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Purpose

Friends of Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024 (FASO) was incorporated on May 16, 2005. The organization’s mission is to present professional performances of primarily classical music for the enjoyment and education of the people of Amarillo and the surrounding Texas Panhandle.

History

FASO came into being after an Amarillo church, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, burned to the ground in 1996. When the church began to rebuild, it was able to acquire from the University of Texas as extraordinary organ, one designed and built by the great English organ designer, G. Donald Harrison. Harrison was employed by the premiere organ building firm of the time, the Aeolian-Skinner Company.

The Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024 is made of superb prewar materials, and the new church was carefully designed to furnish the best possible acoustical space for it. After investing over a million dollars for its restoration, the church has an instrument comparable to sister Aeolian-Skinners found in St. Thomas, Fifth Avenue, New York; the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.

An entity entirely separate from St. Andrew’s Church, FASO, is a group of music lovers who work closely with the church to organize and develop a yearly concert series designed to take advantage of the fine organ and acoustical setting. The church nave can hold approximately 500 people. The audiences for the concerts are of all ages and ethnicities and special emphasis is placed on drawing students from area schools and colleges to give them access to premiere professional musicians.

Performances

In planning its concerts, FASO focuses on music from the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. It is now in its third full season of concerts and has presented programs from Christ Church, Oxford, England; Tom Murray, professor of organ and University Organist at Yale; Chanticleer, a vocal ensemble; and the Tokyo String Quartet.

The 2008-2009 season will include The Harrington String Quartet, performing "Four on the Floor"; Cantus, a male vocal ensemble that is rivaling Chanticleer; Philharmonia Quartett Berlin, a group composed of the principal string players of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and French organist Olivier Latry of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

 

Audience

FASO’s audience is drawn primarily from Amarillo, a city located in the center of the Texas Panhandle, which is an area the size of Illinois with a total population of about 500,000. The immediate Amarillo area contains 225,000 people, and the rest of the population lives in small towns or on farms and ranches. Clearly, many of these people rarely have the opportunity to hear live classical musical performances of the caliber FASO strives to bring to our area. FASO utilizes radio announcements via the regional affiliate of NPR, local newspapers, posters, flyers, web sites and mailings to disseminate information about FASO performances to the Panhandle area.

 

Funding

Bringing world class musicians to our area is an expensive undertaking. FASO has solicited funds from foundations, individuals, and of course relies on season ticket subscriptions at various donor levels. As a young organization we must work very hard to obtain funding, since grants are generally not available for new organizations such as FASO. We invite donations in any amount in order to continue offering performances that match the high standard of artistry already established.

 

Consider Becoming a Member of Friends of Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024

Manuals of Membership

Pipe organ keyboards are designated as manuals, arranged in a cascade from the top of the instrument case.

LEVEL	COST	DESCRIPTION	ADVANTAGES
Individual	$100.00	Single ticket to each concert	13% Savings
Pedal Manual	$150.00	Two tickets to each concert	35% Savings
Choir Manual	$275.00	Two tickets to each concert	$125 tax deductible contribution
Great Manual	$550.00	Two tickets to each concert	$550 tax deductible contribution
Swell Manual	$1000.00	Four tickets to each concert	$700 tax deductible contribution
Solo Manual	$2500.00	Reserved row for 6 individuals	$2050 tax deductible contribution

Student ticket to single concert $10.00

For individual and corporate concert sponsorship please contact Margaret Lacy at 806.376.6316 x107

 

The “Friends”, a 501c3 presenting arts organization, is developing a tradition of incredibly beautiful music, featuring the 6000-plus pipe Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024 organ. The concert series is funded through generous contributions of individuals, corporations, foundations, and memberships. We hope you consider becoming a member.

For information, please call 806-376-6316, x 105.