David Dahl, Paul Thornock, Sandy Tietjen, Sheila Bristow, and Thomas Clark
On Monday night, May 21, 2018, the Tacoma AGO Chapter inducted new officers and members of the executive committee. New officers include, from left to right, David Dahl, Member-at-Large, Paul Thornock, Dean, Sandy Tietjen, Treasurer, Sheila Bristow, Sub-Dean, and Thomas Clark, Secretary. In absentia, Satya Jaech and Cooper Sherry were inducted as board members at large.
AGO members enjoy delicious food and drink at the Thornock home
Our hosts for the occasion were Dean Paul Thornock and his wife Nancy, who graciously opened their home and prepared a sumptuous spread.
Many thanks to the Thornock family for their hospitality. Thanks also to outgoing officers and board members Una Hwang, Naomi Shiga, and Curt Sather.
Bruce Neswick addresses Tacoma AGO members during the April meeting
Bruce Neswick, Canon for Music at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon, was featured as both a performer and teacher at our April meeting at Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound. Bruce is no stranger to the Tacoma AGO. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Bruce has maintained his ties to the Pacific Northwest even though his training and professional life have been global.
The program began with a short recital featuring the Easter section of the Orgelbuchlein of J. S. Bach. Bruce used these six pieces to demonstrate the flexibility and power of the Bethel Schneebeck organ in Kilworth Chapel, opus 8 of Paul Fritts, who is a University of Puget Sound graduate, member of the Tacoma AGO, and who was in attendance.
Following the recital, three local organists played in a masterclass format.
UPS organ student Emma Rose Kelly discusses registration with her teacher, AGO Dean-elect Paul Thornock
Emma Rose Kelly, a current student at University of Puget Sound, chose a Buxtehude work, Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne, BuxWV 137. In discussing this piece, Bruce made numerous references to grammar, comparing the musical phrases to spoken phrases, requiring semicolons and paragraphs. This piece contains both triplets and dotted rhythms, and with Bruce’s help, Emma Rose was able to distinguish them clearly.
Collin Whitfield, 2018 AGO scholarship recipient, discusses his piece with Bruce Neswick
Collin Whitfield, the 2018 recipient of the Tacoma AGO organ scholarship and organist at Mason United Methodist Church, chose to play Bach’s Little Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 557. Bruce used this piece to discuss the importance of recognizing the musical character of each section of a piece, and accenting those features.
He was genuinely affirming to each one of us in a way that made up for the terror of playing in front of an audience of peers!
–Satya Jaech
Satya Jaech prepares to play
Satya Jaech, the last performer, is active in the Tacoma AGO, having served on the board for the past two years, and having been elected to serve four more. She chose BWV 662, Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Ehr, an ornamented chorale prelude. It is, of course, important to carefully consider the ornamentation in such a piece, and Bruce spent much of the time helping Satya shape the trills.
Satya felt very positive about her experience. “What I appreciated most about Bruce’s instruction was his ability to help us turn notes on a page into music. I played my piece with more freedom after the master class because of the encouragement he gave to actually make music. He also helped me with a tempo issue that I’d been struggling with. He was genuinely affirming to each one of us in a way that made up for the terror of playing in front of an audience of peers!”
Una shows Bruce the improvisation submissions
Finally, as a combination encore and treat for the audience, Una Hwang, who has served as program chair for the past two years, presented Bruce with three tunes, submitted by the three performers. Bruce chose Bingham, a hymn tune submitted by Satya Jaech, and crafted an improvisation based on it.
Spring is here, and we have two meetings remaining for the program year.
Monday, April 16 at Kilworth Chapel UPS at 7:30 p.m. is our masterclass with noted concert organist Bruce Neswick. Those desiring to participate are encouraged to do so and to SIGN UP as soon as possible! We still have open slots, but there is room for only four participants. If you’re not planning to play, do come to watch Bruce work with the class participants and also to perform and improvise.
Our final meeting is a social event at the Thornock residence in University Place. We will install our new officers at this meeting. Come, bring refreshments and good cheer to share. Those who are interested are welcome to try out Paul’s 1974 Helmuth Wolff practice organ: two manuals and pedal with one stop.
Our March meeting was an “organ plus” concert featuring singers and an instrumentalist with organ accompaniment.
Collin Whitfield, winner of 2017-2018 AGO scholarship
Performers included Gwendolyn Taylor, violin, Patricia Hendrix, soprano, Carlyle Jacinto, soprano, and Collin Whitfield, organist. Collin Whitfield is the winner of the 2017-2018 Tacoma AGO scholarship, and studies organ with Tacoma AGO member Paul Tegels. Organ accompaniment was provided by members Una Hwang and Paul Thornock.
The program featured two psalm settings by one of our own–composer and organist David P. Dahl, who was in attendance.
Our March meeting will be a chance for members to relax in the congenial space of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Tacoma and enjoy a concert of chamber music featuring vocal and instrumental soloists accompanied by the organ. The organ at Immanuel is a two manual 1971 Casavant. The evening will begin with violinist Gwendolyn Taylor of the Symphony Tacoma, who will perform the Bach A minor Violin Concerto with Una Hwang. Paul Thornock will accompany our two vocal soloists, sopranos Patricia Hendrix and Carlyle Jacinto, performing both alone and together. Pat will offer two psalm settings by David Dahl, and Carlyle will perform selections by Vaughan Williams and Eric Thiman. Both singers will join forces to perform duets from Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Our final soloist will be our own Karen Bredberg playing her main instrument, the cello. She will offer selections by Bach and others, assisted by our chapter’s scholarship recipient for 2018, Collin Whitfield. We are pleased to introduce Collin to you as a soloist as well. He will end the evening with Louis Vierne’s Divertissement.
We invite you to come, bring your friends and enjoy a delightful evening of music on Monday, March 12 at 7:30 pm. Immanuel Presbyterian Church is at 901 N J Street.
