From the Dean

	Keith S. Tóth, Dean

Dear Colleagues,

On Monday, March 31, the chapter presented Dr. William Porter in an improvisation symposium at The Brick Church. A sizeable audience was on hand to hear Dr. Porter discuss improvisation using the Modes of Limited Transposition. The symposium ended with a joint recital by Dr. Porter and chapter member John Cantrell masterfully improvising on themes submitted by the audience. Many thanks to John Cantrell for performing and to Sub-Dean David Enlow and his program committee for creating this most worthy event.

Chapter Secretary Sebastian M. Glück and Auditors Dr. Neal Campbell and Steven E. Lawson have tallied the electronic and paper ballot votes from our chapter election which concluded on April 4. The results of the election appear further on in this newsletter. I extend my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the new officers and board members. The current board and officers will stay in office through June 30. I look forward to the inspired leadership that this most capable assemblage of new officers and board members will bring to the life of the chapter.

The closing event of our 2013-14 season will be a purely social event. On Monday, May 12, at 7 PM we will host a dinner to honor two distinguished members of the New York City Chapter, Nancianne Parrella and James Litton. This dinner will take place in the resplendent surrounding of Wallace Hall at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on Park Avenue. Further information on this festive evening may be found later in this newsletter.

The beginning of April is a busy time for those involved in sacred music. On behalf of the board, I extend our best wishes to all for wonderful music-making and for a celebratory and relaxing period after this intense period has been completed.

Respectfully yours,

Keith S. Tóth
Dean

Next Chapter Event
MONDAY • 12 MAY 2014

Dinner Honoring Nancianne Parrella and James Litton

Wallace Hall, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola
980 Park Avenue at 84th Street
Host: K. Scott Warren

A catered chapter dinner in honor of Nancianne Parrella and James Litton, longtime chapter members, supporters, and general fixtures of the church music and organ scene in New York.

Tickets: $60 per person. Click here to buy online.

Or you may send your check to: David Enlow, 119 East 74th Street, New York, NY 10021

7.00 pm – Wine Bar opens

7.30 pm – Dinner

Grilled Boneless Breast of Chicken, Citrus-Dijon
Seared Salmon Filet, Roasted Tomato-Basil Salsa
Italian Couscous Salad with Artichoke Hearts, Olives, Peppers & Herbs
Grilled Asparagus
Baby Kale Salad with Parmesan Curls
Festive Bread Basket
Cake

We are pleased to announce two beneficiaries for any donations

in excess of the cost of the chapter dinner May 12th:

The American Boychoir School

which welcomes many boys to a life of music and learning with need-based scholarships

and

The Joachim Parrella Memorial Organ Fund

which supports special maintenance of the organ at St Ignatius Loyola,
where the late Mr. Parrella was much involved.

Each will each receive a donation in honor of our two dinner guests in equal part.

If you are unable to attend, you may make a donation of any size. You may click here to purchase your ticket and make a donation if you wish.

Chapter Election Results

Dean
*David Enlow 152 votes
Kyler Brown 60 votes

Sub-Dean
*James Kennerley 115
Christopher Jennings 92

Secretary
*Sebastian M. Glück 203

Treasurer
*Christopher Babcock 203

Registrar
*Larry Long 198

Auditors
*Steven Lawson 195
*Neal Campbell 190

Board Members Class of 2018 (highest six to be elected)
*David Hurd 178
*Claudia Dumschat 167
*Mark Pacoe 148
*James Wetzel 148
*Daniel Beckwith 140
*Chelsea Chen 138
Cynthia Weinrich 109
Janet Yieh 91
George Davey 67

*elected

Our great thanks to all who agreed to serve, and congratulations and best wishes to those elected to lead our chapter in the next term.

Gala Recital Honoring Charles Callahan

Charles Callahan

From our colleague Tony Thurman, Director of Development and Communications, American Guild of Organists:

The American Guild of Organists will sponsor a Recital and Gala Benefit Reception honoring award-winning organist and composer Charles Callahan on Friday, April 25, 2014, at 7:00 p.m., at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis in St. Louis, Mo.

Dr. Callahan will perform a recital featuring music by American composers, including Dudley Buck, Clarence Eddy, Arthur Foote, John Knowles Paine, and Horatio Parker, as well as some of his own compositions. The Gala Benefit Reception will follow at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

Attend the Gala
The Recital is Free and open to the public. Tickets for the Gala Benefit Reception are $125 ($100 tax deductible) and can be purchased online or by calling 212-870-2311, ext. 4308. Gala ticket holders are also eligabile for a discounted rate at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel. E-mail gala@agohq.org for details. Availability is limited.

Support the Gala from a Distance
Those unable to attend the Recital and Gala Benefit Reception can make a contribution to the AGO Endowment Fund in honor of Charles Callahan online or by sending a check to AGO Endowment Fund, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, NY 10115.

We hope you will join us as we honor an American treasure, Charles Callahan. All proceeds from the Gala will honor Dr. Callahan in perpetuity through the AGO Endowment Fund.

National Election

A message on the national vote from James Thomashower, Executive Director

Please encourage your chapter newsletter editors and webmasters to include the following link to the AGO election website in their communications with members for the balance of the month:

https://www.intelliscaninc.net/ago/2014

Voting members will only need to record their AGO Member ID number and their last name as printed on their TAO label in order to cast their ballot on line or by using the ballot enclosed in the April issue of TAO.

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,

James

James E. Thomashower
Executive Director
American Guild of Organists
475 Riverside Dr., Ste. 1260
New York, NY 10115

Tel. 212-870-2310
jet@agohq.org

Member From the Past

	William Whitehead

Several chapter members correctly identified William Whitehead (1938-2000) in last month's issue. By my count, in order of receipt: David Higgs, Kathleen Healy-Wedsworth, Frank Crosio, Eric Birk, Stephen Danziger, John Klauder, Fred Swann, Cherry Rhodes, Robert Vogel, Ken Starr, Chris Babcock, B-P Thomas, John Cleaveland, Roy Henderson, Danny Beckwith, and Donald McDonald!

Whitehead was the Director of Music and Organist of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church from 1973-1990. Prior to that he served at First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, Pa., where he was also organist of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.

He attended Baylor University and was a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, the Curtis Institute of Music, and Columbia University. In 1962 he was the first organist to win the annual Young Artist Award of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which included a performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Eugene Ormandy.

At various times he was on the faculty of the Guilmant Organ School, Mannes College of Music, and Westminster Choir College, and he toured under the auspices of the Lillian Murtagh management, now Karen McFarlane Artists. He was formerly the dean of the Lehigh Valley chapter of the AGO, and was later elected to the Guild's national council. He was also a founder of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians.

After leaving New York he served at Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and at the time of his death he was Minister of Music at Second Congregational Church in Greenwich, having served as guest organist at several Connecticut churches since 1995.

Can You Identify This Member From the Past?

. . . now deceased?