New! Here is a page
devoted to the first home of our theatre
organ!
In 2007 Videographer James Plumlee of the
Tulsa World
made a nine-minute video tour of our organ. You can view it here.
Welcome to the website of the Sooner State
Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society. We are headquarted in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, and have our monthly meetings at the Broken Arrow
Campus of the Tulsa Technology Center, 129th E. Ave (Olive) and 111th
St. Our meetings are at 7:00 on the third Friday of the month, (unless
circumstances dictate another date).
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In December 2010 we
elected our officers for
the next two years. They are:
Phil Gray, President
Bill Rowland, First Vice President
Phil Judkins, Second Vice President
Lynda Ramsey, Secretary
Joyce Hatchett, Treasurer
Carolyn Craft, Program Chairman
(At
left: Judkins, Gray, Ramsey, Craft, Hatchett, Rowland)
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| Our chapter owns a 1927
Robert-Morton
3-manual theatre pipe organ (see picture top of page) that we use for
our programs. It was originally installed in the Capitol Theatre in
Steubenville, Ohio, then by a
circuitous route found its way to Tulsa, where we acquired it and got
it installed in the new campus at TTC in the 1980s. |
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We also have a rebuilt 1903
Kimball grand
piano donated to us by Don and Dee Miller that used to preside in the
Mayo Hotel in downtown Tulsa. |
| Our members have
also restored the 1927 four
manual, forty-five rank Kilgen pipe organ at the Performing Arts Center
of Tulsa Central High School. We promote the school's organ teaching
program and concerts, which are open to the public. Our educational
outreach includes bringing school children to Central High or TTC for a
theatre organ experience. At right is the Central High School console. |
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Our
programs feature some artists from out of the Tulsa area as well as
local organists and usually give time for
"Open Console" where members and non-members alike can try out the
organ.
Please
feel free to come by and enjoy our programs, there is no admission
charge but donations for organ
maintenance and program expenses are appreciated! And, if you would
like to receive our monthly mailed newsletter, the
Windline
just let us know.
Click here
to visit the national website for the American Theatre Organ Society.
Past,
Present, and Future
Sooner State ATOS Events
2011
| |
| October was
a special program
with our great
theatre pipe organ providing an accompaniment to a player piano and
some vintage rolls!
Old time music at its best!
|
November 18 was our
Organ
Workshop for
anyone interested in learning more about the Theatre Pipe Organ - its
history as an American Art form - what makes those sounds - how it
works. Demonstrations by members of the tech crew and players made this
a most useful and enjoyable program.
|
|
December
was, of course, our annual Christmas
Party for our members only, lots of treats and music on our fine
vintage instruments! |
2012
|
The first program
of 2012
was a
Silent Movie Night on January 20. We screened Speedy with
Harold Lloyd and the
theatre pipe organ accompanying it and a capacity crowd loved it!
 
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Our February 17 program was
quite a treat,
also, as we celebrated our annual Gospel Music Night, with renditions
of our favorite Gospel music performed by some of our local performers
on the organ, piano, and other instruments.
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March 16 was a program called
"Spring is in the Air" with our locals. It was fun, sad for
you if you missed it!!
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The Titanic
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April 20 brought us to an
observance of an
historic occasion: the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the great
ship Titanic.
We presented our local performers with music that was actually
played on the ship, a very special program indeed!
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The White Star Line Orchestra
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On May 18 we were
entertained by guest organist Dr. Marvin Faulwell from Kansas City.
Marvin is the staff organist at the Kansas City
Music Hall
where he plays a large 4 manual
Robert-Morton theatre pipe organ, and his program was wonderful.
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Dr. Marvin Faulwell
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June 15th
will once again be Silent Movie
Night! We have arranged with
our friend Jim Reid to bring his
projectors and show three fine silent 'two-reelers,' accompanied by our
own local arists!
  
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July's Program on the 20th
features Carolyn
Craft, one of our finest organists, in another wonderful program on our
might theatre pipe organ.
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And, on August 17th it is
time once again to
share a spendid program at the German American Society with the
Blaskapelle Band and their 1929 pipe organ at their venue, 1429 Terrace
Drive (15th and Terrace drive, just west of Lewis).
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Email
us at SoonerStateATOS@gmail.com
Contents Copyright 2012 by
Sooner State
Chapter ATOS
