Grace Episcopal Church in Port Jervis, NY is in need of an organist to play its weekly 10:15 a.m. worship in addition to Holy Week and Christmas Eve services. There is no choir. Stipend is $125 per service, somewhat negotiable. Contact Father David Lee Carlson at 845-856-3026 or atgracepj@frontiernet.net for more information or to apply.
Author: Raphael
Job Opportunity: Church of the Immaculate Conception, Port Jervis
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Port Jervis, New York is seeking an Organist/Cantor/Choir Director to provide music at all required Masses, special observances including Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, Confirmation, First Communion and other services as indicated (Holy Days of Obligation). Right of first refusal for funerals and weddings.
Regular services include one Saturday evening Mass and two Sunday morning Masses. Volunteer adult and youth choirs rehearse weekly September to June. The Candidate must be able to work well with staff and the two choirs. Knowledge of Catholic Liturgy preferred as well as familiarity of all common traditional hymn styles and chant. The salary will be based on experience and the church budget. There is a 3 Manual Pipe Organ that is in excellent condition.
If interested, please send a cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references to:
Reverend Father Matthew C. Newcomb
P.O. Box 712
Port Jervis, New York 12771
Fax: 845-858-8375
Job Opportunity: Divine Redeemer Church, Mount Carmel
Divine Redeemer Church in Mount Carmel is looking for a Choir Director/Organist. A job description is included below. For more information, please contact the parish office at 570-339-3450.
Choir Director/ Organist
A gross payment of $100.00 per choir Mass and $100.00 per choir rehearsal will be paid twice a month. The net payment will be minus taxes. Payment for up to thirteen additional choir rehearsals will be $70.00 each. Payment for non-choir Masses, when solicited, will be $70.00 each. Contract will allow for two unpaid vacation weeks, if needed. Emergency cancellations for any contractual responsibilities will be considered, but not compensated.
Contractual Responsibilities
- One Mass per weekend x 50 weeks
- One rehearsal per week x 50 weeks
- Special liturgies as defined below
Goals
- To develop, grow and sustain a volunteer choir to complement the Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass and Holy Days.
- To engage the parishioners in prayerful song while supporting the gospel message of the Parish Pastor.
Duties
- To work under the spiritual direction of the Pastor to design and provide thoughtful musical choices to coincide with the weekly readings and liturgical calendar.
- Be mindful of the music budget and stay within those parameters as set by the Liturgy Committee to acquire sheet music and other instruments; to upkeep equipment and instruments; and to contract musical support.
- Be willing to work with lay personnel on a variety of special projects.
Weekday Evening
- Hold weekly practice(s).
- Be at the parish no less than twenty minutes prior to rehearsal, organized and prepared to start practice on time.
Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass
- Be at the parish prepared to lead the choir 30 minutes before Mass.
- Accompany and direct the weekly volunteer choir, cantors, and occasional auxiliary musicians.
Direct Special Liturgies
- Holy Day Vigils: Mary, Mother of God, Ash Wednesday, Ascension Thursday, Assumption, All Saints, Immaculate Conception
- Commissioned secular day(s), i.e. Thanksgiving.
- Easter Triduum: Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday Service, and Easter Masses (2)
- Christmas Masses (2)
- Extra Weekday/Weekend Masses, as needed, i.e. Forty Hours. (When liturgies fall outside of the regular church calendar, the director will be given two weeks prior notice to arrange his schedule.)
Lessons and Carols around the Pennsylvania Northeast
The Choir of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre will present its annual Festival Service of Lessons and Carols for Advent, led by Canon Mark Laubach, Organist and Choirmaster, and guest conductor Dr. Rick Hoffenberg on Wednesday, December 16 at 6:00 p.m. The service, St. Stephen’s annual Advent and Christmas gift to the community and region, will feature traditional hymns and carols sung by all, as well as choral and organ selections for the season. A free-will offering will be accepted. Gifts of non-perishable food, clothing, and other necessities will be received for the Food Pantry and the Clothes Closet at St. Stephen’s. A festive reception will follow the service. The public is warmly welcome to attend.
The Shickshinny Area Community Choir and the Chancel Choir of First Reformed United Church of Christ, Berwick will sing a service of Lessons and Carols at First United Methodist Church, 6 E Butler St, Shickshinny, on Sunday, December 20 at 6:00 p.m. A Christmas organ prelude by chapter member Marilou Hinchcliff will precede the service at 5:30 p.m. and a reception will follow. Music for the service will be Joseph Martin’s cantata, “Appalachian Winter”.
Advent Lessons and Carols at St. Stanislaus Cathedral
On Sunday, 6 December 2015 at 3:00 PM, the Cathedral Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Peter V. Picerno, will present a Festival of Lessons and Carols for Advent. Scripture, solos, hymns, and anthems will mark the liturgical season of Advent in preparation for Christmas. There is ample parking surrounding St Stanislaus Cathedral which is located at 529 East Locust St. in Scranton. The Festival is open to the public regardless of church affiliation.
