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2002 Nov 05

2002 Season Dates Posted
Make your plans now! Click here to see the first round of dates for the ACQ 2002 season. There is still time and openings to get a concert scheduled. Call or email Tammy Aubushon at 620-241-5040 about bookings.

2002 Nov 01

Gloria CD shipping, pre-order special expires
The new CD, Gloria, is now on sale and shipping. All special priced pre-orders received with a postmark of Oct 31st or earlier will still be honored.

2002 Oct 19

Appalachian Christmas Quartet - Gloria
The new CD, Gloria, street date is November 1, 2002. All pre-orders will actually start shipping on Oct 26th. The special pre-order price will expire Oct 31st, so hurry and get yours ordered!

Order CD now
(pre-order special expired 10/31/2002)

2002 Sep 15

New Appalachian Christmas Quartet CD
The ACQ has finished recording and will very soon be releasing Gloria, their second CD. The expected due date is early November, but you can begin pre-ordering for a special price ($1.00 off) immediately. Here are some important links regarding this new project...

Appalachian Christmas Quartet - Gloria CD Page
(including sound clips)

Order CD now
(pre-order special expired 10/31/2002)

Interview with Michael Aukofer
(including song commentary)

New ACQ lineup
There has been a personnel change in the ACQ lineup for the new CD as well as this season's concert performances. Brad Layher has retired from the Quartet to pursue new ventures (though he continues to tour with Mitch McVicker). As producer/founder Michael Aukofer explains in his most recent interview, the three-man quartet is now officially a four-member group (imagine that! four people in a quartet!). Joining the group is Jeanne Anne Schroeder, who while previously performing with the group in an unofficial capacity, continues to bring her wonderful vocals & wind instrument talents to the mix. Also long-time friend, fellow musician, and "Beggarman/Ragamuffin" Eric Hauck now brings his multi-talented efforts to this already talent-rich ensemble. The best way to describe the new ACQ is to listen to the new CD, which includes guest artists Brad Layher, Phil Keaggy, and more.

2002 Jan 15

Christmas 2001 season scrapbook online
The scrapbook for this past season is now online. You will find it here...

2001 Christmas concert scrapbook

2001 Oct 28

Michael Aukofer update
After graduating with his Masters from Wichita State University last spring (2001), Michael headed for the studio to produce three new albums. "What Light Is All About" by Alathea (their third CD) has been in the works for about 5 months, and should be finished right after Christmas. Two CDs statrted and finished last summer were "Rufus Tree" by Rufus Tree, and "Fallen Deep" by Beggarman (Michael's third production for Eric Hauck and first for Eric and Brittney Hauck - their first CD together since wedded bliss).

A couple other projects during the summer - Michael is writing a book about Marching Percussion, and performed on "Laryngitis," a CD by Katy Bowser (produced by Russ Long, Michael's friend who engineers his CDs).

In August, Michael put together a group (including Jeanne Anne Schroeder, members of his praise band from East Heights United Methodist Church, and the Appalachian Quartet dudes Brad Layher and David Dibbern), to perform at the LegacyFest 2001 in Wichita.

Michael then literally took off straight from the LegacyFest to head for Kentucky to pursue his doctorate beginning this fall at the University of Kentucky, which includes some teaching duties. Before returning home for Christmas concerts, Michael will be performing at the International Convention of the Percussive Arts Society on November 16th in Nashville. He will be performing "Leading Onward," one of his own compositions commissioned by the University of Kentucky as a hammered dulcimer soloist accompanied by seven other percussionists.

2001 Oct 12

New Appalachian Christmas Quartet CD in the works
Everyone who has had the pleasure of owning the first ACQ CD, will most assuredly enjoy this news. Michael has begun the planning stage to go back in the studio next summer (2002), including some possible communications with Mannheim Steamroller and Sound Recorders. This 2nd ACQ CD will be similar in style, but will probably include more vocals. There is also a fund-raising campaign in the works to raise the money (similar to last time), where any amount will be greatly appreciated, and donations of $100 or more will get your name and thanks in the liner notes.

2001 Mar 18

Michael Aukofer Graduate Recital scrapbook online
You will find it here...

Aukofer Graduate Recital

2001 Feb 14

Christmas 2000 season scrapbook online
The scrapbook for this past season is now online. You will find it here...

2000 Christmas concert scrapbook

Stayed tuned for a mini-scrapbook of the 1997 season.

2001 Jan 14

Christmas concerts were wonderful!
Once again the Christmas concert season was a success for all, i.e. everyone had a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful music which helped take us away from the hectic commercial Christmas season, and return us to the blessed season of love and giving God intended. Stayed tuned for a 2000 Christmas season scrapbook. Also if you want to be informed of next years dates, click here to go to the ACQ Mailing List Page for info on subscribing to the list.

