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LIFE/Elderhostel

February Classes

Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Gottfried and Mary Fuchs Organ & Visit to Organ Builder
Presenters: Dr. Paul Tegels, PLU Professor and Organist
                  Paul Fritts, Organ Builder on 121st St./Parkland
Place: PLU Lagerquist Concert Hall/Room 334
Time: 10:00 am—Noon Organ 101
Noon—1:15 Lunch at Farelli’s Wood Fire Pizza/Parkland
           1:30 Tour of Paul Fritts’ Organ Builder Shop (Limited to 25 people)*
Class Fee: $10.00
Class Coordinator: Bette Catlin, 253-846-0354

Organ 101. Join PLU University Organist Paul Tegels for “Organ 101”, an introduction to organs and organ music. We will start by looking at pictures of organs (historic and new), and will listen to some examples of organ music, old and new. Then to Langerquist Hall where we will take a close look at the beautiful Gottfried and Mary Fuchs Organ, built by Paul Fritts and Co. The Organ 101 class will be concluded with a short organ concert displaying the great variety in sound of this marvelous instrument. After lunch we will visit Organ Builder Paul Fritts and Co.

Gottfried and Mary Fuchs Organ has 3849 pipes and weighs 8 tons. The case is of old growth fir and elaborate basswood carvings adorn the case.

Dr. Paul Tegels is a native of the Netherlands and is an Assistant Professor of Music and is University Organist for PLU.  He received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Organ  Performance  from the University of Iowa, where he studied organ with Delores Bruch. His other degrees and awards include the Artist Diploma and the Master of Music Degree in Organ performance from the New England conservatory in Boston.

Paul Fritts  grew up just around the corner from PLU and his father was the university organist for 30 years. His father built organs and Paul decided he wanted to build all-mechanical, tracker-action organs of the 15th century. He is one of only about 20 builders of these instruments for churches, universities, and private homes.

*First 25  to register will be selected for the tour.  Later postmarks will be offered another date to visit the Fritts Organ Building site.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Blackface Minstrel Show
Presenter: Diana Marre
Place: Pacific Lutheran U./University Center/Chris Knudson Hall
Time: 10:00 a.m.—Noon
Class Fee: $10.00
Class Coordinator: Gene Giannobile, dgg2504@comcast.net, 253-531-9037


The connection between racist ideology and blackface portraiture tell us a lot about the psychological control of people, both black and white. Some of the stereotypes including Aunt Jemima/Mammy, and the Sambo/Step and Fetch characters are still with us today. The Harlem Renaissance can be seen as a direct attempt by blacks to counteract blackface images and propaganda. Diana Marre will discuss these subjects. She will show film clips of “Ethnic Notions,” a documentary film by Marion Riggs and also clips from other films.

Diana Marre has been a popular presenter to LIFE. She teaches humanities and writing at Tacoma CC and St. Martins College. She has coached and directed over twenty university and professional plays and has published widely in the area of African American theater. Her Ph.D. is from UC Berkeley in dramatic arts.