NC). Free admission; Freewill offering received. For more information, visit March 17 at 7:00 PM, the United States Naval Academy Glee Club in concert. Myers Park Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC. Tickets at the door, $20 per person. For more information, visit March 25 at 3:00 PM, Gaston Choral Society presents Michael Trotta s even Last Words.. Belmont Abbey Basilica, Belmont, NC. Free admission; donations accepted. For more information, visit March 30 at 7:00 PM, the Chancel Choir of Myers Park Presbyterian Church accompanied by a full orchestra, performing The Seven Last Words of Christ by Theodore Dubois. Prelude music includes Giacomo Puccini s Requiem. Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC. Free admission. April 11 at 7:30 PM, the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, directed by Stephen Darlington, performs a concert of sacred choral masterpieces including music by Shepherd, Byrd, Goodall, Purcell, and Stanford. Davidson College Presbyterian Church, Davidson, NC. For information and to purchase tickets, visit or call

6 Charlotte AGO Programs April 21, Saturday, Sm(organs)bord: Saturday morning workshops St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 6800 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC :00-10:00 Choral Techniques: John Blizzard Whether you work with an aging choir or a children s ensemble, John will show you ways to maximize your choir s potential through vocal and choral techniques. 10:15-11:15 The Organ and Your Body: Brenda Sorkin How do you navigate between the complexity of the organ and your own comfort? Are you enjoying painfree playing? In this Feldenkrais workshop we will develop your ability to play with greater ease and efficiency. Brenda Sorkin has over 30 years of experience in movement education. For more information see: 11:30-12:30 Hymn Playing Reminders: John Cummins David Craighead always said, "90% of teaching is reminding." We will look at examples of tunes and texts from various stylistic periods, as well as registration, tempo, breathing, and phrasing relative to each. JW Pepper and Choirboy will have sacred music displays in the narthex. Beverages and light refreshments will be provided. May 20, Sunday, 5:00 pm: Pentecost Festival and Officer Installation Myers Park Presbyterian, 2501 Oxford Pl, Charlotte, NC AGO members are welcome to attend the service, or take a more active role by singing in an AGO-member choir. Peek Weekend Photo Recap Renée Anne Louprette takes a bow following her stunning performance on Friday, Feb., 9. Renée Anne Louprette with four students following the Peek Weekend masterclass.

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10 Support the Charlotte AGO! Advertisements are still available for future En Chamade Newsletters. Business Cards: $5/mnth, $35/yr ¼-page ad: $7/mnth, $50/yr ½-page ad: $10/mnth, $75/yr Full-page ad: $15/mnth, $100/yr

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13 AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS CHARLOTTE CHAPTER Dr. Elizabeth Beth Harrison, Newsletter Editor Submissions to: or Charlotte AGO Executive Board Chapter Officers Jane Cain, Chapter Dean Michael Lehtinen, Sub-Dean Lee Northcutt, Secretary Gay Pappin, Treasurer Executive Board Members Class of Robert Ivey Ginger Wyrick Class of Kevin Haney Jacqueline Yost Class of Nicholas Haigh Elizabeth 'Beth' Harrison