Twin Cities American Guild of Organists (TCAGO) 2022 Winter Workshop
Important Update: TCAGO Winter Workshop Postponed
Updated January 11, 2022
Health and safety remain our top priorities. Therefore, due to rising positive cases of COVID-19, (including Omicron and Delta variants) we have decided to POSTPONE the upcoming TCAGO Winter Workshop, previously scheduled for January 22, 2022.
We are working with the presenters, and Central Lutheran Church to determine the most effective, safe and practical way to reschedule this event at a future date.
We do apologize and hope you all remain safe and healthy.
TCAGO Program Committee
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Mark your calendars for the TCAGO Winter Workshop on Saturday, January 22, 2022 from 9:00am – 3:00pm at Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis.
Central Lutheran Church
333 South 12th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404
https://www.centralmpls.org/
Located at the corner of 12th Street and Third Avenue in downtown Minneapolis (immediately east of the Minneapolis Convention Center).
Schedule At a Glance
9:00am Registration Check-in and Hospitality
9:30am Mindful Self-Coaching for Musicians
10:30am BREAK
10:45am Technology & Recording Presentation
11:45am LUNCH ($15 per person)
12:30pm Children’s Choir Presentation
1:30pm BREAK
1:45pm Hymn Leadership
2:45pm Wrap-up and EVENT END
Registration Information
Please register online at TCAGO.org (or contact Jeremy.Haug@mountcalvary.org) by January 15, 2022. (choose one)
- TCAGO Member (free)
- TCAGO Non-Member ($30)
Lunch
Lunch will be catered onsite for a fee of $15 per person. Please enter any dietary concerns during registration.
Parking
Parking will be included with your event registration at no additional cost. We encourage you to carpool if possible, since there will be a large event across the street at the Convention Center. Follow these instructions to ensure you are parked in the correct location:
● Enter the surface lot from one of the 3 locations shown in the graphic. All of Central’s entrances go onto the surface lot; if you go directly into the garage, that is the wrong entrance.
● Drive through the surface lot and enter the parking garage as shown in the graphic.
● Park in one of the spaces designated “Central Lutheran Church parking only.” These spaces will be coned off; move the cone to the end of the space, and park.
● Bring your ticket inside and get it validated at the front desk.
COVID-19 Safety Protocol and Precautions
Proof of Vaccination
Health and safety are our top priorities. In light of the highly transmissible Delta variant and increasing cases in Minnesota, the TCAGO will follow best practices from the Arts Partnership (Minnesota Opera, the Ordway, the SPCO and Schubert Club) which requires proof of either full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to attending this workshop.
Mask Requirement
Masks will be required except when eating or drinking. This follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that everyone should wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status.
SESSION DETAILS:
Mindful Self-Coaching for Musicians (led by Vanessa Cornett)
Vanessa Cornett is Director of Keyboard Studies and Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of St. Thomas. Professional musicians have much in common with professional athletes. Both require years of training, precise physical technique, and the ability to navigate the demands of regular live performances. We also rely on highly developed mental skills and self-regulation techniques, cultivated either consciously or unconsciously. Organists rarely enjoy the luxury of a personal coach or performance psychologist to help them prepare for musical events, but we can learn to cultivate effective skills of self-coaching to mitigate stress, manage performance anxiety, and support peak performance experiences. Purchase her book [The Mindful Musician: Mental Skills for Peak Performance] on Amazon.
Technology & Recording Presentation
Jeffrey O’Donnell and Becca Beam will present a dual-focus workshop on personal recording skills and streaming considerations for individuals and church communities. Focus will be on the organist and what organists can do to influence and support their church, including best practices and equipment when recording yourself, recommendations for basic audio editing; and considerations about live-streaming. Jeffrey O'Donnell is the Director of Broadcast/Media Services at St. Olaf College and Executive Producer of the college’s sacred music radio program, Sing For Joy. His work as a mastering engineer has been praised in magazines such as Gramophone, International Record Review, and Audiophile. In 2013 he ventured to Norway with the St. Olaf Choir to serve as audio producer for a Christmas program to be aired on PBS stations nationwide and was awarded a 2013 Upper Midwest Regional Emmy® for his work. Becca Beam is the Assistant Director of Production for Broadcast/Media Services at St. Olaf College, where she focuses on live video directing, audio recording and mastering, and serves as audio engineer and editor of the Sing For Joy radio program. Becca has also worked on video streaming projects for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, Cantus, and the Schubert Club. She graduated from St. Olaf College in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art. When not spending her evenings recording concerts, Becca enjoys organizing her extensive book collection, knitting, and catching up on the latest BBC period dramas.
Children’s Choir Presentation
Linda Armstrong is a graduate of Augsburg University and has served churches in the Twin Cities area for over 40 years as organist and choir director. She is currently Director of Music Ministry at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN. Linda also spent 22 years as a choral music educator at the middle level in the Edina and Hopkins Public School Districts. She spent 11 years as a soprano in the National Lutheran Choir as well. Linda and her husband, Ron, have 6 children and 11 grandchildren. Chris Cherwien has been a church musician for over 38 years serving congregations in Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia. In all three cities Chris founded/co-founded summer music and arts camps for children and youth. She is currently the Director of Worship and Music at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has been the alto section leader for the National Lutheran Choir since 2012. Chris, and her husband Paul, have three grown children and four grandchildren.
Hymn Leadership
David Cherwien will present a workshop on creative hymn leadership including improvisation, and published works. David Cherwien, Artistic Director of the National Lutheran Choir, is a nationally known conductor, composer, and organist. Recognized for his contributions to the field of church music and liturgy, he is in demand as a clinician and hymn festival leader across the country. David serves as Cantor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, a parish known for its passion for traditional liturgy and creative, high-quality music. He also serves as editor of the National Lutheran Choir Series of choral music published by Morningstar Music Publishers. David is a founding member of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians and has served in its leadership in a variety of capacities, including as National President. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists, Chorus America, and Choristers Guild. David Cherwien is a prolific composer with over 150 publications with several publishers and is the 2007 winner of the Raabe Prize for Excellence in Sacred Composition for his piece, "The Souls of the Righteous."
About the Twin Cities American Guild of Organists (TCAGO)
The American Guild of Organists is an educational and service organization with a mission to advance the cause of organ and choral music, to elevate the status of church musicians, and to maintain standards of artistic excellence among organists and choral conductors. The Twin Cities Chapter is composed of over 330 church organists, choir directors, teachers, students, and organ builders in the metropolitan area. Hosting regional and national conventions, it is nationally renowned for leadership in worship with its wealth of fine musicians and superb instruments. For more information about similar events, please visit TCAGO.org. Membership in the TCAGO is open to all those interested in the organ. Enjoy organ music in its infinite variety each week with PIPEDREAMS from American Public Media, heard Sunday mornings from 6 to 8 a.m. on Classical Minnesota Public Radio stations [KSJN-99.5FM in the Twin Cities] and also available on the Internet at any time (24/7) at www.pipedreams.org
Year of the Young Organist
The AGO is committed to membership recruitment, retention, and growth within our organization. During the Year of the Young Organist, July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022, any individual under the age of 30 can become a member or renew their membership for free as part of this program. The Year of the Young Organist will provide opportunities for both personal and professional development. Programs will include master classes and webinars on a wide variety of topics including:
● Organ Maintenance
● Insurance
● Retirement and Healthcare
● Conducting
● Video Recording
● Vocal Pedagogy
For more information; visit https://www.yearoftheyoungorganist.com/
Photographs courtesy of artists, thescentedhound.com and kodet.com
