If you use any sort of electronic calendar (and, if you don’t, why not?), you may be interested in a new feature of our website that will allow you to incorporate the AGO calendar into the calendar(s) you already use so that you don’t have to update the calendar for AGO events each month.  All changes and new events will be automatically synced to your calendar.

The feature is called “ical feed”–and yes, it arose from Apple’s icalendar, but it now it works with pretty much any electronic calendar system.

If you use Google’s calendar, which you probably do if you have an Android phone, go to https://calendar.google.com and log in.  Use the dropdown box beside “Other Calendars” to “Add by URL” and enter https://tacomaago.org/events.ics .  Within a few hours, the AGO calendar will be superimposed on all of the clients you are using with Google calendar.

If you are using Apple’s calendar server, you can add the same URL on your iphone or desktop calendar by going to File -> New Calendar Subscription.  It’s easy because Apple developed this protocol.

Even if you are using a stand-alone electronic calendar on your desktop or phone unrelated to Google or Apple, you can still add the Tacoma AGO calendar URL as an additional calendar and it will just work.

Stop trying to match up AGO events to your personal calendar every month!  Subscribe and save time.

I recently spent two weeks in Istanbul and encountered very little evidence of pipe organs. Instrumental and congregational music are not part of Islamic prayer, so the lack of organs was not surprising. The two Roman Catholic Churches in the Galata district house functional pipe organs which I saw but did not hear (see photos). The Christian Orthodox churches do not have organs.

One of the universities contains a concert hall with a 6000-pipe organ, but I did not see this one. I do not believe the modern civic concert hall houses an organ. Turkey does not have, obviously, much of an organ culture.

We do know of a 16th century instrument built and installed by English organ builder Thomas Dallam  for the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed III at the behest of Queen Elizabeth. I had read that this was no longer in existence, but while touring the mid-19th century Dolmabahçe Palace I noticed remnants of pipes and organ mechanisms in a large, glass fronted cabinet. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed in the palace. Read more about The Sultan’s pipe organ.

I was in a clock museum and saw a musical clock (such as Haydn and Mozart knew). Most of the internal pipes, however, were crushed.

Curt Sather

Please join us for the first meeting of our new program year on Monday, September 19 at 7:30 pm, when Cheryl Drewes, Director of Music at Spanaway Lutheran Church, collaborates with her husband Tim to present the church’s 1905 Woodberry organ.  The versatility of this organ will be demonstrated in music of its own, as well as other, eras.  Cheryl and Tim will also present a brief history of the organ, with an overview of the Woodberry company and a discussion the organ aesthetics of the time.

Further attractions includes a wine and cheese reception to be held after the meeting.  Come, get to know this gem of an organ and  enjoy catching up after the summer with your AGO friends!  Also, we especially ask that each of you make an effort to personally invite area organists and organ enthusiasts of your acquaintance who are not active in our chapter.

We acquired two new members in July.  Clint Kraus, formerly the assistant organist at St. James Cathedral, is now living in Tacoma and pursuing a career in medicine.  Will Stuivenga has joined as a dual member from the Olympia chapter.  Welcome to our newest members!