September 2023

Dear Baltimore AGO members,

It is hard to believe that the unofficial end of summer is here, schools are reopening, and the Fall program season is starting. I hope that you had the chance to recharge, refresh, and reinvigorate yourself so that you may offer your best in the coming season.

The Baltimore AGO Program Committee and Executive Committee have worked to provide programs for the coming year which will educate and inspire us, coupled with many opportunities for fellowship with one another. Many of us work in situations where we are the only one who does what we do. It is easy to become isolated. We believe that building strong relationships with our colleagues is essential for the health of the individual and for Baltimore AGO.

Our first program of the Fall is centered on time to reconnect with colleagues. We are grateful to our Regional Councilor, Wayne Wold, for hosting this meeting at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ellicott City on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. We have planned a potluck and music exchange. In addition, David Storey is going to give us a presentation on the upcoming OHS 2024 Convention, which will be in Baltimore next summer. There will be plenty of opportunity to visit with old friends and forge connections with new ones.

October brings us two programs: Peabody Organ Conference honoring Virgil Fox, Arthur Howes, and Donald Sutherland (October 8-9), and the re-dedication of the Grace and St. Peter’s Organ with David Hurd, recitalist (October 15). The Peabody conference will feature performances on three iconic organs - the restored Skinner at Brown Memorial, the Fisk-Flentrop at Mount Calvary, and the Holtkamp at Peabody. There will also be lectures and presentations recognizing the impact of these three teachers and organs. Baltimore AGO is pleased to be a cosponsor of the Peabody Festival as well as the David Hurd recital.

Our program of events for the remainder of the year is equally exciting and will be expanded upon in future issues of Pipe & Pedal. We hope that you will attend as many programs as you possibly can. We also encourage you to invite friends of the organ and colleagues who are not members of the Baltimore AGO to attend programs and to join Baltimore AGO.

Peace,
Bert

The September 2023 issue of the Pipe & Pedal is now available.