The Appalachian Christmas Quartet CD sales have been very brisk, with thousands sold. However, even though it's past Christmas, you can still order your copy (Click here).

The guys had a relaxing Christmas, after this fairly hectic schedule of concerts. David lives here in Wichita, and now is able to relax a little (instead of running to gigs after a full days work at Koch Industries). After spending Christmas with friends and family, Brad returned to Nashville to begin working on his first solo CD before returning to tour with Mitch McVicker (and Cobra Joe) in mid-January.

Michael took just a tiny bit of time off and then it was also off to Nashville. For a more detailed update on Michael, continue below for his update letter.

2001 Jan 14

Update Letter from Michael
"This past Christmas season was a wonderful time for the Appalachian Christmas Quartet. We performed 20 concerts in as many days, we were televised twice in the Wichita area and hit the newspaper quite a few times as well. The concerts were extremely well attended, and once again the concert goers were quite supportive of the quartet and there musical and physical feats. The band is planning to travel for half of the season next year 2001. We will be performing in the Chicagoland area as well as St.Louis and Kansas City then back home to Wichita to finish off the season. Next Christmas season will have the band playing many new arrangements as well as a few new instruments. It will also be the premier of a brand new instrument that is currently being designed and built exclusively for the quartet. We will not tell you much about it other than to say you have never seen or heard any thing like it.

"I spent the week after Christmas in Johnson City, TN working with Alathea on a new batch of songs they have been writing, we also wrote a few new ones together "We Bow Down" and "Scared". The girls are doing great and continue to travel and perform around the country. Ryan Long has released his second album "Waiting by the Window" in Dec. of 2000. This album is a wonderful journey through the thoughts and emotions of an incredible song writer. I had the opportunity, once again, to work with Ryan on this album as producer and performer of many random instruments. This album is available through ryanlong.com, grassrootsmusic.com or pastemusic.com. In Jan. 2001 Ryan's "Waiting by the Window" was awarded best follow-up album by Paste Music. Ryan is continuing to write songs that will knock you out, he is also performing all around the country. You may have heard about a recent compilation release from Grassroots Music entitled Dialects. This CD includes three tunes; Ryan Long: "The Wind in Me," Alathea: "I Am Loved," and Eric Hauck: "All Along;" all of which I produced.

This summer I will be busy in Nashville producing Eric Hauck's second album which will be featuring is wonderful wife Brittney. This album will take the month of June to complete. Shortly after that, Jared Brown and I will hit the studio to record his first album. Jared is a great singer and an equally talented songwriter. We know each other from our time at Friends University together as students and our mutual friendship with Rich Mullins. I am very excited to be producing all three of these albums. I believe in each of these artists, and that they will become the very best they can to speak and sing and play the things we all wish we could. For more information on the completion and release dates of these albums, periodically check here or each of their prospective web pages (names are linked to their pages)."

You Are Invited To A Recital

You are cordially invited to the Graduate Percussion Recital of Michael Aukofer (click here for a scrapbook of the recital.)

This recital is in partial fulfillment of the Masters in Percussion Performance

Sunday, March 4th, 2001 at 7:30pm in Miller Concert Hall located in the Duerksen Fine Arts Center on the campus of Wichita State University.

This recital will consist of many original works by Michael Aukofer. Solo hammered dulcimer arrangements, two percussion and voice duets (the "4th Station of the Cross" and a brand new, contemporary work titled "I am") These will be sung by Jeanne Anne Schroeder. There will also be a collaboration of Wichita's finest percussionists performing Michael's original ballet "Off Kilter" and an audience favorite "Syncopate My Afuche". Michael will also be playing some jazz tunes on the vibraphone and an extremely challenging standard on the marimba.

This performance will last approximately an hour and there will be a reception following in the lobby.

Michael has spent the last three semesters studying at Wichita State University and, if all goes well, he will graduate in May 2001 with a Masters in Percussion Performance.

2000 Nov 19

Dates Page is updated!
There are some new dates on the calendar, and some update info as well.

In addition to being available at concerts, the Christmas CD is also now available to purchase with a credit card at the The Better Book Room.

2000 Oct 26

The CDs are Here!
Dates Page is updated!
The Appalachian Christmas Quartet CD is now in stock, available and shipping! Click here for the Order Page. Also we have posted the first edition of the quartet's itinerary. Click here for the schedule. We have now added overseas shipping info to the order page. For overseas orders, Please add 3.00 to the regular price, bringing the total to 20.00 per CD.