Job Opportunity: St. John’s Lutheran Church, Nanticoke
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Nanticoke, is looking to hire an organist. Sunday services are at 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and coffee and pastries are available between the services. It is preferred that the organist be available to play the 11:15 a.m. service at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Pond Hill (St. John’s partner parish) as well. St. John’s features a Rodgers electronic organ and St. Mark’s features an Allen electronic organ. Service music and hymns are chosen by Worship and Music Committee. The organist is encouraged, but not required, to participate on the Committee. St. John’s is a welcoming and friendly community of believers. A competitive salary is offered. St. John’s will be happy to meet with candidate and answer any questions. For information or to apply, please contact the Pastor, Rev. Debra North at 570-735-1760 or email debn615@yahoo.com.
Organ Recital at SS. Peter and Paul Church, Plains
An organ recital will be held at SS. Peter and Paul Church, Hudson Road, Plains, on Sunday, November 1, 2015 at 4:00 PM.
Sandor Kádár, principal organist at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Newtown, Pennsylvania, will play the recently acquired Rodgers Infinity 361 Organ which was used at the Mass on the Parkway in Philadelphia for Pope Francis’ visit on September 27.
Mr. Kádár will present a program that will include a variety of music that will show the many colors and capabilities of the Rodgers Organ and will feature music that was presented at the Papal event. Sándor was the only candidate to be awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the American Guild of Organists for 2015.
The recital is open to the public. There is no admission fee; however, a free will offering will be taken up.
Christopher Johnson to Perform in East Stroudsburg
Upcoming Organ Concerts at Marble Collegiate Church, New York City
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015, 7:30PM
INAUGURAL RECITAL BY KEN COWAN
Ken Cowan, one of North America’s finest concert organists, presents the new 101 rank Glück, opus 20 pipe organ in concert for the very first time. Praised by audiences and critics alike for his dazzling artistry, impeccable technique and imaginative programming, he maintains a rigorous performing schedule which takes him to major concert venues in America, Canada, Europe, and Asia. www.OrganistKenCowan.com
“… one of the most outstanding young organists on the scene today. His unassuming manner and his sure and relaxed technique hide a fiery yet totally musical approach to organ playing.” – The Diapason
Tickets: $20 general admission; $15 for students/seniors
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016, 7:30PM
RICHARD ELLIOTT IN CONCERT
Richard Elliott is Principal Organist of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City, where he participates in the daily recital series on the 206-rank Æolian-Skinner organ and accompanies the choir on its weekly radio and TV broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word. Elliott has performed in many of the world’s great halls and appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including the NBC Today Show, the CBS Morning Show, CBS Sunday Morning, and A Prairie Home Companion. http://www.MormonTabernacleChoir.org.
Tickets: $20 general admission; $15 for students/seniors
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016, 7:30PM
DIANE BISH IN CONCERT
Diane Bish is one of the most visible and influential classical organists performing today. Concert and recording artist, composer, conductor, and international television personality, Diane Bish displays her dazzling virtuosity and unique showmanship the world over to international acclaim. Her acclaimed international television series, The Joy of Music, has served since 1982 to broaden appreciation for “the king of instruments.” The Joy of Music combines exhilarating organ and ensemble performances with an informative, inspirational narrative and exciting world travel. www.TheJoyofMusic.org.
Tickets: $25 general admission; $20 for students/seniors
For more information, visit www.marblechurch.org.
We’re giving away organ music!
Are you looking for some new organ repertoire? Would you like to browse through boxes of organ and choral music and take what you like for free? Do you have repertoire to share, perhaps a set of anthems your choir no longer sings or a book of organ voluntaries that are not applicable to your current situation and want to find it a new home?
Join members of the Pennsylvania Northeast AGO chapter for a Music Swap at Church of Christ Uniting, 190 South Sprague Avenue in Kingston, on Sunday, October 11, 2015 between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Please spread the word and invite organists, piano teachers, choir directors, etc.
Chapter Members and friends are invited to dinner at a local restaurant after the Music Swap. Please RSVP by October 4. Call Raphael Micca, Dean, at 570-301-9253 or email dean@agopane.org.
Join us for Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza in Scranton!
The pipe organ has been called the “King of Instruments.” The sounds of the pipe organ have inspired worshippers for centuries. Great composers have written countless works for the instrument. Pipe organs have been installed in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and theaters. The American Guild of Organists is passionate about the pipe organ and we want to share our love with a new generation.
