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Ruth and Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund
The specific and primary purposes are to raise money, to obtain contributions and to create a fund or funds to assist young people in developing their talents in the field of music, primarily those people having pipe organ aims, and to arrange for and establish scholarships for deserving students of music. (from Articles of Incorporation of Ruth and Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund)
Ruth and Clarence Mader will always be an inspiration to those privileged to have known them. The Fund is a response by students, colleagues, family and friends to widespread expressions of appreciation for the high ideals and artistic accomplishments of Ruth and Clarence Mader. Their creative and imaginative talents grew with the years and enriched the lives of many. A freeway accident in California in July 1971 ended the lives of these two gifted and productive people, but their inspiration and presence continue to live.
Clarence Mader, organist, teacher and composer, began his musical career at eleven as organist in the Easton, Pennsylvania church where his father was pastor. He became organist of the Holliston Avenue Church in Pasadena and won the Associate Certificate of the American Guild of Organists in 1924. His outstanding talent attracted the interest of the legendary Lynnwood Farnam with whom he studied in New York City in 1926-27.
In 1929 Mader was appointed organist at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. As organist for 37 years he helped develop a church music program of outstanding stature. World-renowned organists were among the students of Clarence Mader. In addition to extensive private teaching, he headed the organ department at Occidental College in Los Angeles from 1955-1968.
Clarence Mader's service to the American Guild of Organists (AGO) was far-reaching - California State Chairman for six years, Dean of the Los Angeles Chapter, Program Chairman for the 1962 National Convention and National Councillor. He performed at national conventions, festivals and church music workshops. Active in the choral field, he was a founder and first president of the Choral Conductors Guild of California, now known as the National Association of Church Musicians.
His compositions reflect a masterly grasp of diverse music styles and the indispensable gift of inspiration. Vision of St. Stephen, a sacred opera first performed in 1953, and Concerto for Organ, premiered in 1968, illustrate the broad range of his compositions. The Fifth Mystery, a choral work employing serial techniques, stands as a reminder of his abilities both as poet and as composer.
In later years he worked toward AGO sponsorship of the publication and recording of contemporary organ music. His creative energies were still involved in teaching, but he spent increasing time composing. His knowledge of organ history and design was comprehensive, and he was in great demand as an advisor.
Ruth Goodrich Mader, also an organist, substituted for Clarence shortly after they were married when he studied in New York City. After their sons had grown, Ruth was organist for several churches, including the Westwood Presbyterian Church in California. She also taught organ and piano. A fine artist and craftsman, she perfected extensive skills in stichery, collage, painting and sculpture.
Competitions for Organ Performance
The Ruth and Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund sponsors what has become one of the outstanding competitions for organ performance in the United States during the thirty years since its establishment. The current policy of the Fund is to make available for the finalists not only scholarship awards but also transportation and accommodation.
The Twelfth National Organ-Playing Competition was held Saturday, November 6, 2010 at Claremont United Church of Christ in Claremont, California. The featured instrument was completed in 1998 as a co-production of tonal designer/voicer Manuel Rosales (www.rosales.com/instruments/claremont/index.htm) and Orgelbau Glatter-Goetz of Pfullendorf/Aach-Linz, Germany (www.gg-organs.com/eng/contact/contact.htm). The three finalists were selected from CD performances submitted by twenty-three contestants throughout the United States. The judges for the preliminary round were Orpha Ochse, William Peterson and Philip Smith. For the final competition, the adjudicators were James Hopkins, Frederick Swann and Peter Sykes. The entrants performed unrestricted repertoire except for the required work, October Interlude by Clarence Mader. The competition winners were:
First Place: David Baskeyfield
In February 2010 he won first prize and audience prize at the Miami International Organ Competition. He was also awarded first prize and audience prize in the 2010 AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation, held at the National Convention in Washington DC. He has been broadcast multiple times on American Public Media's Pipedreams, playing both legitimate and theater organ music. In Rochester he continues to be active as a solo performer, accompanist, continuo player and occasional cocktail pianist. He also enjoys frequent access to the large Wurlitzer organ in the Auditorium Theatre downtown, and has recently gone some way to legitimizing this private indulgence in being elected to serve as a director on the Board of the Rochester Theatre Organ Society. He has participated in master classes given by Marie-Claire Alain, Eduardo Bellotti, Stephen Bicknell, Michel Bouvard, Kevin Bowyer, David Briggs, Mel Butler, Bine Katrine Bryndorff, Hans Davidsson, Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet-Hakim, David Goode, Naji Hakim, David Higgs, Matthew Halls, Nicolas Kynaston, Jon Laukvik, Ludger Lohmann, Jacques van Oortmerssen, Anne Page, James Parsons, William Porter, Joel Speerstra, Thomas Trotter and Harald Vogel. Second Place and Audience Prize: Weicheng Zhao
From 1995 to 1998, Weicheng Zhao studied composition as a private student with Yuankai Bao, Professor of Composition at the Tianjin Conservatory. Mr. Zhao has transcribed over 40 pieces for the Electone Organ including solos, concertos and chamber music. His transcriptions of popular music for piano in 15 volumes were published by the Publishing House of the Central Conservatory of Music in October 2006.