2000 Oct 23

The "Hidden Special Pre-Order Form" contest is now concluded. (See news item 2000 Oct 02). All orders received with this form will now be returned. You must go to the regular order form to order.

Here are the instuctions for finding the hidden form...

1) Go to the regular Order From .
2) Click on the link "webmaster" at the very bottom of the page.
3) You are taken to the page http://appalachianquartet.com/maybe.html which appears to be just like the Main Home Page, except for a few small details. There are no links at all on this page, but if you look at the title bar (i.e. the bar of the browser window itself; the bar you click on when moving the window) it says "type in closer.html"
4) In the Address Box of your browser (that shows the address or URL of the page currently being displayed), type "closer.html." The trick is however to type it AFTER the exisiting domain - making the address http://appalachianquartet.com/closer.html
5)This takes you to another page apparently exactly like the previous one, except for a few small details. The title bar now says "You are red hot now!"
6) The next step requires some HTML snooping techniques. (This technique is commonly used by web page designers in the learning process - desiring to discover what makes a web page do what it does ... i.e. looking at the code.)
7) Choose View Source or Page Source under View in the menu bar.
8) You are now looking at the HTML code of the web page "closer.html." HTML code allows you to enter comments (or plain explanatory text) to help the programmer remember what in the Sam Heck he was doing when writing the code. Comments are delimited with the characters <!-- at the beginning and --> at the end. Searching the text of the HTML you will find a few Commented sections, one which now says (used to have other instructions when the contest was still live) ....

<!-- The free CD has already been claimed, and the special hidden pre-order price of 16.00 (one dollar off the regular price) has now expired. To find the hidden form (just for kicks) go to danlnet.com/aukofer/order.html. -->

9) As instructed in the HTML Comment, go to danlnet.com/aukofer/order.html. Here is the (now expired) special hidden order form. You were required to print this out and mail in with your 16.00 order (without it the price is 17.00 which of course is still a bargain with tax and shipping included).

Congratulations to all who found it!

2000 Oct 04

Congratulations to Jeremy Bauer! He was the first to find the hidden link, which with some excellent HTML detective skills, led to the special hidden order form!

Alex Chan was the runner up, and will move in to the first spot if Jeremy doesn't followup. (Alex was only 9 minutes behind. ARGH!) So far over a dozen folks have found it. You guys are awesome! You can still "WIN!" by finding the hidden form and ordering the Chrismtas CD for $16.00 (including shipping/handling/taxes) instead of the regular price of $17.00.

Let me answer a couple questions I've received (and therefore hopefully giving a few hints).

1) Some folks have found the regular order form http://appalachianquartet.com/order.html. If the order form you found says 17.00 (the regular order form), that's the wrong one. The (hidden) form you are looking for offers the CD for 16.00.

2) Some folks actually found the link, which takes you to a page that *APPEARS* to be just one of the other pages that APPARENTLY goes nowhere. Look *VERY* closely at that page (all over the page), and you'll find the next clue.

3) The link actually looks (underlined) and acts (takes you somewhere when clicked) just like any other link. It's in a place that you normally wouldn't find a link, and takes you somewhere that APPEARS to be a dead end. (Once you find the hidden link, you're only one third of the way to the hidden order form).

Good luck! You have until October 23rd to find the link, print and fill it out, and get it and your check to me at the address on the form.

2000 Oct 02

Announcing the Grand Opening of AppalachianQuartet.com.

As a special Grand Opening offer, you may receive a one dollar discount from the current pre-order purchase price of $17.00 (which includes shipping, handling, and sales tax), by finding the hidden link (hidden somewhere on one of the pages of this site) to the special order form reflecting the Sale Price of $16.00. Find that form, print it out and send your check for $16.00 along with the completed order form. Good Luck!

Oh, did we forget to tell you? The first person to find the hidden form, receives their CD absolutely FREE, and it will be autographed by all the members of the Quartet. (Winner to be determined by the earliest date stamp of the email ... directions to be found on your path to the hidden form.)

Questions?

2000 Aug 28

Welcome to the Appalachian Christmas Quartet Web Page. We are excited about the upcoming release of the ACQ CD. Many of you know this project was only previously heard live in December for the last four years around the Wichita, KS area, as a way for Michael Aukofer to expand his percussive horizons and to be home for Christmas. Also many were pleading for Michael to either tour in a wider area of the US, or at least record it. Well, we heard your pleas, and the recording is complete, and will ship in plenty of time for Christmas 2000. You are able to (as many did in early August at the LegacyFest 2000), pre-order a copy, and "be the first on your block!". (Click here for the order form.) The expected release date is early October 2000.