The Tacoma AGO chapter will host the Seattle chapter for a joint program in October at Wesley Des Moines, a senior living and retirement community situated on a beautiful 42-acre campus located approximately halfway between Seattle and Tacoma.
It is unusual to find a chapel with a full gallery in a retirement community, and even more unusual to find a tracker organ in that gallery. Yet such a gallery at Wesley Des Moines is home to Fritts Organs opus 42, a small two-manual tracker organ with a big personality.
Our October meeting will explore this organ–how it came to be, the acoustical design of the chapel, and how to use its limited number of stops to full advantage.
Program participants include Susan McConnell, Director of the Wesley Foundation, Paul Fritts, Erik McLeod, and Zane Boothby of the Fritts Organ shop, David Dahl, Organist Emeritus at Pacific Lutheran University, and Thomas Clark, organist at Wesley Des Moines. They will discuss how the organ was designed and built, including the importance of collaboration with the facility architect. Fritts Organs staff will discuss the classical construction and finishing techniques used in this organ. David Dahl and Thomas Clark will demonstrate effective use of the organ both for literature and hymn playing, with musical examples. Finally, all of the participants will take audience questions during a panel discussion at the end of the program moderated by Sheila Bristow, Dean of the Tacoma chapter.
Current information, including the date, time, location, and parking information, is available in the calendar entry for this event. This event is only open to members in good standing of the Tacoma and Seattle chapters. A link to the signup will be emailed to all eligible persons.
COVID-19 Considerations
During this program, we will be guests of a facility that houses an elderly population that is at particular risk for COVID-19. We must follow their guidelines and minimize the risk to residents of the facility.
Attendance at the event is limited to members of the Seattle and Tacoma AGO chapters.
Registration, including an attestion of full vaccination status, is required. Only persons on the registration list will be admitted.
Masks covering the nose and mouth are required at all times, and without exception. Masks may not be removed for water bottles, conversations, or for any other reason. Paper masks (surgical or N95) are preferred.
Upon arrival, guests will undergo a temperature check and will be asked if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Arrive on Time
You must arrive on time. There will be greeters on duty until 7:05 PM. After that time, the exterior doors will be locked and there will be no way to get in.