The LA AGO Podcast is back - and our first event of 2023 is a Member Recital on Monday, January 16th featuring Dr. James Calhoun playing the largest church organ in the world at First Congregational Church, Los Angeles. Complete details about this Chapter event can be found at LAAGO.org. The recital begins at 8pm and is open to the public.

A Los Angeles native, growing up in the Watts area of the city, James currently does "God's Work" through music at Community United Methodist Church in Huntington Beach and University Seventh-Day Adventist Church. He is also director of the Don Lee White Community Chorale.

With his hearty, gregarious laugh, James talks about his journey from piano lessons at a young age to the youth choir at Macedonia Baptist Church and, eventually, onto the University of Southern California for multiple degrees in organ performance and sacred music.  James also shares with host Thompson Howell the person who really sparked the idea to study organ more seriously; the importance to him of figuring out "What am I gonna do?"; the influence of current LA Chapter Executive Committee member Dr. James Hurd; the mission of the Don Lee White Community Chorale and his thoughts on the overall state of music in primarily African-American churches today; a preview of his eclectic and fun program for January 16th; a few thoughts on life, loss...and brain surgery; and a whole lot more!

Listen at LAAGO.org or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

LINKS:

• The LA AGO Facebook Page
• The LA AGO YouTube Channel

The final event of the LA Chapter's 2021-2022 season is our annual Guild Service on Monday, May 16th at San Marino Community Church. Check the latest LA Pipeline e-Newsletter or LAAGO.org for details. New Officers and Executive Committee members will be formally installed as we all enjoy a collaborative program featuring Chorale Bel Canto & Friends under the direction of Music Director, Dr. Linda West Brown.

In this episode, host Thompson Howell and Linda engage in a lively conversation about her career as both an educator and performer including the moment she knew she wanted to be an organist with a little nudge from Richard Strauss; her favorite part about teaching in the California public school system for 38 years; the continuing influence of her undergraduate organ professor at Whittier College, Orpha Ochse; how California's Imperial Valley was far from the cultural wasteland she assumed it would be; why music and the effects of group choral singing are important and the steps Chorale Bel Canto took to stay connected during the pandemic; an explanation of the Orgelkids pipe organ educational project; the real value and advantages of the different levels of AGO Certification exams; an update on the recently completed and very successful composition competition of the Ruth & Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund; and a run down of the program planned for May 16th. Plus a lot more!

Listen at LAAGO.org or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

LINKS:

• Chorale Bel Canto
• The Ruth & Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund
• A flyer for Chorale Bel Canto's May 14th Ukranian Refugee Fundraiser
• The LA AGO Facebook page
• The LA AGO YouTube channel

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in LA's Westwood neighborhood is the site of our next event on Monday, March 14th at 8pm - a Members' Recital featuring the church's Director of Music, Dr. Jeffrey Parola and Organist, Mr. James Casey. Complete details can be found at LAAGO.org.

This episode features James Casey in a conversation with host Thompson Howell as he shares his journey from tiny Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin to the heart of America's second largest city, Los Angeles. Jim talks about the ways he tries to find balance in his musical life as an organist, singer, and teacher; how the music program at school was his "home" as a kid; that one summer as the stadium organist for the Wisconsin Rapids Twins baseball team; the influence of prominent Lutheran musician Paul Manz on his own growth as a musician; how he found his real singing voice and busted out of the countertenor closet; and shares his secret to job longevity as a church organist.

Jim also provides a brief introduction to the Kodály method of music education and its importance to his teaching at St. Paul's School and gives thanks for the friendship and mentorship of two esteemed colleagues, James Buonemani and Christopher Walker. And a bunch more!

Listen at LAAGO.org or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

LINKS:

• The LA AGO Facebook page
• The LA AGO YouTube channel