American Guild of Organists – Tampa Chapter

invites you to a Choral and Organ Workshop with Dr. Steven Ball and Dr. Matthew Abernathy on February 17^th, beginning at 11 AM. St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 5225 N Himes Ave, Tampa FL 33614.

Dr. Matt Abernathy: A Choral Toolbox for choir directors

Dr. Matthew Abernathy, director of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay,(www.matthewabernathy.com)will speak about all the topics we as choral directors may be dealing with in this post-pandemic environment. We will have choral tips and techniques, ideas for developing a choral sound (especially if you are a non-singer) and repertoire and tips for dealing with the smaller choir. 

Dr. Abernathy will be sending us more of his talking points in the next week, so check the website for up-to-date information. This presentation will be full of ideas and techniques you can put into use at your next choir rehearsal!

Dr Steven Ball: Approaching Organ Registration from the Musician's Perspective.

Dr. Steven Ball, the resident Organist for the Tampa Theatre, (www.stevenball.com) will present an introductory course in the basics of organ registration for those whose primary instrument or field of study happened to be something other than the pipe organ.  

This is both an introduction to the subject for those for whom the concept maintains the mysterious aura of alchemy (yet with all of the joy of a chemistry exam!), as well as a workshop with tips and perspectives for the more advanced organist seeking to understand the finer nuances of orchestration and stop selection.  

This presentation will take the form of a lecture/demonstration with time available for Q and A, so feel free to bring any specific examples from any genre which pose problems so they can be presented for discussion. This is a great opportunity for those coming to the instrument to gain unique and valuable insight on how to best use whatever tonal

resources happen to be at your disposal.