Southern Arizona American Guild of Organists

Each year SAAGO, the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists, holds an event to showcase the talents of its members. This year’s event will feature members:
Chris Fresolone
Jessie Jewett
Laura Silva.

They will perform on the church’s Æolian-Skinner organ, an excellent representation of the “American Classic” design, which was originally built for Christ Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1959. St. Michael’s purchased this instrument in 1989. In 1998, after repairs and upgrades were made, and it was installed at St. Michael’s. The organ has seen the addition of the Antiphonal division, as well as changes and additions to the other divisions.

The completed instrument has been renamed the A. F. Schultz Organ, in recognition of Alan F. Schultz’s many contributions to St. Michael’s and the Tucson community.

Details regarding the performers and their repertoire, mostly Dupré, will follow in the October issue of the newsletter. Members of the audience and performers can mingle afterwards at the reception hosted by SAAGO.

Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. Chapel, Trinity Presbyterian Church 400 E. University Blvd. Tucson This free program of meditative and peaceful music will be presented by Lynn Moser (piano and organ), Christine Harper (flute), Korby Myrick (mezzo-soprano), soloists from the Trinity Choir, and handbell players from the Trinity Ringers. Lynn will play the chapel’s self-contained, […]

St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church
Sunday, November 3, 2024 | 2 p.m.
800 Taylor Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ
Free will offering

St. Andrew’s has hosted an annual hymnfest since the present Möller pipe organ was installed in 2008. Lars Andersen has been the guest organist for this event since its inception. The three-manual Möller organ was built in 1949 for a church in Racine, Wisconsin. When that church closed, the organ was sold, dismantled, moved, and installed in the beautiful sanctuary at St. Andrew’s in the fall of 2008.

The program features a massed choir from many churches in Sierra Vista, a high school choir, and robust congregational hymn singing.

Friday, November 15, 7 p.m.
Catalina United Methodist Church
2700 E Speedway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716

Non-Member Admission: $30 online, $25 seniors 60+, $10 students with ID
This event is FREE for SAAGO Members!

Chelsea Chen returns to Tucson! With playing described as “stunning” and possessing “lovely lyrical grandeur” (Los Angeles Times), Chelsea Chen has electrified audiences throughout the United States and Asia.

Chelsea is a Fulbright scholar and graduate of Juilliard and Yale University, where she studied with Thomas Murray. Chelsea has performed to great acclaim at many important venues including Singapore’s Esplanade, Hong Kong’s Cultural Centre, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, and Los Angeles’ Disney Hall. Likewise, Chelsea has recorded multiple CDs and her playing has been aired on CNN.com, “Pipedreams” and Taiwan's Good News Radio. She has premiered works by composer throughout the world. Chelsea's compositions are available exclusively from Wayne Leupold Editions, Inc.

Chelsea was previously Artist-in-Residence at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church where she performed and directed the concert series. Presently, she serves as Artist-in-Residence at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York.

THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN POSTPHONED AND NO RESCHEDULED DATE IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

Sunday, Nov. 30, 3 p.m.
St. Philip’s in the Hill’s Episcopal Church
4440 N. Campbell Ave.

Jonathan Dove, English composer, set seven texts, including poetry by Blake, Dickinson and Tennyson, to create Passing of the Year for double chorus and piano in memory of his mother.

Herbert Howells Requiem was composed in 1932, but first published almost 50 years later in 1981. Set for unaccompanied choir, it uses a combination of texts from the traditional Requiem Mass and other sacred sources.
Donation

The Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols is a program of brief scripture readings with traditional and contemporary carols and anthems sung by the congregation; led by the parish's combined choirs; and accompanied on piano and the historic 1949 Moeller pipe organ.

Saturday, January 4, 1 p.m.
The Highland Community Clubhouse
332 West Matterhorn
Oro Valley, AZ

Join us once again for this favorite holiday event which will be held after Christmas, celebrating close to Epiphany.
The Kuhlman’s have once again very kindly invited us to celebrate at the at The Highland Community Clubhouse in Oro Valley.

