Spreckels Organ Centennial Concert

Places, everybody! It’s time to celebrate the holidays and prepare for the Centennial! Details inside. The Spreckels Organ Society and San Museum and the RH Fleet Center). If you Diego Civic Organist Dr. Carol Wil- are in the Procession, gather between 6 and liams invite you to the Spreckels Cen- 6:30 p.m. near the Evenson Fountain. tennial Concert, a glorious commemora- Souvenir Programs will be offered for a tion of 100 years of the Spreckels Organ $5 donation at the Pavilion entrances. Around the Park and , on New Year's Eve, Emcee Sam Bass of KyXy FM 96.5 Nov 15-Dec 27—Old Globe: December 31, 2014. The concert and will launch the official program after the How the Grinch Stole Christmas! festivities are free, open to the public Procession arrives, led by two bands of Fri-Sat, Dec 5-6—December Nights and will launch Balboa Park’s Centenni- bagpipes and a recreated Electriquette. Dec 5-Jan 4—Poinsettia Display al year. The Gift Shop will be open! Souvenirs Dec 10-21— Civic Youth Ballet: Save your seats by 5:30 in the Pavil- of the great Spreckels Organ include seat

The Nutcracker ( Theatre) ion. Live music and an historic slide cushions and blankets as well as sweat- show precede the concert, which begins shirts, CDs, and more. Spreckels Organ Pavilion at 7:30 p.m. Snacks and hot drinks will be available Sunday concerts begin 2 p.m. City Council President Todd Gloria for purchase from the Community Christ- CENTENNIAL DATES—2015 Sat Nov 29—Community Christmas tree lighting will be onhand to accept the gift to the mas Center at the east side of the Pavilion. 4:30-6:30 p.m., Jared Jacobsen on the Organ Jan 15, 2015 UT Columnist Roger Showley: History of Balboa City of three new ranks of organ pipes, Program highlights include: Park, 1867-1909 - History Center lecture 6 p.m. Sun Nov 30 - Young Organists' Showcase Winter 2014 new percussion effects, and the newly-  Remembering John D. Spreckels—a (admission charge) Fri Dec 5 - Dr. Carol Williams plays for the launch coated facade of pipes. reenactment of the original gift to the Mar 14 & 15 Activity Center: Thursday Club Rummage Sale of December Nights at 5 p.m. In this issue… Spreckels will be streaming the con- people of San Diego and the world. Sun Dec 7 - Dr. Carol Williams Mar 15 BP Marketing STEAM Family Day cert live on U-Stream, if you can’t be Wi-Fi Expansion  World premiere performances of com- Sun Dec 14 - Dr. Carol Williams Mar 21 Choral Festival: San Diego Sings! there in person. Wed Dec 17 - Twilight in the Park presents: Navy - Page 2 positions for the organ and its new Apr 11-12 Park Celebration of 1915 The green parking lot tram will run ranks Band Southwest Holiday Concert from 6:15- Apr 19 Earth Fair 7:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. that day, and valet parking  Harp solo by Karen Rokos, who is the Apr 24-26 Art Alive - Lindbergh Field Sun Dec 21 - Christmas Sing-along / Dr. Carol will be available (in the usual spot, on great-granddaughter of the first curator, May 9 Brunch-Concert-Tour—Spreckels Organ Display—Page 3 Sun Dec 28 - Dr. Carol Williams the east side of the Esplanade). Anton Rokos—view his 1915 Exposi- May 9 Garden Party for the Century Weds Dec 31 - Spreckels Organ Centennial Concert, New Lights at A Grand Processional March will tion pass online at PanCalArchive.org. May 24 Organ Marathon for Operation Rebound 7:30-9:30 p.m. (see story inside) Night —Page 3 begin at 7 p.m. at the Bea Evenson  150-voice choir led by John Russell June 22 Opening Concert: Centennial International Thurs Jan 1 - Spreckels Organ: Dr. Carol Williams Fountain (between the Natural History  Fireworks Concert at 2 p.m. for one hour Organ Festival Dear Fellow Members of the Dear Musical Friends, Help us get a head start: Spreckels Organ Society, Here’s the story behind the LED Lights for Nighttime Awe As you can see, I'm standing "Opening work" on New Year’s Eve: On December 1, Mayor Faulconer flips the switch for thousands Be a member for 2015! on the stage at the Spreckels On December 31, 1914, the very of new energy-saving LED lights in Balboa Park, including those Watch for your reminder coming in the December mail Organ Pavilion, watching the first piece everyone heard was the on the Organ Pavilion. Color displays will keep the park beautiful Stay current on membership to help the music flow! work progress as Lyle Blackin- Processional March composed by Dr. and exciting after dark in this ton, Dale Sorenson, and their Humphrey Stewart - the first Civic project co-funded by SDG&E team removes the façade pipes Organist of San Diego. Exactly one and the city of San Diego. This in preparation for a dazzling hundred years later the very first piece is a permanent addition to the reintroduction to the organ on everyone will hear is composed by Park’s “Central Mesa” area. Dec. 31, 2014. That, of course, me; it is a work that will identify the will be our grand Spreckels Organ Centennial Concert. The dedi- new Centennial Tuba on the Spreckels cation of the façade pipes, newly-coated with gold mica, will be organ. I first heard the Centennial only one part of a terrific show that you do not want to miss! Tuba in Lyle Blackinton's shop and was so impressed with the gran- The Spreckels Organ Centennial Concert has been a labor of deur of this new rank. The sound is strong, silky and majestic. As I love for many people in the Spreckels Organ Society. In particu- dabbled with the sounds, melodies started forming in my head. So, lar, Dr. Carol Williams gets a