The Young Organist Collaborative

“Investing in Organists for the Next Generation”

Dear Music Lovers,
 
The Young Organist Collaborative is celebrating six years of growth and accomplishment. Five organ students completed their studies and performed in our May 6 recital along with two older students who have continued to study the organ on their own and remain connected to YOC. On the morning of the recital we auditioned 10 new young musicians, many of whom have over eight years of piano experience. We plan to accept all of these students for next year’s program and assign them to organists providing lessons in Dover, Rye and Exeter. We are very pleased that Bruce Adami, recently appointed as organist and music director at Christ Church/Exeter, will join our faculty this fall.
 
With the financial support of many Seacoast community members at St. John’s and beyond, YOC is able to provide special opportunities for our students, as well as provide funds for continuing students and summer programs such as the “Pipe Organ Encounter” of New England, a youth summer program sponsored by the American Guild of Organists. Several of our gifted students now serve as organists in area churches (including St. John’s!), and we are thrilled that two former YOC students are participating in this year’s Oberlin Summer Academy for High School Organists. Jennifer McPherson, the 17 year old “Organ Scholar” who is currently filling in as organist at St. John’s while Abbey Hallberg Siegried is on maternity leave, is the perfect example of what YOC aims to encourage.
 
YOC has had a successful capital campaign to date and we hope to raise enough funds to offer scholarships to both new and continuing students next year. We invite you to further our mission with your tax-deductible contribution. Expanding future resources will allow us to help more New Hampshire and Maine boys and girls live their dreams of studying the “King of Instruments.”

Sincerely,

Kathryn Mulhearn
Chair, Young Organist Collaborative

Members of the YOC Board: Dianne Dean, Priscilla French, Helen Gettelman, Rick Gremlitz, Judy Howard, Tom Madson, Ellie Sanderson, Bill Wieting,
and Kathryn Mulhearn, Chair

(Posted May 25, 2008 by lela)