Chevalier Theatre Organ Society

02/01/2025

Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theater, Jeff Rapsis will accompany "The Flying Ace," a 1926 silent drama directed by Richard E. Norman with an all-African-American cast. This six-reel film was inspired by Bessie Colman, who was Black and Native American and who became the first American woman to earn an international pilot’s license. It was made by Norman Studios in Jacksonville, Florida, utilizing a mix of professionals such as leads Laurence Criner and Kathryn Boyd, and non-professional actors. Films such as "The Flying Ace," which used an all-African-American cast and were shown specifically to African-American audiences, were known as “race films.” The untapped black filmgoing market and the plethora of talented performers unable to get work in mainstream films in the 1920s led to the production of race films by Norman Studios.

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01/22/2025

A reminder that this Sunday, January 26, the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society will celebrate the life of Charlie Briggs with a special event featuring a full concert by Seamus Gethicker on the Wurlitzer Organ. Charlie Briggs was a decades-long supporter of EMCATOS, most recently serving as president. In 2023, he was named Member of the Year by the American Theatre Organ Society for his years of service and contributions to the theatre organ art form. A staunch supporter of young artists, Charlie initiated and for many years sponsored the annual EMCATOS Young Organist Concert, kickstarting the careers of many organists playing on the concert circuit today. Sunday's event will take place at 2 p.m. in Knight Auditorium at Babson College, Wellesley. Admission is free.

01/08/2025

The Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society is presenting two special events this month at Babson College's Knight Auditorium: its annual Young Organist Concert this Sunday, Jan. 12, at 2:30 p.m., featuring Ben Forsthoffer, and a tribute to the late Charlie Briggs, longtime EMCATOS member and immediate past president, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26.

12/30/2024

Medford resident Louise Mundinger will be one of the performers at Tuesday's annual First Night Organ Concert presented by the Boston Chapter, American Guild of Organists. She'll be joined by Bryan Ashley and Jeremy Bruns in playing Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1203 (1952) at the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston (250 Massachusetts Ave.) The program begins at 3 p.m., but try to arrive early to be assured of a seat — this is always the Boston Chapter's largest audience event of the year.

11/15/2024

The Chevalier Theatre Organ Society sends its condolences to the families and friends of two of our longtime associates, Charlie Briggs and Gary H Phillips, who both passed away in October. Charlie was a lifetime member of CTOS and contributed to some of the early restoration work on our Wurlitzer. A staunch supporter of the theater pipe organ, Charlie was serving as president of the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society at the time of his death. Gary, owner of GHP Associates, performed some excellent restoration work on the Wurlitzer’s regulators and also built new custom wind trunks for the instrument. His work will serve us well for decades.

09/21/2024

The Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society kicks off its 2024-25 program series this Sunday with Chris Elliott accompanying the silent film "The Mark of Zorro" starring Douglas Fairbanks. The event will take place at Shanklin Music Hall in Groton at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for those 18 and under.

09/20/2024

Want to get a sense of what goes into restoring a 102-year-old theatre pipe organ that has been moved five times and also been subjected to less than ideal storage conditions? Take a look at these before-and-after photos showing some of the restoration work performed this summer by Rudewicz and Company on the 1922 Wurlitzer at Chevalier Theatre. If you'd like to learn more about this project and the Chevalier Theatre Organ Society, please stop by our table at Sunday's Mystic River Celebration arts festival, presented by CACHE in Medford at the Condon Shell from noon to 4 p.m. (rescheduled from Saturday due to a rainy forecast).

05/11/2024

Did you know there are two municipal buildings in Middlesex County that have a Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ? In addition to the 2/9 Wurlitzer in the City of Medford's Chevalier Theatre, the Stoneham Town Hall has a 2/14 Wurlitzer. It will be featured in a concert by Chevalier Theatre Organ Society member Ed Wawryznowicz at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 19. Free admission. Donations to the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society are welcome. Better yet, become an EMCATOS member!

05/04/2024

The Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society concludes its spring concert season at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday with a performance by Justin LaVoie, the American Theatre Organ Society's 2020 Organist of the Year. Justin will perform on the second-largest theatre organ in New England, the 4/34 Wurlitzer at Shanklin Hall in Groton, which was built specifically for the organ.

04/22/2024

Many thanks to Suzanne "Suzie" Cartreine, Music Director of the Tufts University Chaplaincy, for hosting a fascinating and informative "Meet The Organ" event today at Goddard Chapel. Thanks also to Tufts graduate Jon Ross of the Andover Organ Company for sharing his insight and expertise regarding the chapel's 1883 Hook & Hastings organ, which his company rebuilt and now maintains.