Always a treat to be here at this retreat. Playing Bach trios without anyone listening except me, God and
Bach is a rare time indeed! Thank you, Tim and Helen, for keeping your dream alive in Portageville.
JN, South Orange, NJ
It was a blessing and privilege to be here for the 10th time! I reflected on the past 12 years. I visited 2013-
2019, 2022, 2023 and now 2025. At the midpoint I passed the AGO Service Playing exam. This past
January I passed the Colleague Exam of the Royal College of Organists. I owe a lot to the careful,
methodical practice techniques I refined here at the Chapel.
I love staying in the cottage and visiting the Park. I revisited my favorite sites including Wolf Creek and the
Archery Field. The forest by the Trout Pond is very peaceful. Had Sunday lunch at the Glen Iris, including
dessert.
Best wishes to the 2025 organists and thank you Tim, Helen, and The Portageville Chapel!
JJ, Lincolnwood, IL
What an extraordinary experience! Being able to relax and unwind in this beautiful and tranquil area – all
while learning new music (Parry, Stanford, Bach, Howells) AND mapping out an entire program year AND
completing a three-year project of pointing the entire 1662 Psalter!
This is truly an exceptional opportunity and haven for organists to hone their craft and even rekindle the
love of playing – often lost in the rigors of relentless church work.
I was also able to have a visit with family in Buffalo, and dinner at the Beef & Barrel in Olean. Thank you,
Tim, Helen and all who keep this place special!
AS, Philadelphia
What a wonderful spot in the world to be restored and to be creative. Dinner at the Glen Iris Inn is part of
coming to Portageville. Last year I finally made a phot of the falls as the screensaver on my phone to
enjoy year-round. I’m thankful for this opportunity.
JD, Cincinnati
As a repeat visitor, I’m finding a lot of joy this year in the small things, like the attractive woody smell of
the anteroom behind the chapel or even the slight mustiness detectable when first stepping the cottage.
All the little things create nostalgia and are part of the beauty of this place. I feel fortunate to experience it
and am grateful!
JG – Knoxville
​
Had a restful, quiet week and so enjoyed playing the beautiful instruments. Thank you to Helen and Tim
for this wonderful, unique opportunity.
MC – Batavia
This is my second trip to the Portageville Chapel – the first was twelve (!) years ago when I was still a full-
time student. What a gift to be able to return and find the place just as I remembered it (albeit with a new
rail bridge over the gorge).
Each of my days have been a mix of reading, meditation, nature, and music. My heart craved solitude
and the noise of urban life, and here it found home. It was a gift to spend Sunday morning hiking the
Gorge Trail instead of going to church.
My main study focus has been Jeff Brillhart’s Breaking Free, an improvisation manual. This involved a
healthy dose of fundamentals like practicing harmonizing of scales at different intervals. After a while,
everything starts to sound like Hindemith! Learning a movement of Wider and a movement of Messiaen is
good, too.
Many thanks to the gracious hosts. It has been a fulfilling and enjoyable week.
BH-Hyattsville, MD
This place never fails to inspire! My 6th visit. Thank you for the upgrades in the cottage. A wonderful week
practicing, planning, napping, laughing, communion with nature, and shared meals.
Found new places to explore at Letchworth including the pool. I need this – continued gratitude to you all
for making this available to us. I will cling to the memories created here as the next season unfolds. With
gratitude,
JR – Cleveland Hts, OH
I’m so thankful to be back for the second year in a row! What a gift to have been blessed with this week of
rest, retreat, and renewal. I’m ever grateful for the time of sharing meals, laughs, music making,
discernment and prayer, and walks through the Letchworth State Park with my dear friend. I’m looking
forward to taking all the blessings of this week on into the year to come, until we find ourselves back
again…. Peace,
DS – Shaker Hts, OH
Just a wonderful experience in an amazing place to create and rest. I’m so glad I was able to spend a
week here. It was great to practice and compost with the breeze coming through the windows and the
sounds of nature outside. Hiking in the park was so renewing. Thank you for creating this truly special
space!
MC -Lakeland, FL
​
Wow! I enjoyed the week:
The Chapel space
The Schantz organ
The Knabe piano
The cottage house
The Letchworth Park and Falls
Yes, even the roosters crowing thru the “holler”
Thanks,
BD – Marianist Province of the US
I am thrilled to be here for a second time! The quiet beauty really helps one to unwind, relax and be
creative. The weather was perfect, and I feel refreshed and ready to begin another choir season. Thank
you so much for making this retreat space available.
NC – Fairport, NY
What a wonderful experience! I’ve been following the Portageville Chapel ever since its first ad in “The
American Organist”. I’ve wanted to come for years but could never seem to find the time or the money.
Through a wonderful clergy continuing education grant by the NJ Synod of the ELCA, I was finally able to
come.
I brought my entire organ and piano library with me. Throughout the week I played through 25-year’s
worth of music, marking what should be scanned into my iPad for use in worship and recitals. The cottage
Kawai piano is wonderful and the entire experience in the chapel is fantastic! Such lovely instruments.
I do enjoy my electronic entertainment and was able to purchase the correct wires to get the DVD player
working. I found the perfect spot for the TV antenna to receive many good ole over the air channels. I was
able to catch up on all my favorite BBC shows and 80’s sitcoms. While out and about, I got batteries for
the cottage clocks and got everything back on the correct time.
Letchworth State Park was an amazing experience! The falls are breathtaking, and I got in over 14,000
steps!
While browsing the Diapason & American Organist Archives, I was able to find the original ad for the
construction of my church Moller organ in 1939-1940!
While in the Chapel, I practiced some lovely arrangements of early American hymns on the piano. On the
organ, I had a wonderful time working on Mathias and Vierne. I can’t wait to come back.
NP – Manasquan, NJ
​
A wonderful relaxing week. Spending time in the peaceful cottage, park and Chapel has been refreshing
to the soul. In addition to some much-needed practice, I had time for some walks in the park and some
reading. Thank you for all the effort that goes into making this retreat possible.
PD – Bloomfield, NY
What a wonderfully relaxing, refreshing, invigorating, and productive week! Having hours of uninterrupted
practice time helped me catch the joy of practicing again. I loved being here in the fall with the gorgeous
colors and wonderful temps! A friend was here with me and in the non-practice hours we enjoyed hiking
in the fabulous Letchworth State Park, exploring the area, and eating at the Glen Iris Inn. Thank you to
Helen and Tim, and to all who make this retreat possible. What a gift!
MV – Nashville, TN
What a gift it is to be here when the trees are changing color and the air is cooling! The Chapel
instruments are lovely. It’s nice to leave with a shot of inspiration and renewed spirit. Thank you for the
opportunity!
JN
Thank you for the opportunity to stay in this lovely, beautiful area of New York. The cottage reminded me
of my grandmother’s house growing up. Then we came in and the back bedroom is “Sara’s Room”. Oddly
enough, my grandmother’s name was Sara!!
CD – Parkville, MO
I was here in 2016 and this experience is the best! Don’t miss the Susan B. Anthony Museum in
Rochester.
JW – Kansas City, MO