With summer almost behind us we will gather for a barbeque and picnic at Rockcliffe Park. Fall usually cooperates with lovely weather and will enjoy a fall gathering in the midst of one of Ottawa’s most lovely and historic parks. In addition to celebrating the new College year, welcoming new members and reacquainting with other members, we will hear (and see pictures) from members who travelled to various organ conferences and events during the summer break. Spouses and partners are invited and children too!

Please bring a dessert or salad; the mixed grill and drinks will be provided by the Centre. Rockcliffe park is a lovely park that is accessed off the Rockcliffe Parkway which is the continuation of Sussex Drive. Turn left if you are heading east on the parkway and the parking is below the covered pavilion. We will occupy picnic tables near the pavilion.

The Historic Organs Committee of the RCCO will present a plaque to recognize the historic Casavant tracker organ (Opus 124) in Emmanuel Anglican Church, Arnprior; the organ, dates from 1900 and is essentially unchanged.

The event will take the form of a Hymn-Sing, interspersed by organ pieces to be played by Gilles Leclerc, RCCO National President. The choir for the event will be the Cranmer Singers, directed by Frances Macdonnell. This event, which also forms part of the church's 150th anniversary celebrations, has been organized by John Wanless, Convenor of the Historic Organs Committee of the Ottawa Centre. Do plan to come to hear this historic instrument at this historic event!

Our visit will begin about 10:30am Friday morning on the campus of Cornell University. Most folks will be driving down that morning so please work out driving times accordingly. Ithaca is west of the 81 west of a smaller town of Cortland. The way is signed well, We will first visit the Skinner organ in the University's main auditorium. We will then visit the Italian baroque organ and the German chamber organ at the faculty of music. Our afternoon will focus on the GOART organ in the Anna Taylor Memorial Chapel. On Friday evening we will attend a wind ensemble concert on the campus:

On Saturday morning, we will visit two significant instruments in Ithaca, at First Unitarian Church (A Wolff organ) and a new organ installed at First Presbyterian Church. We should be finished up after lunch for a lovely drive back to Ottawa well before sundown. I will have details on all the organs for distribution in Ithaca.

There are two rooms booked at the Hampton Inn (607) 277-5500 under reservation number 80976785. These are available on a first come first served basis. There is another hotel booked in a nearby community Cortland at the Imperial Motel (607) 753_3383 under reservation number 1069303. This hotel is about 20 mins from Ithaca but given we are there for only one night I think it will be serviceable.

Note from webmaster:
If you are interested in this organ crawl, please contact Ian MacKay directly.

In celebration of Jehan Alain's 100th birthday, Thomas Annand is offering a lecture-recital of the organ works of this famous composer.

There have been many events celebrating Jehan Alain's legacy around the organ world and this is an opportunity to hear more about his short life but significant output, and to hear how his works fit into the 20th-century French organ school. Alain was born in the western suburbs of Paris, into a family of musicians. His father, Albert Alain, was an enthusiastic organist, composer and organ-builder who had studied with Guilmant and Vierne. His youngest sister is the well known organist Marie-Claire Alain. Between 1927 and 1939, he attended the Paris Conservatoire where he achieved much success. He studied the organ with Dupré and composition with Dukas. His short career as a composer began in 1929, when Alain was 18, and lasted until the outbreak of the Second World War ten years later. His output was influenced by the musical language of the earlier Debussy and his contemporary Olivier Messiaen. Tragically, he was killed by enemy action in 1940 and thus his musical output stands as a small but very significant part of the French organ school in the 20th century.

As before, we will meet at the Heart and Crown in the Byward Market 67 Clarence Street, for an evening of fun. Meet at 6:00 for a pub dinner and then organ DVDs and YouTube videos of organs, organists, preacher bloopers, etc. The pub has given us the use of a private room for FREE so all we need to do is show up and have fun.

There is parking on Warwick Place immediately behind the church. Turn East onto Sherwood Drive from Parkdale and the first left is Warwick.

Admission to the recital is free, but donations are accepted for the Student Scholarship Fund (and income tax receipts will be issued for donations over $10).

Come and hear our students in recital.

Although this is not one of our programmes, it does involve many of our members and we are providing $500 in scholarship money to the participants.

The adjudicator this year will be Michael Bloss.

Come and hear our students in recital.

This is a wonderful opportunity to socialize in a relaxed atmosphere with your clergy and colleagues.

soup or salad
Dinner: (chosen at the restaurant)
Steak, chicken or salmon
Dessert
Tea/Coffee

Cost: $40.00

Suzanne Marjerrison
476 Evered Avenue
Ottawa ON K1Z 5K8

This is your centre. The executive values the feedback received from members. Come out and voice your opinions on what you would like to have your Centre do.

The Annual General Meeting of the Ottawa Centre is our opportunity to conduct the necessary business of the College but also to celebrate the year past and look forward to the coming year. All members are encouraged to attend and participate in decision making and to hear reports of the various convenors and national council representatives.

We will also hear some exciting news about our convention "Orgelfest" to be held in August 2013.

There is plenty of parking and the room is air-conditioned.