************************************************************************************************************** ************************************************************************************************************** Newsletter of the NORCAL THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY BERKELEY COMMUNITY THEATRE www.norcaltos.org PO Box 625, Berkeley, CA 94701-0625 510/644-2707 Allston Way betw’n Milvia St & MLK, Jr Way July 2012 Sierra Chapter HOT AUGUST PIPES! Sunday, August 5, 2012 at 2:00 PM NorCal’s Bill Coale at Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse 7997 California Avenue Fair Oaks, California ierra Chapter Ice Cream Social S Donation $5 Directions From the Bay Area — . Take I-80 to Sacramento Merge LEFT to CAPITAL CITY FRWY Merge LEFT to HIGHWAY 50 Take the SUNRISE BLVD exit Turn LEFT on SUNRISE BLVD WARREN LUBICH at Grand Lake Console -La Fetra photo WARREN LUBICH at Grand Lake Console -La Fetra photo Turn RIGHT on CALIFORNIA AVE CONCERT & OPEN CONSOLE at GRAND LAKE THEATRE Saturday, August 18, 2012 - 9 AM arren Lubich will play the first both for his activities as a member, but also DONATIONS WNorCal concert that our Chapter has for his talent at the keyboard. As a staff been able to put on for quite some time. organist at the Grand Lake he knows how FOR With things looking up for use of the BCT to bring the very best out of this wonderful The Youth Camp (see below) it is time for our members to get organ. Warren’s concerts are always a back into the swing of our own concerts. delightful event, so plan to get up early Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Not only will Warren play a short program, as the 9 AM opening is necessary for the an Open Console will follow, giving members theatre to open for its regular Saturday Dr. William Coale a chance to play Kevin King’s Better Than movie program. Ever 3/18 Wurlitzer organ. Elbert Dawson Warren is well known to NorCal members Neal Wood NorCal Theatre Organ Society (NorCal TOS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Federal Employer Identification Number 23-7415947 State CharitableTrust No. CT 45966 State Organization Number D-0726636 CHAIRMAN VICE CHAIRMAN SECRETARY TREASURER/ MEMBERSHIP EDITOR PROGRAM PUBLISHER William L. Coale Judson H. Owens Arthur Woodworth Neal R. Wood Janice La Fetra Gordon A. Pratt Frank La Fetra 11740 San Pablo Av Apt 306 1730 Virginia St. 600 Coventry Road 523 Corbett Avenue 32500 Cristo Rey Dr #521F PO Box 275 32500 Cristo Rey Dr #521F El Cerrito.CA 94530 Berkeley, CA 94703 Kensington, CA 94707 San Francisco, CA 94114 Cupertino, CA 95014 San Lorenzo, CA 94580 Cupertino, CA 95014 510/778-9117 510/848-8714 510/524-7452 415/861-7082 650/968-2091 510/504-4780 650/968-2091 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] When emailing, include ATOS or NorCal in the subject line. Otherwise, if you are unknown to the recipient’s computer, its SPAM filter may divert your mail. FINAL NOTES Y Y x x Ron Downer Ron was a charter member of NorCal. EDITOR’s n March 18, 1938 - June 22, 2012 While he didn’t work on the organ crew, he Y made significant donations of parts to the x h Jon Johnston club’s Wurlitzer installation in the Berkeley h July 2nd, 1942 - April 29, 2012 Community Theater, and was always available to offer advice. s many of you know, Frank fell on Remembering Ron Downer — The He is survived by his wife Alexis, a sister AMay 15th due to a worsening aortic characteristic I remember most vividly in Redding and a nephew out of state. valve problem, and spent the next six about Ron Downer was his generosity. weeks doing medical tests and preparing Ron was ALWAYS ready to help his friends Ron will be buried at sea by Neptune for surgery, which was done on June 26th. with their projects. He helped me many Services in August. There will not be a He is recovering nicely, but tires easily, as times in numerous ways. It was always public service. is expected. a treat to visit his little, but complete, — Rudy Frey shop and see his collections of everything But as a result of all the chaos in telephone, steam, organ and machine Remembering Jon Johnston — Jon our life, the Windsheet is a couple of related. His organ installations had a was a well known and respected pipe organ weeks late. I’m particularly sad that we definite Ron Downer style, which was neat technician, tuner, voicer, and finisher. cannot get this WS out in time for the and workmanlike. Ron was a really nice Schoenstein Open House. However, the and friendly guy. I am glad I had the good He