As I gaze around outdoors at our house in Surry, I see signs of new life everywhere I look. The two big maple trees in the front yard are all budded up and ready to spring forth their leaves shortly. The Lenten Roses up close to our house have already blossomed, a prelude to all the other flowers that will begin to bloom over the next several weeks and months. All the preparation and effort to prepare for the Easter season are a quickly fading memory and I find myself reinvigorated at the possibilities of what is to come this year.
By the time this Cypher comes out, I expect that the April 28th-29th concert and master class by Maurice Clerc will have occurred. I hope that many of you were able to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to enjoy this event and perhaps hone your skills at the organ a bit, too.
I am equally excited by the NHAGO Annual Meeting to be held on Sunday, May 17th at St John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth. I strongly encourage you to attend the business meeting, starting at 2pm, where you can provide the chapter leadership with your thoughts and ideas about what we can do to support and uplift our members. The concert at 4pm will feature a nationally known artist, Nicole Keller, and promises to be an exemplary performance. We have made reservations at a local restaurant immediately after the concert for anyone who wants to continue to connect with other chapter members. We are hoping that Nicole will join us!
I should also make mention of the upcoming National AGO Convention in St Louis MO from July 6th-10th. It is not too late to register, and will feature dozens of recitals, concerts, workshops and worship services. You can find out more information about the convention here.
Our Orgelkid project is still very active, with very successful demonstrations at St Joseph Regional School in Keene and at the United Church of Christ Convention in Pembroke. Another event is scheduled for July 13-17 at the Nashua Community Music School. If you are interested in helping to coordinate an event in your area, please contact Mary Ann Fleming who will put you in touch with your County Coordinator. There are still plenty of opportunities to host an event, and I can guarantee that your audience will absolutely love the experience!
I sadly need to share with our AGO community the news of our dear friend George Bozeman’s relocation. George will be moving to be with his family in Texas by the time this newsletter comes out. Anyone who knows George knows what an enormous contribution he has given to the organ community in NH. His talent as a technician, performer and storyteller are legendary. We will greatly miss him at the NHAGO but wish him all the best as he retires to a warmer climate. As a final tribute, Susan Ferré interviewed George as part of the Organ Historical Society’s Oral History Project. We will post the link to the interview once it is available. Again, thank you for all you have done for us, George!
Our Program Committee under Bob Bengtson’s leadership has been very hard at work, developing a schedule of events for this coming year. Already in the works are a late summer recital at the Mary Keane Chapel in Enfield, at the site of the Shaker Museum, and another nationally known artist for next year’s annual meeting. More details will be revealed at the Portsmouth event in May.
Finally, I would like to put out a call for anyone interested in joining the Executive Committee. We currently have two positions that will become open shortly – the Treasurer and the Newsletter Editor. If you are interested in either of these roles, please reach out to me or Phil Becker (philip.becker1130@comcast.net). Either one of us can elaborate on what the positions entail and help you determine if you are a good fit.
May your Spring be as energizing and hope-filled as mine, and I hope to see you all at the annual meeting on May 17th.
Jon Farina, Dean
New Hampshire Chapter AGO