The Executive Board and the members of the
Knoxville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists are pleased to
acknowledge these members who have contributed immensely to the music
community by their enduring careers in church music, teaching, composing, or
organ design/maintenance.
Certificates of Meritorious Service were presented in a formal ceremony on
Monday, May 6, 2002 with Dr. Jeff McLelland, Region IV Councilor, making the
presentations.
Louis Ball
Louis Ball taught music at Carson-Newman College for 35 years. He was
distinguished by being named Teacher of the Year by the Knoxville Music
Teachers’ Association and has been honored by Carson-Newman by being named
Distinguished Faculty Member. He served his denomination by working on the
committee for the new Baptist hymnal.
A former choir member, James Penn, honored Louis and Mary Charlotte Ball by
establishing the Mary Charlotte and Louis Ball Institute of Church Music at
Carson-Newman. This institute convenes every summer to train coral directors
and organists.
Mary Charlotte Ball
Mary Charlotte Ball has been a member of the Knoxville Chapter of AGO for 39
years and served as Sub-Dean in 2000-2001. She served as organist a First
Baptist Church in Jefferson City for 38 years and taught at Carson-Newman
College for 31 years.
James A. Bloy
James A. Bloy served as Professor of Music and Organ at Maryville College
for 40 years and has been a member of AGO for 47 years. He has served
several churches in the area, with the last being Broadway United Methodist
Church in Maryville, where he served 25 years. He has served the Knoxville
chapter of AGO in several capacities, including that of Dean.
John Brock
John Brock served as Professor of Music/Organ at the University of
Tennessee, Knoxville for 35 years. He has served churches in the greater
Knoxville area, including Messiah Lutheran Church, where he served for 13
years and helped design the Andover organ which resides there. Brock
organized the first Knoxville Chapter sponsored Church Music Workshop in
1971 and has chaired the CMW every year. John has served in several
capacities in the Knoxville Chapter including Dean. He has served at the
regional level as District Covenor for two terms. Two additions of his Organ
study method, Introduction to Organ Playing in the Seventeenth and
Eighteenth Century Style, have been published with the second edition
released in 2002 (Wayne Leopold editions). The Knoxville Chapter has hosted
three regional conventions: 1953, 1971, 1999, and John has chaired the
steering committees of all three. John has recorder to CDs: A Tennessee
Organ Tour (1992) and Hugo Distler, Complete Organ Works (1998).
Alberta Cashion
Alberta has served as organist of Vestal United Methodist Church for 48
years. Her long career at VUMC has been an inspiration to her colleagues.
She has served as Sub-Dean in the East Tennessee Chapter, AGO. In the
Knoxville Chapter, she has served as Secretary and served on the Library
Committee. Alberta is an Honorary Member of the Knoxville Chapter, AGO.
Harry H. Harter
Dr. Harter served on the Music Faculty of Maryville College. He was
Director of the College Choir and Teacher of Voice for 33 years. Dr. Harter
was a prolific composer of Sacred Anthems. While with the Tennessee Arts
Commission, he served as Province Governor and server on the Advisory
Committee. He directed performances of Handel's Messiah for
thirty-four seasons and served as Music Director for the Appalachian Ballet
Company. For many years, Dr. Harter served as Director of Music at New
Providence Presbyterian Church.
Joseph E. Lee
Joe was a member of the AGO for 47 years. He served as Sub-Dean and
served on the Steering Committee of the Regional convention in 1971. He was
also recitalist on the Chapter's Members' Recital. Joe is a Charter Member
of AIO. He established Lee Organs, Inc. which served the area in Organ
maintenance for 45 years.
Alfred E. Lunsford
He and a small group of others chartered the Knoxville Chapter in 1946.
Al served as Dean for five terms and has served in every other executive
capacity over the years. Al is well known in the Organ World as he has been
Sales manager and District Sales Manager for the Schantz Organ Company for
56 years. Al has served several churches in the Knoxville area including
Grace Lutheran Church where he served 29 years and designed and gave the
Organ. At St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church he served for 15
years. Al has built/re-built 10 Organs in his shop under his name.
