This month we collectively enter into a season of Thanksgiving. In the midst of the approaching seasons of Advent and Christmas, associated rehearsals and preparations, along with celebrations in non-Western traditions, let us take time to be thankful for all we have and the communities that support us.

Our local organ community has much to be thankful for. I would like to specifically highlight and give thanks to and for David Dahl. Not only is he a renowned pedagogue, but also a “mover and shaker” in the historically-informed organ building tradition and genuinely supportive friend and colleague to many in the area and around the country. David presented a wonderful workshop on the fugues from J. S. Bach’s (?) 8 Little Preludes and Fugues, for our October gathering, assisted by Paul Tegels and Tom Clark. You can read about that workshop below and access its resources here.

Continuing on the theme of Bach scholarship, I would like to draw your attention to a new addition to the literature: J. S. Bach: The Organ Works by George Stauffer, published by Oxford University Press a few months ago. This volume, amassing over six hundred pages of text and resources, takes the reader through a chronological analysis of Bach’s organ works, using the most recent Bach scholarship. Additionally, Kimberly Marshall has written a substantial feature review of Stauffer’s book in the November issue of The American Organist, found on pages 74-78. I am slowly sinking my teeth into this new text, which already seems that it will hold forth on bookshelves next to the landmark texts on Bach’s organ works by Peter Williams and others!

Rounding back to this season of Thanksgiving: On Saturday, November 23 at 7:30pm, we will join with the community of Christ Church Episcopal to celebrate the forty-fifth anniversary of the landmark Brombaugh organ with a concert by renowned organist and teacher Nathan Laube. This organ graces the Nave of Christ Church with many thanks (again) to the leadership of David Dahl. Tacoma AGO members (regular, special and dual) will receive a $5 discount on tickets purchased at the door ($20 regular/$15 seniors). There will be a separate ticket table for AGO members. Please note that in order to receive this discount, you must purchase your tickets at the door with check or cash.

In closing, I would like to thank YOU for being a member of the Tacoma chapter of the AGO. As always, check out our online calendar to find local events to engage with other organists and supporters of the instrument in either musical or social settings!

In music,
Wyatt Smith

What a banner start to the program year for the organ and its musicians in the Pacific Northwest! From our annual start-of-year picnic at the home of David Dahl and Loi Le to the inauguration program of a new-to-town instrument by Dr. Paul Tegels, and the welcoming of the new PLU organ professor Dr. Justin Murphy-Mancini. What an incredible place we live and work!

This month’s chapter event will take place at 10:00am on Saturday, October 26 at Christ Church Episcopal. David Dahl and Dr. Paul Tegels will present a workshop on the fugues from J. S. Bach’s Eight Little Preludes and Fugues, examining Baroque pedal technique as choreography. This will prove to be an informative session for all organists, young and young-at-heart alike, as these works typically form a part of our own training on the King of Instruments. Please plan to join us and bring a friend (or two)!

I encourage you to check out some feature articles in the October issue of The American Organist. Highlights include a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Flentrop organ at Oberlin Conservatory; a review of the 2024 National Convention in San Francisco, in which you will see some familiar faces; and an article by Christophe Mantoux entitled “Reflections on ties and note durations in organ music, Part 3.”

In November, we will join the community of Christ Church Episcopal as they celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the landmark Brombaugh organ on the evening of Saturday, November 23 with a concert by Nathan Laube. There will be no TAGO event in December.

As always, I encourage you to peruse the abundance of concerts, events, and lunches listed on our TAGO Calendar.

In music,
Wyatt Smith

It is that time of year again! The academic year is starting up, choir rehearsals resume, and the lazy days of summer begin to fade into our memories. Moving into the season ahead, there are multitudes of events and concerts to attend, both in Tacoma and the surrounding area. Hang on tight; this is a meaty newsletter!

First up this month is our Annual Opening Picnic, which will take place on Monday, September 16 from 5:00-7:00pm at the home of David Dahl and Loi Le in Parkland. If you are able to attend, please bring a food item to share. TAGO will provide drinks and paper items. This is always such a great time to spend together after our summer adventures, meeting new colleagues, and catching up with old friends.

