Chapter News

Joyce Marie Frederiksen Peabody

January 4, 1945 – January 11, 2020 (age 75)

Joyce Marie Fredericksen Peabody, 75, was born January 4, 1945 in Idaho Falls Idaho.  Her father, Clarence Olaf Frederiksen was killed in World War II.  Her mother Birdie Marie Peabody Fredericksen, then married LeRoy Peabody. LeRoy adopted Joyce a short time later.

Joyce graduated from Madison High School in Rexburg, Idaho.  She also attended Ricks College earning a degree in accounting.  She served a mission in Atlanta, Georgia.

After returning she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and lived there until she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Joyce loved music, genealogy and Hebrew.  She served as organist for the Church of Jesus Christ in almost every ward she lived in.  She also taught organ, piano and Hebrew.

Joyce was a long-time member of the AGO, and a long-time treasurer of the Salt Lake chapter (SLCAGO).

AGO chapters are required to hold periodic elections of its officers and executive committee. This is our year for our bi-annual elections.

Election Volunteers Needed

In order for us to execute these elections as prescribed in our by-laws, we need three (3) volunteers to serve on a Nominating Committee to submit proposed candidates. The required time is minimal, but critical to the integrity of the process.

Please contact Jan Bigler at gmajam@gmail.com or John Rice at john@slcago if you are willing to help us.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  But the festivities have not ended.

I want to take a minute of your time and promote the Salt Lake Chapter’s PIPES AND POTPOURRI event taking place February 11^th, 2020 – the perfect segue between the Christmas/New Year Holidays and Valentine’s Day.  (Sorry, gentlemen, that I brought the subject of Valentine’s Day up a bit early. I am familiar with the sweating spells and  extreme anxiousness that men undergo as that Day approaches – but what a great answer to your question of what to get that special someone for Valentine’s Day – a night out in Ogden at the Salt Lake Chapter’s PIPES AND POTPOURRI event!!!!!!)  This event will feature a night out with Organ Masters Richard Elliott and Mike Ohman and will be held in two locations – the Peery Egyptian Theater in Ogden and the Ogden Tabernacle. You can’t go wrong with taking your sweet someone to this event.  Mike Ohman will be featured on the Peery Egyptian Theater’s Wurlitzer Theater Organ (including a short silent film). We will then reconvene at the Ogden Tabernacle where Richard Elliott will wow and amaze as he always does on the refurbished H. Ronald Poll & Associates Opus 34, (3 Manuals, 51 Ranks).  Ticket prices are $8.00 per person, but members of the Salt Lake Chapter and the Utah County Chapter will be admitted free of charge.  

Please calendar this event and plan on joining us for an exceptional program provided to you in thanks for being a member of the American Guild of Organists and supporting your local Chapter.

Your Dean, John K. Rice. 

And remember:  YOU’RE NOT A PROPER ORGANIST UNTIL your organ shoes look like they’ve been in a tussle with an enthusiastic puppy and lost.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!  As we race into this Christmas and Holiday Season, Let’s take a minute, breathe deep, relax, and make this holiday season one filled with peace and hope.  I asked my grandson what his hope is over this Christmas Holiday.  His hope is that he gets the most awesome drone in the world.  I told him that his hope was great but that over the Christmas Holidays we should consider hoping for things in honor of the Baby Jesus.  He was puzzled, and then said, “I hope my best friend gets the most awesome drone in the world and that he invites me over every day to play with it.”  Clever, but not quite the point.   

As we race through this Christmas and Holiday Season, are we not quite getting the point?  We are reminded that this Holiday Season is a season of “Hope”, that no matter where we find ourselves or what ever may be happening to us, God is with us and guides us.   “Hope” that no matter where our neighbors find themselves or what ever may be happening to them, you are blessed with the hands to help.  “Hope” that wherever desperate families are being separated, or where wars are being waged, or where our world is filled with fear, hate and anger, a calm and gentle voice may be heard, inviting hope, joy, trust and love.  “Hope” that this voice will surround us in all we do and in all that we are and in all that we strive to be, this Christmas Season.   There’s the point.

Happy Holidays!!!!!  

(Want to know what to get your organist this Christmas Season?)  Check it out:  https://www.zazzle.com/store/organs

T. L. Thatcher has built a lovely four-manual Virtual Pipe Organ (VPO) in his home and along the way has ‘collected’ a very nice Allen AGO pedal board that needs a home. It is free. Mr. Thatcher received it free, and so it is willing to part with it for free so that it can find a good home.

If any AGO members that are looking to put together their own home VPO, this would work well for them. Mr. Thatcher comments, “My experience was that finding a decent pedal board was the most difficult part of assembling a VPO.”     

