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The First Convention
By 1957, the chapter had grown in numbers and vitality and it was decided
to host a regional convention, a major undertaking for a fledgling
chapter. At that time, the region was known as The Southern Region,
and contained 17 Chapters. Mr. Jack Edwin Rogers was the State Chairman
and Miss Jane Wauford was the Dean of the Knoxville Chapter. Mr. Alfred
Lunsford and Mrs. Claudia Carter served as co-chairpersons of the
convention. Organ workshops were given by Oswald G. Ragatz, Associate
Professor of Organ at Indian University. Choral Techniques workshops were
given by Paul J. Christiansen, Chairman of the Department of Music at
Concordia College. A class on Junior Choir Methods was taught by Harry H.
Harter, Assistant Professor of Music at Maryville College. Edward H.
Hamilton taught a class on Youth Choir Rehearsals.
Outstanding organ
recitals were given by Oswald Ragatz at St. John's Episcopal Church. Emily
Cooper, winner of the National Organ Playing Contest in New York City in
1956, performed at New Providence Presbyterian church in Maryville, and
John Weaver played at Bell Avenue Baptist Church. A religious Drama,
Unto Thy Kingdom, was presented by the Religious Drama Club of the
First Methodist Church and an Organ playing contest was held at First
Baptist Church. Conventioneers were treated to a tour of the Great Smoky
Mountains and were treated to an evening at the Tennessee Theatre for the
silent movie, Night Owl's Nocturne, with Charles Hunnicutt playing
the "Great" Wurlitzer Organ.
The Second
Convention
Sixteen years later,
the Knoxville Chapter hosted its second regional convention in June, 1973
with headquarters at the newly opened, architecturally magnificent Hyatt
Hotel which someone humorously said looked like "the box the Norris Dam
had come in!" Indeed it was, and is, an imposing structure; this
convention was the first to be held at this new venue.
Major participants and
performers included such notables as Robert Noehren, Clark Kelly, Cherry
Rhodes, Harry Huff, the 1971 Southern Regional Competition winner, Ladd
Thomas and others. The convention ended with a tour of Gatlinburg and the
Great Smoky Mountains, with a stop at the home of Iris and Roy Newman for
Refreshments. Once again, Knoxville had hosted a very successful
convention.
Fiftieth Anniversary
In 1996, the Knoxville
Chapter began a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of its
founding and charter. Coincidently, the National Organization was
celebrating its 100th anniversary so, needless to say, this was an
outstanding and memorable year for the organ community!
The fiftieth
Anniversary committee planned several events throughout this program year
including a series of articles that appeared in its monthly
newsletter, The Tracker, written by charter member Alfred E.
Lunsford. This series of articles revealed an interesting and detailed
history of the Knoxville Chapter, the effects of growth in the area on
area churches, and, certainly, growth in the Knoxville Chapter. Sunday
April 14, 1996 was declared National Guild Centennial Sunday and on
this date, the Knoxville Chapter officially celebrated its fiftieth
anniversary. On this Sunday, too, was the Worlds Largest Organ Recital,
in which many chapters across the nation participated. The Knoxville
Chapter held its recital at Second Presbyterian Church followed by a
formal reception.
Chapter member, James
Pethel was commissioned to compose an organ composition which was played
on this program. His work, based on the hymn-tune Engelberg, was
premiered, with the congregation singing the text to this tune, When In
Our Music God Is Glorified.
The Annual Church
Music Workshop
The germ of an idea was
presented to the Knoxville Chapter of sponsoring/hosting a two-day Church
Music Workshop by John Brock, Professor of Music and Organ at the
University of Tennessee. The first CMW was held in 1971 and was a huge
success. Attended by church musicians from about a 150 mile radius from
Knoxville, the CMW was presented yet a second year and was, once again, a
huge success. To this date, the Knoxville Chapter has sponsored over 30 Church
Music Workshops. With
the exception of 1999 and 2000 when the chapter was planning and hosting
the Region IV convention, the CMW has been held every year. For all of the
years, John Brock has chaired the Steering Committee which brought in
organ and choral clinicians of note nationwide. Elsewhere in this website,
the complete roster of clinicians can be found. Eighty to
100 persons attend the Knoxville CMW. Most come for the full two days
while others opt to attend just one of the two days. Brochures and
information can be requested by calling John Brock at his University
office : (865) 974-7539 or by email at
johnbrock@utk.edu.
Please visit the
Church Music Workshop
page for more information
Growth and Activity
Chartered with 16
members in 1946, the Knoxville Chapter has grown to 123 members in
2001-2002. Regular meetings and programs are usually held on the first
Monday of every month, though this varies from time to time.
These programs are very diversified and are held at churches throughout
the Greater Knoxville area.
Please click here to view our current calendar.
The Executive
Committee.
The Executive Board and the Program Committee actively plan
programs that are of interest to its members. These programs consist of
recitals by local and national organists, programs for hand bell choirs
and for organ, voice and instruments; at least one program per year is
instructional and informative; programs of choir repertoire and choral
techniques and other type of presentations of interest and benefit to its
membership. In March, 2003, this program will consist of Music of the
Moravian Traditions and will include learning about these traditions and
singing several of the anthems and hymns that typify this music.
A Unique Feature
The Knoxville Chapter
is believed to be the first chapter of the AGO to have founded a library
that is open to the public. This library, The Shugart Memorial Library,
was designed as a memorial to Elizabeth Harrill Shugart, long time
organist/director at Second Presbyterian Church where the library is
housed. Mrs. Shugart was charter member of this chapter and served as Dean
and in other offices throughout her tenure in the Chapter.
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