Greetings, TAGO Members,

Light always follows the darkness, and thus March brings in the entrance of Spring! March is often a time when we celebrate the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. We are blessed to live in an area of the country that has a strong connection with historically-informed organ building. For many in this country, that is not the norm. This month, I invite you to encounter the music of Bach in a new or different way, experiencing the myriad ways in which Bach’s music transcends time and tradition. Some of my recommendations include hearing Bach through a romantic lens, as approached by Karl Straube and Max Reger, to the Goldberg Variations (in a myriad of instrumentations including piano duo, recorder quintet, harp, and many more), to Virgil Fox and his Heavy Organ concerts, and beyond! What is one way you engage with Bach in a non-historically informed way? Let me know! (As an aside, my dissertation at the UW focused on Max Reger’s adaptations of Bach keyboard works for the organ, of which there are fifteen in total. You can peruse that document here, if you wish!)

Much is happening in the Chapter over the rest of the season. This month, we are partnering with the Seattle AGO to present Dr. Barbara Lister-Sink in concert on the evening of March 13 and a day of workshops on March 14 at Wesley Homes in Des Moines. If you haven’t already signed up to take part in the workshops, please do so here. You won’t want to miss hearing and learning from one of this country’s leading musicians and pedagogues!

On April 25, the chapter will gather for a workshop at Lagerquist Hall centering on the unique registrations found in Georg Kaufmann’s Harmonische Seelenlust, led by David Dahl and Tom Clark. Click here for more information.

As always, keep an eye on the Calendar for the latest list of events! I hope to see many of you on March 13 and 14 at Wesley Homes!

In music,
Wyatt