Edwin May
Ed has been active in AGO for many years. He has served as Dean for the
Knoxville Chapter for four terms and has served as Sub-Dean and Treasurer as
well as chairs of several committees over the years. Ed currently is
Librarian/Archivist of the Knoxville Chapter's Shugart Memorial Library. Ed
has served for several years as Coordinator for AGO certification exams for
Region IV, of which Knoxville is the exam center. Ed is responsible for
beginning hand bell choirs in Knoxville and his church used a four octave
set of WhiteChapel Bells prior to the production of any American made bells.
Ed still rings Hand Bells at Second Presbyterian Church and at St. Johns
Episcopal Church. He also served on the Faculty at the Presbyterian Music
Conference in Montreat, NC teaching Hand bell techniques. Ed served as
Director of Music at Second Presbyterian Church in Knoxville for 31 years.
During his tenure the Schantz Organ was designed and installed.
Iris Louis Marshall Newman
Iris served as Organist at First United Methodist Church of Gatlinburg
for 25 years. She was a noted private teacher of Organ and Piano for many
years. She served as Dean of the Knoxville Chapter, AGO for one term and
served in several other capacities as well. In 1967 Iris had a 5 rank 2
manual Schantz Organ installed din her home for teaching and practice.
Several Chapter Programs have been held in Iris's home following the
installation of this Organ.
James Pethel
James was Associate Professor of Music at Carson-Newman College in
Jefferson City for 37 years and was given the rank of Composer-in-Residence
and was the first recipient of the Research and creativity Award there. Jim
was honored by Carson-Newman College by naming him Outstanding Alumnus of
the Year. He is listed in Who's Who in Music. Jim was selected as Composer
of the Year in 1987 by the Knoxville Music Teachers' Association. ASCAP
bestowed the Standard Award to Jim every year since 1986. He was awarded the
National Defense education Award (NDEA) for graduate study, 1959-1962, at
George Peabody in Nashville. Jim has served several churches in East
Tennessee over the years and currently plays at First United Methodist
Church in Jefferson City. Jim has served as adjudicator/clinician at church
and choral festivals as wells as for the East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee
Vocal Associations. He holds membership in AGO, ASCAP, Pi Kappa Lambda and
Phi Mu Alpha. A prolific composer, Jim has over 250 compositions to his
credit, for voice, organ, piano, chorus and instrumental solos representing
seventeen publishers. The Knoxville Chapter commissioned Jim to compose and
organ prelude, When In Our Music God Is Glorified as part of the
Chapter's 50th anniversary celebration in 1996.
Mary Eleanor Pickle
Mary Eleanor's career is music includes accompanying the Knoxville
Choral Society, the James King Chorus and various radio and TV groups as
well as at festivals and for visiting clinicians. She accompanied the
Holston High School Choir for Christmas and Easter performances of Handel's
Messiah for many years. Mary Eleanor served as President of the
Knoxville Music Teachers' Association and served as Deans of the Knoxville
Chapter, AGO for two terms during her 54-year membership. Mary Eleanor has
also earned the AAGO certification from AGO. Presently, Mary Eleanor is in
her 35th year as Organist at First Baptist Church, Knoxville.
Jane Wauford
Jane has been a member of the AGO for 47 years. She has held every
office including two terms as Dean and has served on all committees at least
once in this organization. She has served as Organist at St. James'
Episcopal Church for 23 years, Lake Hills Presbyterian Church for 10 years,
and for the past eight years, has been a much-in-demand substitute for area
organists. On December 9, 2001, Jane was honored by Graystone Presbyterian
Church ion recognition of the 60th anniversary of the first time she played
there.
James Winfree
James' career including teaching for 25 years in the public schools, for
four years at the Adventist Academy and has been adjunct faculty at Tusculum
College in Greenville for several years. He has served as Music Director and
accompanist for the Greenville Little Theater for 25 years and was elected
to their Honorary Board of Directors for dedicated service. Jim played the
Fifth Brandenburg Concerto in Kingsport and performed the Mozart Piano
Concerto No. 20 with the Knoxville Chamber Orchestra at Tusculm College. He
was piano soloist for Rhapsody in Blue with a local band and has
performed organ recitals in various cities in East Tennessee. Jim has served
several churches in the area including Reformation Lutheran Church in
Greeneville for 24 years and St. James Episcopal Church in Greeneville where
he is completing his 16th year. Jim Holds the CAGO certification from AGO
and has served as Sub-Dean, Dean and chair of the Scholarship Committee. His
membership in AGO spans 33 years. |