Second, the Pacific Northwest welcomes a new-to-us tracker organ by Bigelow, now housed at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Seattle’s UDistrict. Michael Plagerman has written a wonderful article on the acquisition and forthcoming tonal additions to the Ruth and Paul Manz Organ. Of the inaugural concert series artists, four are members of TAGO! Dr. Paul Tegels will perform the dedication concert on the evening of Saturday, September 21. The other performers throughout the year include PLU’s Dr. Justin Murphy-Mancini, UW’s Dr. Stephen Price, and myself representing UPS. Check out details of these concerts and more on the TAGO calendar.

Third, we are inviting applications for TAGO’s scholarship program. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage young musicians to study organ by assisting with the cost of private organ lessons. The successful scholarship recipient will receive ten organ lessons with a Tacoma chapter member. Preference is given to high school students but older students are welcome to apply. More details and applications information may be found here on the website.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to our upcoming TAGO events. On the morning of October 26, David Dahl and Dr. Paul Tegels will present a workshop on the fugues from J. S. Bach’s Eight Little Preludes and Fugues at Christ Church, Tacoma. In November, we will join the community of Christ Church as they celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the landmark Brombaugh organ on the evening of Saturday, November 23 with a concert by leading concert organist Nathan Laube. There will be no TAGO event in December.

I encourage you to peruse the abundance of concerts, events, and lunches listed on our TAGO Calendar.

See you at the picnic!

In music,
Wyatt Smith

Greetings, members of the Tacoma AGO!

I hope that the summer has been treating you well and that you have been able to enjoy some of the marvelous weather we have been having! I am looking forward to seeing you all more often once the program year begins. More on that soon!

Summer is a time of rest and renewal, travel and adventure. As we all make plans for the coming program year, do remember to take time for yourself in these remaining days of summer so that you might be fully present with those whom you make music and those who receive the gift you give to them throughout the year.

As is often a practice during summer months, we take time for study and exploration of topics. The AGO website is full of educational resources, including recordings of many workshops and presentations. Of special note is the extensive series of short videos for the new organist on a number of topics. Take some time to explore the options available from the Guild in addition to what we do here on a local level.

The AGO has a number of sister organizations around the country and world, one of which is the Royal College of Organists in the United Kingdom. As an AGO member, you are eligible for an Affiliate membership for £35.00 per year. This is a considerable value in regard to the RCO’s online digital content resource called iRCO. Contained in iRCO is a seemingly endless treasure trove of educational and scholarly resources, including articles, journals, and videos. Additionally, the RCO produces a free podcast every other week called “The Organ Podcast,” which can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on YouTube. I, for one, eagerly await the release of each episode!

More and more events are being added to the TAGO calendar for the coming program year. Keep your eyes on it as we get closer to the start of the program year, including regular lunches alongside chapter events!

In music,
Wyatt Smith

Happy Summer!

First off, I would like to thank Cheryl Drewes and Sheila Bristow for their leadership as Dean and Past Dean, respectively, over the last two years. I look forward to having the continued support of Cheryl on the Board as Past Dean, in addition to undertaking partial Sub Dean roles until another person is found to fill that role. I would like to welcome Van Hardison and Will Stuivenga to the Board. Finally, I would like to thank the continued presence of Tom Clark, Sandy Tietjen, Jan Regier, Michael Menne, and David Dahl in their respective roles on the Board.

Over the coming weeks, we will be planning our events for the 2024-2025 program year. If you have any specific ideas or requests for chapter programming, please reach out to me directly via email. In addition to substantive events, we will continue monthly lunch gatherings. Once those are scheduled, they will appear on the calendar and in our monthly newsletter.

In the meantime, check out the Tacoma AGO calendar on our website. There are many offerings over the coming month, including concerts in Gig Harbor, Tacoma, and Seattle. Of particular note are the remaining programs in the “Concerts at 6:26pm” series at St. John’s, Gig Harbor and the Third Annual Tacoma Bach Festival at Kilworth Chapel and Christ Church, Tacoma.

I am greatly looking forward to the year ahead.

All my best,

Wyatt