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 Formed by two dynamic pianists, Fanya Lin and Daniel Linder, both faculty members at the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music. The Lin-Linder Piano Duo will present works by Chopin, Schubert, and Schoenfeld. This is a free concert; any […]

In the mid to late 1700s, the pipe organ - the instrument Mozart loved so much he named it the "KING OF INSTRUMENTS". By the 1800s there was a great deal of music composed and written for the organ by composers Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Handle, and the list goes on. Today, pipe organs are in use every day throughout the world in churches; theatres (e.g., the FOX Theater in Tucson); museums; schools; some private homes; and in movie studios for movie soundtracks in "Interstellar"; "Phantom of the Opera"; and "Star Wars" to name only a few. There is a tremendous need for new organists now, and into the future to play these fabulous instruments.

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.

The pizza is an added bonus to this exciting, experiential, day with the King of Instruments!

We are looking forward to seeing you on January 25, 2025 at Saint Philip's In the Hills Episcopal Church for the one-of-a-kind experience Pedals, Pipes & Pizza offers.

The images below are of the beautiful Holtkamp Organ Console and one of the pipe chambers at Saint Philip's In The Hills Church participants will be able to see... and PLAY!

Likewise, click on the the flyer and the registration form to download them. Spread the word throughout your churches, choirs, music departments, etc., and let's have the best Pedals, Pipes & Pizza event - ever!

Julia Brown, director of music and organist at First United Methodist Church in Eugene, Oregon, maintains a full schedule of teaching, performing and recording. She 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.

Kimberly Marshall, renowned Professor of Organ, Arizona State University, returns to Tucson to perform in the UA Johnson Series.

In addition to her career as a concert artist, she has held teaching positions at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and Stanford University. She has been a recitalist, workshop leader and adjudicator at nine National Conventions and she served as a project leader for the Göteborg Organ Research Center in Sweden.