huge "shout out" for the time, ener- on this memorable night, I am greatly honored to be playing this gy, creativity, and loving care she is putting in, to prepare this new work. great event. Not only will she be the star performer, but she is I know that the audience - whether you are here in person or coordinating all the other talent, working with Ross Porter and listening on line - will adore this new family member to the Spreck- the curatorial team on a daily basis to keep all the moving parts els Organ. Thank you, Lyle and Dale, for this wonderful addition. moving in the right direction, and still finding time to compose The planning of this historic concert has taken many months and organ works that will undoubtedly be passed down to the genera- the team for the Centennial committee have been amazing. There Drive to 5000 Pipes tions that follow. When you see Carol, please tell her "thank will be a souvenir program book on the night with letters from The Drive to 5000 Pipes, expanding the voice of the Spreckels you." many organizations wishing us well. The event has been very excit- Organ, will mark a huge milestone on December 31. Details are I would be remiss if I didn't mention that our beloved curator ing to plan. A video will be produced by Bell Video Productions of in a great writeup by Jim Chute of the UT that was published for the last 40 years, Lyle Blackinton, has announced his retire- highlights of the concert. Airport Display of Organ Pavilion along with the photo above, showing Co-Curator Lyle Blackin- ment, effective January 1, 2015. This note to you is not the place So, as the year draws to an end, we wish you happy holidays and ton. (Photo: Mike Cox, Spreckels Organ Society) to give sufficient accolades to the man who has been the longest hopefully see you on the 31 December 2014 for the "big" event. history and artifacts serving curator in the history of the Spreckels Organ, and without Bye for now, Thanks to the work of Spreckels Organ Society Your Source for 1915 Memories whose active and caring involvement, the Spreckels Organ Soci- Trustee Max Nanis, the Spreckels Organ will be At PanCalArchive.org, you can research and browse to your ety would not exist. Stay tuned for more on this subject. featured as one of Balboa Park’s jewels in a display Dr. Carol heart's content among souvenirs, mementos, maps, books, photos In closing, I want to wish each of you a wonderful holiday at the Lindbergh Field Commuter Terminal. Architec- and programs, all from the 1915 Exposition! It's free to use these season. Rest assured that the Trustees of the Spreckels Organ tural details, musical manuscripts, and pieces of the organ includ- images, which have been gathered and scanned by the Committee Society have worked diligently this year to fulfill the mission of ing pipes, keyboard, and internal mechanisms will all be set out to of One Hundred as a special Centennial project. the Spreckels Organ Society, and have done so in a fiscally re- StopTab: A Quarterly published by the explain to travelers the inside story of this magnificent instrument. sponsible manner. The Society is, frankly, in very good shape. SPRECKELS ORGAN SOCIETY Special thanks to curators Lyle Blackinton and Dale Sorenson for And for that, we owe each of you a huge "thank you." Remem- 1549 El Prado, Suite 10, San Diego CA 92101-1661 making this display possible. Opening: by Christmas. ber, together we make it happen. (619) 702-8138 / [email protected] / SpreckelsOrgan.org Thanks to the Thursday Club See you on December 31, 2014!. In 2015 the Spreckels Organ Society will be producing an Artistic Director amazing DVD video record of the Centennial Concert and its pro- George Hardy, President Dr. Carol Williams, San Diego Civic Organist duction, to be offered for sale in the Gift Shop. Thanks to the Board of Trustees Thursday Club of San Diego for helping to finance the production Officers of what we expect will be a fascinating and fun look at the life of Expanded WiFi Chair of the Board - Vivian Evenson the Spreckels organ! President - George Hardy Service in the Park Vice President - Randy Ward Now wireless device users Treasurer - Clifford McMillan will find enough signal strength Secretary - Donald Snowden almost everywhere in Balboa Park, thanks to a grant from the James Trustees Irvine Foundation. Edward Barr Max Nanis The Balboa Park Online Col- Andrea Card David Nesvig laborative is installing new facili- ties for strong Wi-Fi signals. Al- Len Filomeo Dang Nguyen Family Festival Day ready the Organ Pavilion is well- Dennis Fox Marion Persons Bill Galante Lynn Reaser On Oct. 26, the SDSU served with Wi-Fi; now much of Richard Griswold Paulette Rodgers-Leahy String Academy offered Balboa Park will be, too. Pamela Hartwell Jean Samuels pre-concert selections as At right, City Council President Julie Hudson Tony Uribe Out with the Old—With support from Las Patronas, the curators Todd Gloria and Mayor Kevin Jared Jacobsen Thomas Warschauer have refinished the façade pipes with golden mica-based coating. part of Family Festival Faulconer announce the Irvine Jack Lasher Peter Way The curatorial team, from left - Lyle Blackinton, Jesse Zepeda, Day. Photo: Mike Cox, Foundation grant, which totals one Jesus Castro (on scaffold), and Dale Sorenson shown here remov- Spreckels Organ Society million dollars. Ex-Officio Trustees ing the pipes. New facade to be unveiled at the concert Dec. 31! Lyle Blackinton and Dale Sorenson - Co-Curators Page 2  StopTab  Winter 2014 Page 3  StopTab  Winter 2014