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Volume 1, Number 5 - - April 2003

Wanted: Host chapter for 2007 Region VIII Convention

HELP WANTED: Region VIII is searching for chapter to host our 2007 Region VIII Convention. Any takers? Chapters who have hosted a regional report a resurgence of member activity and increased chapter vitality. Plus, the host chapter realizes a huge financial profit as a bonus! There has never, ever been a chapter that later regretted the experience!

Since Yellowstone Chapter, hosting 2005, is in the East, the next convention should by rights go to a more Westerly chapter. What do you say Les Bois? Seattle? Tacoma? Portland? Any one else?

Deadline for 2007 Regional Convention bids: 1/1/04 Best bid wins!

Who can bid to host? It doesn't have to be a big chapter such as Seattle or Portland. On the contrary, smaller chapters, some with as few as 20 active members, have successfully produced Regional Conventions.

How to get started? Have a chapter "brainstorming" session at a coming meeting. I have a questionnaire that may help trigger the thought process. Decide what the level of interest may be! Write to me privately and I will send you an e-copy.

Where can we get help? The procedure available from CORC (Committee On Regional Conventions) includes a comprehensive time line of responsibilities and tasks. Please request this free resource ASAP from National Headquarters. The entire Guild will help you put this event on!

Salt Lake City Convention News:

jones organ

Jones Organ at Madeleine Cathedral to be featured -->

Folks might be asking, "why did the Mormon Church create the new Conference Center?" Janet Griffin writes:

The new LDS Conference Center came about because the Salt Lake Tabernacle could no longer accommodate attendance at the Church's semi-annual General Conferences and other activities that are held on Temple Square. The 1.4 million square foot Conference Center was completed in April 2000 and boasts an auditorium with 22,000 seats. The building also includes a separate theater in the building that seats an additional 850. This theatre will be used for some of our workshops.  It is believed to be the world's largest theater-type building, and is certainly the biggest that also houses a pipe organ. The space in the front of the auditorium can be reconfigured via a system of air casters to accommodate an orchestra, the Tabernacle choir, and a variety of other needs. Be sure to visit the "meadow" on the roof. 

The new organ was built by Schoenstein Pipe Organ Builders. It has 5 manuals and 130 ranks. It is a unique organ in many ways. It is not as big as the Tabernacle organ but everything is designed to have a BIG sound.  We will have a recital on this organ at 2:00 P.M. each day of the convention. We will also have a workshop where Jack Bethards of the Schoenstein Company in San Francisco will discuss the organ. On the last night of the Convention, Todd Wilson will perform the Jongen Symphonie Concertante with the Orchestra at Temple Square. The Tabernacle Choir will also perform. Part of their program will be the Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein.

Visit the Convention Web Site: www.SLCAGO.ORG

Coming AGO Conventions -- a special 4-year outlook

One of the great benefits of AGO membership is attending the magnificent (and they DO keep getting better) conventions, both regional and national. Our own Region VIII has a great attendance record at regionals. Regional attendance at conventions equivalent of up to 20% of our total membership! Newsletter folk: Make sure your people know of these opportunities:
Regional Conventions, odd-number years
National Conventions, even-number years

Chapters, please make sure your District Convener receives your newsletter: 

Alaska District
  Alice Branton   trb@alaska.net
    P.O. Box 875712, Wasilla, AK 99687-5712
    907-376-4701 (H) 

      Anchorage Chapter (801)
Idaho District 
  Evelyn Cates     sebastian3100545@aol.com
    7728 West Paloma St.
    Boise, ID 83704-0701
    208-375-5330 (W)  208-376-9336 (H)

      Eastern Idaho (818)
      Les Bois (802) 
Montana District
  Arle Lohof, SPC, CAGO   alohof@mcn.net
  3005 Lohof Drive
  Billings MT  59102
   Phone:  406 245 4560 (h)

    Great Falls (817)
    Missoula (803)
    Yellowstone (804)
Oregon District
  Betty Jean Bartholomew   bjbmusic@aol.com
  1010 East 20th Avenue
  Eugene, Oregon  97405
  541-345-9014 (h)  541-686-8462 (w)

    Eugene (805)
    Portland (806)
    Salem (807)
    Southern Oregon (808)
Washington District
  Jerry Kaminski   jerrykaminski@nwinfo.net
  5065 Pear Butte Drive
  Yakima, WA, 98901
  Phone:  509 248 3755h 

    Columbia Basin (809) 
    Greater Wenatchee (810) 
    Olympia (819) 
    Olympic Peninsula (820) 
    Pullman-Moscow (811) 
    Seattle (812) 
    Spokane (813) 
    Tacoma (814)  
    Yakima Valley (816)
If you misplace this list, you can always re-visit at: www.agohq.org/regional/reg8.html

ALL Chapters: Place your local District Convener on your mailing list! Thank you!

Region VIII Member merits CAGO

Christopher M. Wicks, of Silverton, Oregon, is our newest Region VIII member to be recognized by the Guild as a Colleague of the American Guild of Organists (CAGO). Christopher is a member of the Portland Chapter (806).

Around the Region . . .

(the part of the newsletter where YOU are the news!)

[Apologies: If any chapter sent in a report by e-mail, it was probably lost in a recent crash and disintegration of my "IN-BOX" with all of it's 900 messages. I guess it was a case of "indigestion." If I missed something, please send me the news again. ]

April checklist in your Chapter

  1. The final ballot for Chapter Elections may be prepared and the election proceed. (to be concluded by May 31)
  2. Additional nominations to chapter election slate may be made by written petition signed by at least 5 voting members and sent to the Chatper Secretary within 30 days of the announcement of the nominating committee's slate.
  3. April 1: Dues collection for next membership year (July 1 through June 30 may begin.
  4. April 10: Dues postmarked after this date accepted for new year only.
  5. Deadline for RCYO to deliver complete winner information to the Regional Councillor.
  6. April 30: Service Playing Tests must be completed.

May checklist in your Chapter

  1. May 31: Chapter elections must be completed.
  2. Chapter RCYO coordinators may wish to verity that winners have received regional competition materials from the Regional Competition Coordinator.

Region VIII Youth Competition Results

James Barrett, Regional RCYO coordinator, reports, that from our five Region VIII chapter competition sites, three successful candidates will go on to the Regional Competition in Salt Lake City. Cheers to Region VIII! More later.

Previous months' newsletters archive -- a change!

keys

Sincerely, Walter Krueger, Region VIII Councillor

DO NOT READ THIS: A father had been teaching his three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. The father listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer: "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some E-mail. Amen."
Pipe up with your thoughts.

The "wise gargoyle" me fecit, mmiii.