apprenticed to the brilliant Paul notice was posted on the NorCal website fortune to know him. Schoenstein where he learned skills that he (www. norcaltos. org) so I hope — Jack Bethards would exhibit throughout his life. Jon was many of you were aware of it. And this is a President and Tonal Director also an accomplished theatre organist who lesson to all - check the website regularly, Schoenstein & Co shyed away from public playing but wowed there are all sorts of interesting things there. all who were lucky enough to hear him play. He had the rare gift of ‘perfect pitch’ In addition, we did not receive informa- Ron Downer had a lot of friends, which gave him amazing tuning skills. tion about the San Francisco Silent Film fellow organist enthusiasts throughout the Festival in time to be included in the last organ world. He had a list of fellow organ He had a wild sense of humor that often Windsheet. But it also was on NorCal’s enthusiasts telephone numbers. The list caught you off-guard in moments and website and I hope many of you were able filled a small book! Ron kept in frequent situations where you dared not laugh out to get to the Castro Theatre during the contact with many on the list, so he was loud. For nearly 20 years Jon cared for and event (July 12 to July 15). Especially for always aware of the latest organ enthusiast tuned the Avenue Wurlitzer. Visiting artists Dennis James on the Wurlitzer for The news. would comment on the tight tuning and Mark of Zorro and Lubitsch’s last German finishing for which Jon was largely feature, The Loves of Pharaoh. His Mother worked in the office of the responsible. Southern Pacific Railroad where he spent much of his free time as a youngster with Jon was a great teacher who shared his crews at the SP round house in South San extensive knowledge with everyone who Francisco. Ron’s dad’s second job was as a sought it. Those of us in NorCal who knew church organist. No wonder Ron became a Jon for 50 years will miss his humor, talent, NorCal BOARD MINUTES steam and organ enthusiast! and kindness. Every NorCal member is entitled to — Al Sefl request copies of the Minutes of meetings He built an organ studio behind his of the NorCal Board of Directors, which parents’ home and installed a 3-manual meets 6 times a year. Send requests to the Wurlitzer, which grew to over 20 ranks Secretary; his email address and telephone including many 16-ft extensions. Several NORCAL WEBSITE number is published at the bottom of Page young enthusiasts learned the basics We have copies of the current and recent One. of organ restoration and installation by past Windsheets on our web site—and helping Ron work on that organ. in color! They are in .pdf format, which requires that your computer have a copy of THIS & THAT the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Mesa, AZ Organ Pipe Pizza Ron always had a least We also have an up-to-date Calendar of celebrates 40th Birthday one pet dog and usually Events online, and under the Recordings named them after an organ page is Jonas Nordwall’s newest CD. After decades of silence, the Atlantic City Be sure to visit our website! Boardwalk Hall organ plays again. Ron Downer & Tuba — Dave Schutt norcaltos.org Page Two Windsheet July 2012 In other happenings, it was wonderful to see a good turnout of NorCal and Sierra MEMBERSHIP BADGES Chapter members at the national ATOS Have you admired the blue membership convention held in Los Angeles. This was badges that many NorCal members wear my first opportunity to hear all of those to concerts? They are available for $13 CHAIRMAN’s great instruments (with the exception of shipped to the member’s address. WINDLINE Old Town Music Hall, where I performed The badges are now totally engraved (no last year). That, on top of seeing the silk screening to rub off). Send your check amazing automobile collection at San and exactly how your name is to appear on chool’s out, and lots of things are Sylmar, and a fantastic day at Universal the badge to: Shappening at BCT. From looking at the Studios (no, that wasn’t on the convention Bill Schlotter organ crew’s report (a new feature for the docket), made for a fantastic week. Even 6203 Elderberry Dr. Windsheet to help keep our membership better was the chance to meet and chat Oakland, CA 94611-1621 informed regarding the great things our with theatre organ aficionados from talented organ crew is working on), you’ll all over, including the two chaperones notice that we’re doing some ‘Spring of the Rye Academy students from the Cleaning’ of sorts. UK.