February 17, 2009

  • Professional Development

    I am impressed by how much time the teachers of our schools are spending on professional development. It is a great encouragement for people like me, who play for the sunday worship services. Especially when there is a great opportunity for Professional Development coming up this Saturday!

    First some pictures of our last year's event.

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    This year we will have JONATHAN OLDENGARM with us.

    The workshop will be on two themes:

    • “Practising Pleasure, making keyboard rehearsal time efficient and enjoyable” and
    • “How Firm a Foundation, providing inspiring solo, instrumental and choral accompaniments at the organ”.

    In “Practising Pleasure”, Jonathan will demonstrate some techniques using two works: Elegiac Prelude from Gerald Bales' Two Pieces for Organ, and the 'little' Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 549 by J. S. Bach (I suggest that if you have these works you bring the scores to follow along).  

    He would also appreciate a few volunteers, who would play works they are in the process of learning (no sightreading please, but perfection isn’t required either!).  Could anyone interested please rsvp to me (Rachel) with what you would like to play?  Thanks!

    In “How firm a Foundation”, Jonathan will use the following anthems to demonstrate inspiring accompaniments at the organ:

    • Extracts from Handel’s Messiah (do bring your copy if you have one, but I will have enough for everyone to follow along)
    • An SATB and organ anthem by Denis Bedard
    • Something from the old Oxford Anthems for Choirs book

    This Saturday, February 21, 9:15 am – 11:15 am, in the organ loft
    Entry free for RCCO members, $5 for the general public
    Holy Rosary Cathedral, Dunsmuir & Richards, Vancouver, BC

    And don't forget the Friday concert:

    Friday Feb 20 2009, at 8PM - admission by donation

    Holy Rosary Cathedral and the Royal Canadian College of Organists present Montreal-based organist Jonathan Oldengarm in an programme of works ranging from Vivaldi-Bach to the French and German Romantic periods.  This performance will be projected on a giant screen at the front of the Cathedral.

    Programme:

    Felix Mendelssohn: Sonata no. 3 in A major, Op.65
    Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Valse mignonne, Op. 142 no. 2
    Franz Liszt: Variations on “Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen“
    Antonio Vivaldi - Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto in D minor, BWV 596
    César Franck: Fantaisie en Do majeur
    Otto Dienel: Concert-Satz, Op. 10.