James C. Kautz Memorial Concert Lin-Linder Piano Duo 3:00pm on Saturday, January 11, 2025 The Lin-Linder Piano Duo began performing together after a dynamic collaboration at the University of Arizona’s Faculty Showcase Concert “Dancing on the Keyboard: Piano Music for Two, Four, and Six Hands.” As avid performers of contemporary works, Lin-Linder Piano Duo’s performance […]

The Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (SAAGO) presents Pedals, Pipes & Pizza every year, making it the perfect opportunity to introduce students from middle school through high school, to the King of Instruments - the Magnificent Pipe Organ. More than an introduction to the pipe organ, participants will receive instruction on playing the instrument as well as being able to actually sit at the console and play the instrument. There will be qualified, experienced, instructors on hand as well for anyone wishing to pursue private organ lessons. We urge all our members, advertiser, friends, and patrons of SAAGO to invite a young musician. Invite your grandchild, your great-grandchild, your neighbor and their young musician to this superb event on January 25, 2025. It's going to be something the students will never forget, nor will you as a host. Space is limited; therefore, download the registration form and flyer (see below in the post) and get the registration form into SAAGO as soon as possible. This event opens a whole new world to a young pianist, keyboard player, etc..

To sweeten the deal, this year's Pedals, Pipes & Pizza offers two (2) NEW! opportunities for participants: 1) We are offering the student participants a chance to be registered to win SIX (6) FREE LESSONS on the Magnificent Holtkamp Organ - THE VERY ONE THEY ARE PLAYING AT PEDALS, PIPES & PIZZA - from World Renowned Organist, Dr. Jeffrey Campbell, Associate Director of Music & Organist at Saint Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church. 2) Through the graciousness of Dr. Valerie Harris, Dean -Central Arizona Chapter | American Guild of Organists (CAZAGO), SAAGO has been able to borrow this unique "Build Your Own Pipe Organ Kit" (the Orgelkids Kit) in order to make this year's Pedals, Pipes & Pizza a unique, exciting, and hands-on experience. Thusly, we are having an organ building activity in place of the usual video for a truly an experiential exercise filled with fun and learning.

The St. Alban's 2024-2025 concert season continues with Michigan organist, pianist, and harpsichordist Julia Brown.

Julia is the organist and Director of Music at Mayflower Congregational Church and practice pianist for the Calvin Alumni Choir in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Julia maintains a full schedule of teaching, performing and recording.

Julia has appeared in concert in North and South America and in Europe, having performed for the AGO Regional and National Conventions, the Latin American Organist Conventions, the Oregon Bach Festival and other international organ and music festivals. Her organ and harpsichord recordings of W.F. Bach, J. S. Bach, Buxtehude and Scheidemann have gained high critical acclaim.

Julia will be presenting the southwest premiere of a commissioned work, "Peace," by Wolfgang Rübsam who plans to be in attendance. The program will also include works by W.F. Bach, J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, and Scheidemann. Julia played here 10 years ago, shortly after the Fritts organ was installed, and is looking forward to returning.

We are pleased to welcome Julia back to St. Alban's for this wonderful concert.

The performing organist for the Roy Johnson Memorial Organ Series will be Doug Leightenheimer. Doug is a past Dean of the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (SAAGO), as well as a long-time organist and choir master at St. Michael and All Angels Church in Tucson, Doug has also served on the executive boards of the Sarasota-Manatee (Florida) and Wilmington (North Carolina) chapters of the same organization, including two terms as dean for each group.

Doug is a published composer and recitalist. In 2008 he was featured with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra performing Symphony No. 3 by Camille Saint-Saëns and Symphonie Concertante by Joseph Jongen. In both April 2013 and April 2014, he performed the Mildred Flood Mahoney Memorial Organ Series Concert at the University of Arizona. Recent solo performances include the evensong series at St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church, and the 2015 summer series at Catalina United Methodist Church in Tucson. During UA’s 2016 spring semester, he served as an assistant conductor with the University Community Chorus.

Two classically trained musicians, both with broad musical interests and a variety of work in many of New York City’s musical circles, Michael Hey and Christiana Liberis embarked on a partnership in 2017 to bring a new and fresh approach to the organ and violin repertoire. They continue to explore and create different styles and genres of music for these two instruments.