The pedal board is available for pick-up in Orderville, Utah, about 4 hours south from SLC, located just outside Zion National Park on Hwy 89. For details, contact Max Walker at max@slcago.org.

Have you enjoyed your experience this year with SLCAGO? We hope that you have enjoyed recitals, concerts, Pedals, Pipes, & Pizza, and more!

The SLCAGO Board is asking for a couple of volunteers to help us with the chapter work and events. The time commitment is minimal! See below.

Chapter Historian

• Time Commitment: Only about 1 hour per month
• Role Description: The Historian helps us capture the history of the chapter. Examples include short write-ups about events to go into our archives, short write-ups of events to submit to The American Organist (TAO) magazine, event picture gathering, etc.
• Value of Contribution: Your contribution will have a great impact on the chapter in the future. Future Boards will reference your work to learn from past events. Future generations will look back with joy on learning what their forbears did.
• Reports to: Chapter Dean

Membership Committee Member

• Time Commitment: Only about 1 hour per month
• Role Description: Assist Membership Coordinator/Registrar, Holly Brinkle, in reaching out to new members, encouraging event attendees in joining the chapter, assist members in joining or renewing membership online or by mail, help to create member welcome kits, etc.
• Value of Contribution: Membership is the lifeblood of the chapter. With minimal time commitment, you can have a great impact on members of our chapter by helping them remain active in the chapter and encouraging new members.
• Reports to: Holly Brinkle, Membership Coordinator

We hope that you will consider joining other chapter volunteers to support quality events and membership participation.

I am extremely grateful for all those who sacrificed their time and energy to make our Pedals Pipes and Pizza event one of the best ever.   Thank you.  And thanks to all those who brought their piano students, organ students and other young people interested in an organ experience.

I brought three grandchildren.  They said “Thanks Grandpa – for the coolest day ever!”  How about that.  All of us worked hard to pull off a “Coolest Day Ever” event.   I agree with them.  It was the coolest day ever. 

It was cool because:

            My life was enriched by experiencing my grandchildren’s awe, amazement and glee in having a pipe organ encounter.  I watched the members of our chapter throughout the event and I know that all of our lives were enriched, as mine was, in experiencing the young people’s awe, amazement and glee.

It was cool because:

            We could see the ideas germinating in our young people’s minds to learn more about the organ, to play and to advance their skills. 

It was cool because:

            I saw a community of members within our Chapter who really work well together, who are fun to be around, and who are just exemplary human beings. 

It was cool because: 

            We advanced the mission our Chapter to foster a thriving community of musicians who share their knowledge and inspire passion for the organ.  I saw passion in those of you who helped pull off this event as well as passion in the teachers, students and all the young people who attended. 

This is what our Chapter is about.   Thanks to all of you and have a Very Thankful Thanksgiving.  (And may your turkey taste like something other than chicken.) 

In closing, here is a handy excuse for you organists out there:   “Who put the Contra Bombarde toe piston next to the Swell pedal anyway?  Geez!”

We now approach a new holiday season. Halloween is around the corner followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. Thanksgiving is a mere six weeks away – Christmas another four weeks after that. I don’t intend to create any stress or anxiety. Instead I want to issue a challenge to you and your family to fill your coming Holiday Season with worship through music; in particular, organ and choral music. Here are some suggestions: 

1. Our chapter partners with the Eccles Organ Festival to bring professional organ recitals to our community, free of charge. Benjamin Sheen performed this last Sunday. His repertoire was exceptional. Johann Vexo is performing November 10th, 2019, followed by the Brass and Organ Christmas Concert December 15th, 2019. Do plan to attend and bring your family and friends. 

By the way, the Eccles Organ Festival Board of Trustees is beginning the selection of professional organists for the 2020-2021 season. Who would you like to see perform? Now is the time to give us your input. 

2. Mozart’s Requiem will be performed at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Sunday November 3rd, 2019. What a marvelous way to begin the celebration of Thanksgiving. 

3. I’ll bet you did not know that I sing in a choir. (Those that know I sing in a choir wish they didn’t know). It is the SOJO Choral Arts Choir, and Orchestra. Our 2019 Sounds of the Season Concert is December 7th, at Bingham High School. You should attend. It’s a riot. 

I know this is not all the events planned for this season. I personally would like to know what other events, in any denomination, are planned, particularly if they involve a member of our Salt Lake Chapter. Let’s share the information we have and make this a wonderful, worshipful, pleasant and stress free holiday season, together. 

John K. Rice, Your Dean. (I had no idea this magazine and website existed: theladyorganist.com. Who knew?)