Monday, August 2, 2010

Lile selected for New York honor

Reprinted from The Mountaineer NEWS

Christopher Lile, of Waynesville, was selected by audition to participate in the Pipe Organ Encounter, Advanced, sponsored by the American Guild of Organists, which was held in New York City.

Lile, 14, is the son of Rebecca Kay and David Wangerin Lile. He is homeschooled by his mother and is a rising freshman.

Twenty-two young people between the ages of 13 to 18 from across the United States competed for a spot in this major organ program held each year for advanced students.

Lile was given the opportunity to have master lessons for organ students with Dr. Matthew Lewis, the chairperson of the Julliard School of Music's precollege organ department. Those chosen to study in the program this summer gave recitals in two churches in Manhattan at the end of the program. They were given special training in other aspects of organ playing including: theory and analysis; choral conducting and accompaniment; Gregorian chant and plainsong; French organ repertoire; hymn playing; and improvisation.

“It was an amazing experience getting to work with Dr. Matthew Lewis (a church organist in New York City),” said Lile. “I got to perfect two of my favorite pieces working with him – ‘Concerto No.2' (Bach/Vivaldi) and Widor’s ‘Toccata’ (from the Fifth Symphony).”

Lile has been active in the Waynesville community substituting in the First United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, Hazelwood Presbyterian Church, Providence Presbyterian Church, Maple Grove United Methodist Church and Shady Grove United Methodist Church for the past two years. He is continuing his studies here in Waynesville.

Donated photo

PIPE ORGAN ENCOUNTER

Christopher Lile, of Waynesville, is shown
preparing for his part in the organ recital
at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church
in New York City. At left is his page turner,
Mitchell Miller.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Sing Homeward:

A Celebration of Regional Hymns

The Hymn Festival went wonderfully well! The church was better than half filled with church members, choir members, organists, choir directors and general public. Our Dean, Eric Wall, opened the evening, explained what the two organizations (AGO and the new Southern Appalachian Chapter of the Hymn Society (in the United States and Canada) were about and why the evening had been planned. The person in charge of the Hymn Society then added more about the Society in general and the formation of the local chapter.

The program itself was well thought out, well performed and quite informative. Mary Louise Bringle, narrated the program, and we sang hymns with a regional birthright:

• Today we are Gathered to Join in a Feast (Michael Hudson/St. Denio)
• I Wonder as I Wander (John Jacob Niles)
• How Great Thou Art (Carl Gustav Boberg/Stuart K. Hine/O Store Gud)
• an excerpt from Tongues of Fire (Lee Smith) which included Rock of Ages (Agustus Toplady/Thomas Hastings), Softly and Tenderly (Will Thompson) and Jerusalem (William Blake/C.H.H. Parry)
• O Life is Like a Sacred Circle (Catherine Nelson/Wayfaring Stranger)
• I want Jesus to Walk with Me (African-American Spiritual)
• What Wondrous Love is This (The Sacred Harp)
• an exerpt from She Walks These Hills (Sharyn McCrumb) which was While Dead in Trespasses I Lie (Charles Wesley/I.P. Cole)
• Abide with Me (Henry Francis Lyte/William Henry Monk)
• Light Dawns on a Weary World (Mary Louise Bringle/William P. Rowan); and
• Go in Peace, Go in Love (Mary Louise Bringle/Sally Ann Morris).

We also heard A Moravian Trilogy consisting of two movements from Dan Locklair's Salem Suite and Johannes Herbst's Comfort Ye, my People from Music for Christmas Eve, 1767.

Each hymn we sang was introduced with the story of its composer, author and/or the inspiration which produced it. Some of the stories were amusing, some spiritual, but all were amazingly well presented.

Contained in the printed program was a survey form which we could fill out and turn in on our way out of the church. We all, of course, filled them out and placed in the basket at the door, giving our opinions of what we would expect from a Hymn Society chapter.

I came away with a very positive feeling about the new Southern Appalachian Chapter of the Hymn Society and hopes for a close partnership between that and the Western NC AGO.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Parables and Pipes:

Scenes from the Ridiculous to the Sublime

It was heartening to see the Cathedral of All Souls filled to capacity 15 minutes before the program began, the advertisement having proven to be well worth the cost and effort. Eric Wall, our Dean, welcomed us and introduced the Friends of the Groom (hereinafter "Friends"), a theatrical group specializing in proclaiming the Gospel through skits, song and tableau, and gave thanks for those attending, those performing and of course the Cathedral for hosting the program. In some of the skits and tableau, Friends was assisted by volunteers from the AGO and some member churches

The program started with an interpretation of Psalm 67 by Friends. In it, the actors read lines from the psalm in turn, each staring awestruck toward heaven. It was a very effective and moving opening to the afternoon. Other segments by Friends were: Parable of the Lighthouse, very nicely presenting the story of a congregation's beginnings, its growth into a posh country club, then some disenfranchised members splitting off and starting a different church, etc., ending with the repeated chant, "And so it continues;" The Story of the Healing of the Withered Hand, a narrated tableau, most effective when one follows the directions and shuts eyes as the readings were delivered, then opening to find a still tableau depicting the reading; Noah and the Flood, a particularly fun interpretation of that part of our spiritual history; Parable of the Three Trees, telling of the aspirations, apparent foiling of those hopes and the eventual fulfilling thereof; and a blessing of those attending.

Between each segment, members of the AGO performed at the pipe organ: Margie Roberts Johnson, retired Organist-Choirmaster of All Saints Episcopal Church, Morristown, TN, played Fanfare by Kenneth Leighton; Dr. Steven Williams, chair of the Music Department of Warren Wilson College and Director of Music and Organist for the Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, played the Fantasia in G Minor (BWV 542) by J.S. Bach; Barry Olliver, Director of Music Ministries at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, played Toccata in B Minor by Eugène Gigout; Kyle Ritter, Canon Organist and Choirmaster at All Souls Cathedral in Asheville, played Beside the Still Waters (from Windows of Comfort) by Dan Locklair; Eric Wall, Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Asheville, accompanied the hymn The Tree of Life by K. Lee Scott; and to close the program, Barry Oliver and Eric Wall played a piano and organ piece, Piano Song, by Paul Halley.

The evening was thrilling and very inspiring, as indicated by the lengthy standing ovation from a very appreciative audience.