Among numerous scholarships and awards, he received the prestigious People's Government Scholarship. Out of 20 million college, university, and conservatory students, Mr. Zhao was one of 30 students chosen to receive the Nomination Prize for Student of the Year 2007. That same year, Mr. Zhao was the first prize winner at the Yamaha National Electronic Organ Competition held in Shanghai, which qualified him to compete in the 43rd Yamaha International Electronic Organ Competition (open age group) in Tokyo, Japan. Included in his performance were Jubilation, his own composition, and his transcription of Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra. He was the first Chinese to win this competition which is recognized as the most significant of its kind in the world.
After receiving his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2008, he was appointed full time teacher of the Electone Organ in Tianjin Conservatory of Music. In 2009, he took a leave of absence from the Conservatory to pursue study of the pipe organ with Cherry Rhodes at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music where he is currently enrolled in the Graduate Certificate program.
Third Place: Chelsea Ann Vaught
Chelsea Vaught is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in church music-organ emphasis at the University of Kansas in Lawrence where she studies with Dr. Michael Bauer. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in music (emphases in piano, organ performance and music education) from Bethel College in North Newton Kansas, and a master of music degree in church music and carillon performance from the University of Kansas. Previous teachers have included Laura Steingard and Roseann Penner Kaufman. Chelsea has participated in master classes and seminars with Craig Cramer, Hans Davidsson, Lynne Davis Janette Fishell, Roberta Gary, James Higdon, Martin Jean, Susan Landale, Olivier Latry, Susan Marchand, Kimberly Marshall, Karel Paukert and George Ritchie. Currently, Chelsea is director of music/organist at First Congregational Church in Topeka, Kansas. Chelsea was a quarter-finalist in the 2009-10 NYACOP, a finalist in the 2010 Fort Wayne National Organ Competition and the second-prize winner in the 2010 Arthur Poister Organ Competition.
Past Organ-Playing Competitions: First-prize Winners 1973 - Rick Ross, Southern Methodist University 1975 - Bruce Bengtson, Southern Methodist University 1976 - Joseph Schenk, University of Nebraska 1977 - Dennis Bergen, Wichita State University 1978 - No first prize awarded 1979 - Wesley Parrott, University of the South 1982 - Edward Murray, Southern Methodist University 1984 - Frederick Hohman, Eastman School of Music 1986 - James Walker, University of Southern California 1991 - Alan Morrison, Curtis Institute of Music 1996 - No first prize awarded
Composition Competition Award
1994 - Craig Phillips (award partially funded by grants from District of Columbia AGO Foundation and San Francisco Chapter, AGO, Special Projects Fund)
Research Awards
1999 - Burton Tidwell and Nancy Kay Bernard 2000 - Agnes Armstrong, Michael Friesen, Brenda Leach and Barbara Owen 2001 - Ronald Ebrecht 2002 - Laura A Carrasco 2003 - Byron Adams, Ronald Ebrecht and Stephen Warner 2004 - Jane Hettrick, Scott Huntington, Sabin Levi and Stephen Schnurr 2005 - Jonathan B. Hall and Scott M. Hyslop 2006 - Randall D. Engle, Carolyn Shuster Fournier and Tina Fruhauf
The policy of the Fund is to award scholarships from interest earned on principal. With continued generous contributions, we hope we will be able to increase the activities of the Fund. Contributions to this non-profit corporation are tax-deductible and may be mailed to Ruth and Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund, 900 East Harrison Avenue, Apartment B-26, Pomona, CA 91767.
Ruth and Clarence Mader Corporation Officers
President, Frances Nobert Immediate Past President, Ladd Thomas Vice-President, James Walker Secretary, Patricia Lamb Treasurer, Kirk Mader
Board Members
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David Baskeyfield is a doctoral student at the Eastman School of Music. He
read Law at St John's College, Oxford, and held the college's organ
scholarship. Following a year as organ scholar at both of the Anglican
cathedrals in Dublin, he began a Master's degree at Eastman, where he now
continues in the studio of Prof. David Higgs and studies improvisation
with Prof. William Porter.
