Schober Organ Notes No. 90

This is (so far) a small event, maybe a little over one bus full. If you fly in, they will send a member to the airport to pick you up and will take you back to the airport, saving you a $65 cab ride each way. The hotel offers just about everything you might want in hotel except a little refrigerator in the room. There is free a continental breakfast, and free parking for those who have cars there, included in the very low rates. This year the cost per night for one person in a room was $64.34 including tax. There is a good restaurant there, and a gift shop/book store.

The optional pre-glow included a tour of the Wicks Organ factory, and a concert by the world famous "first lady of the organ" Diane Bish playing the Diane Bish Signature Series Renaissance Organ by Allen Organ Co. The main event included a concert by Stan Kann at the Fabulous St. Louis Fox, a concert by Kay MacAbee at the Lincoln Theatre in Belleville, IL and several other artists in various venues and three banquets. Seventeen year old Mark Herman, an ATOS young organists competition winner, and Juan Corona Jr., played an Allen GW 3 at the banquets. They are both terrific. There were three visits to homes with theatre organs, two of them pipe organs, and Jack Moelmann's pipe and electronic setup. The weather was good the whole time. They will do it again next year at about this same time, so you can get the information about it then from a link on the ATOS web site or look for an ad for it in Theatre Organ Journal then. Best regards, Jack

It's now 33 years later. I'm happily married (3rd time-charmer), own a production company and perform nationally as one of the Blues Brothers in the tribute "Briefcase Blues" (www.briefcaseblues.com ) - and have reclaimed some the time that was my own in younger days; while other still seek to recapture "lost youth", I never let mine get away! My house is filled with toys (Mattel, Ideal, Marx, Remco and the like -ViewMaster slides and more - and no...my daughter's 21 years old, and doesn't live with me!). On a lark I looked up Schober and found the Orphan's site. Anyway, I'm going to be digitizing some audio from video in the next couple of weeks, and will also be digitizing some old 33 1/3 LP albums as well - especially those particular ones that could not be found elsewhere. I have the Schober Demonstration LP from about 1972; if anyone is interested in MP3s of that album (or a recorded copy of the whole presentation!), please let me know. If nothing else some Orphan members might like to have these sounds, or perhaps even a copy of the album jacket. Then again, many of your group may already have that album...

It was fun to write to you, and remember. My best to all who hear and are moved by the sounds of the mightiest of instruments. Thank you for helping keep the name Schober visible in an ever-changing world. Let me know you got this, and of any interest in that recording. Regards, J. Leggio E-mail: jblues@dhc.net Dallas TX USA