Join us on Sunday, November 8 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton from 2:00 – 4:00 PM for Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza. Participants will receive a behind the scenes tour of the instrument in addition to a chance to play it themselves (and eat some pizza!). All are welcome to attend. Students currently studying the piano are encouraged to bring a piece to play on the organ
TO REGISTER FOR PEDALS, PIPES, AND PIZZA, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Concert celebrates thirty years of an organ’s life
Thirty years ago, in September 1985, an organ built by the Austin Organ Company of Hartford, CT, was installed in the choir gallery of St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton. For the past three decades the organ has sounded forth under the hands and feet of several organists almost daily leading the congregation in song, accompanying the choir, providing music for weddings, funerals, and the various services held at the Cathedral. Despite its faithful service to the church, this instrument has almost never been heard in concert. Considering that with its three manuals (keyboards), pedals, and forty-four stops it ranks as one of the larger organs in the city, the organ has had the status of a well-kept secret.
On Sunday, 13 September, 2015, at 4:00 PM the organ will be heard in concert as the cathedral’s Director of Music and Organist, Peter V. Picerno, presents a recital to commemorate the organ’s thirtieth birthday. Music by J. S. Bach, John Rutter, Leo Sowerby, Maurice Duruflé, Louis Vierne, and others will provide a tour of the organ’s tonal resources as well as present music not usually heard in the context of church services.
Dr. Picerno, who began his work at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in January, holds degrees in organ performance and musicology from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, the University of Oregon, and the University of Kansas. He also spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar pursuing studies in Italy. Before moving to Scranton, he served churches in Ohio, Oregon, Kansas, Tennessee, and Florida. He has performed organ recitals throughout the USA and has performed at regional and national gatherings of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society.
The concert is free and open to the public. Ample free parking is available surrounding the Cathedral which is located at 529 East Locust Street.
Summer Planning Meeting
Job Opportunity: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA), Mechanicsburg, is in need of part-time minister of music. Duties include organ accompaniment at all services, maintenance of music library, direction of vocal and bell choirs. Salary commensurate with experience. Position starts July 1st. Send resumes to trinitymburgoffice@gmail.com.
From Leipzig to Lübeck: Works of Bach and Buxtehude
Sarah Davies, organist, and Elise Quagliata, mezzo-soprano, along with Thomas Heinze, oboe, will present “From Leipzig to Lübeck: Works of Bach and Buxtehude” at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton on Sunday, February 15 at 2:00 p.m. Please spread the word!
A little about the artists…
SARAH DAVIES, Organist and Musicologist, earned her Ph.D. from New York University with a dissertation on Swiss and German Renaissance tablatures for lute and organ. Over the past dozen years, she has given papers at more than twenty music and interdisciplinary conferences in the U.S. and Europe, and in March will present her work on early organ sermons for the international Renaissance Society conference in Berlin. Before returning to academe, the artist was an agent, manager and publicist in the New York music business, finishing her career at ICM Artists. As a performer, she has been heard in recital on historic and historically-based Swiss, German, Dutch, French and American instruments. Recently, she performed on the oldest organ built in America (David Tannenberg, 1770), and this past summer, was invited to perform late medieval and early Renaissance repertoire on the oldest organ in the world (c.1400) in Sion, Switzerland. This is her second appearance in recital with her daughter Elise Quagliata on the Sacred Concert Series of St. Peter’s Cathedral.
ELISE QUAGLIATA, Mezzo-Soprano, was recently cited by Opera News for her “passionate interpretation,” “impressive dynamic range” and “exceptional technical finesse” as the nun Helen Prejean in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (September 2014). Opera Today described her as the “most powerful Helen yet” (July 2014). In a wide range of repertoire, from Carmen to contemporary opera and from Bach to art song to cabaret, Ms. Quagliata’s “rich, expressive voice and passionate delivery” (The New York Times) has made her a favorite with audiences across the country. The artist recently returned from singing Handel’s Messiah with the Jacksonville Symphony, and will return there in March for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. Ms. Quagliata is known in the area from her sold-out performances the last three seasons on the summer Beacon Hill Concert Series, and her previous appearance in Bach and early Baroque repertoire on the Sacred Concert Series of St. Peter’s Cathedral in January of 2013.
THOMAS HEINZE, Oboe, is a well-known classical and jazz performer and recording artist in our area and in New York. For the past 23 years, he has been the Principal Oboe and Soloist of the Scranton-based “Bach Festival of Northeast Pennsylvania” with the Arcadia Chorale (formerly the Robert Dale Chorale), and its Director of Chamber Music since 2009. For twenty years, until 1985, Heinze served as Principal Oboe of the Allentown Symphony, and was also Principal Oboe of the Allentown Band from 1964-2004. He is a Founding Member and Soloist of the Great Valley Chamber Music Society, organized in 2001. As an oboe and saxophone teacher, now retired, the artist still maintains active teaching studios at Marywood University, Wyoming Seminary and Wilkes University, where he is also the curator of the extensive Heinze Family Jazz Library.
Pennsylvania Northeast Chapter 