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Pipeline Press Newsletter June, 2020

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If 2020 was a year that never really started, May became worse.

But hopefully, June will get better.

With so much painful and emotional news exposing raw human frailty (as well as heroism and extraordinary kindness, of course) we want to bring you mainly positive news and info. I firmly believe that out of every bad thing, comes good. Sometimes it just takes time to find it. I hope you will find some gem in this little newsletter to help lighten your day today - and there is always the chance to win our June competition. So please read on. . .

iRCO free for all - for a while

Almost a thousand organists around the world have signed up to take advantage of free lockdown access to the virtual campus iRCO, so if you haven't done so already do make sure you visit i.rco.org.uk to get your own Royal College of Organists Member or (free) guest account up and running. You will need this to access the majority of learning content on the site.

The College has now fully opened iRCO to all organists, meaning that until 30 June 2020, guest users as well as College members can access, free of charge, hundreds of videos, audio files, papers, articles and other content covering everything from technique to repertoire, performance to professional skills. So much info and help here, you'll be wishing lockdown could last a bit longer. . .

Is your father an organist? An organ music lover?

June 21st is Father's Day in both the USA and the UK, so the nail-biting for offspring should be starting around now. If your father is an organist however, we have the solutions for you in our Organ Gifts Zazzle online shop. Check first here to see the shipping deadlines to make sure you can get it in time. And at checkout, use the code DADGIFTS2020 for a 15% discount sitewide. Coupon expires: 06/02/2020 11:59 PM

For the male organist
by Organs

June Competition

Chance to win a coffee-table book of organs!

Dem Himmel Nahe - or as the English title describes it, "Looking Up at Organs and Ceilings" is a feast for the eyes to be enjoyed by fans both of organs and of architecture. The publisher wrote: "The volume brings together more than 50 inspirational photographs of leading instruments from four continents and five centuries, displayed in the context of the vaulting and ceilings surrounding them. A fascinating insight into how organ-building and architecture can combine to form a harmonious and aesthetic experience." Despite the German title, the book has tri-lingual captions. To go in the draw to win this book, click the image above to go to the competition page or email competition@pipelinepress.com, naming the abbey and organ pictured above and on the cover of "Dem Himmel Nahe". Deadline is June 30th and anyone anywhere can enter.

Level 4 lockdown in covid-19 wasn't the best time to have my birthday. Guests, gifts, wild parties were all obviously banned, but Martin resourcefully composed for me a special birthday organ piece "Arioso for Jenny" (in my favourite key of E major). It's not for publication, but I thought it would be fun to share it with others, so for every order off our pipelinepress.com website of Martin's CDs or my books, I'll send the buyer a link to a pdf copy to download. Then I guess I will have to learn it. Mind you, it is a sweet, simple little piece - as befits the dedicatee...

On course for beginners

Playing the organ with no previous experience on the piano – unthinkable! Unthinkable? The seasoned organ teacher Carsten Klomp challenges this misconception with his new organ course for beginners that requires no previous theoretical or practical knowledge and comes in a beautiful presentation with a CD, beautiful photos and examples. Now available in English, from Dr. J. Butz Musikverlag, translated and adapted by Andrew Sims. (108 pages (with CD) Catalogue no. BU 2990).

From the Swellbox:

Want to know more about singing under covid-19 conditions? It's all here (thanks to Agnes Armstrong for sharing this valuable information)
Another long feature, but a unique film: "Set the Piano Stool on Fire" - Alfred Brendel, when retiring from public performance, takes on a prodigy pupil: Kit Armstrong.
The Royal College of Organists blog STOP PRESS is a wealth of info for organists, choirs, directors - anyone in church musicians. Especially in these local down restrictions, it has a goldmine of videos and articles you can dip into for free.
A little bonus: on the first day of each month a new video, either from Olivier Latry, from Shin-Young Lee, or both together will be posted to their new YouTube channel. They start with a favourite of mine, the 3rd Choral by Franck performed at Notre-Dame. Go here to subscribe:
Travel seems a foreign concept now, but you can still enjoy a laugh with the cream of British actors (Including Stephanie Cole and Benedict Cumberbatch) in a radio sitcom about an airline for whom no job is too small but many, many jobs are too difficult. Listen to: Cabin Pressure
Looking on the bright side of life, members of the Orchestre de Paris do what they can to keep the music alive from their own homes. (Thanks to Slippedisk.com)

In the light of the global tragedies playing out due to covid-19 and humans failing to be halfway decent humans, I feel awkward about noting the death of a small animal. But she was our small animal and a big part of our family. Kate, the Yang to Bobby's Yin, suffered renal failure in April which meant life was too painful for her. So, after 15 years of the privilege of her presence, we made the inevitable decision to euthanise her. Her sudden death has left a massive hole in our lives, not the least for Bobby who had never spent a night apart from her. They were the constant playmates, pranksters, sleeping partners, explorers, chaos creators, devoted sisters. Inseparable until now. Bobby, as always, was with her until the last.

Kate - always the poser.
Houdini in disguise.
Cuddler supreme.
Faithful twin of Bobby.
Monkey crossed with a dog crossed with a cat.
A brick wrapped up in satin.
So gentle.
So naughty.
So missed.

Stay safe and keep your distance out there,

Jenny