The Nominating Committee presents the following people for election.  Ballots will be mailed to the membership in mid-March.
 
 
DEAN:  FERN JENNINGS, CAGO
 
As a young teenage organist my organ teacher, Gordon Brooks, gave me a membership to the Youngstown AGO. I did not participate much in the Guild at that time but was impressed that this was an organization of professional organists. I attended concerts and once accompanied my choir from the Canfield Methodist Church at an AGO choral showcase. Since then I have continuously been an AGO member. I have been involved in leadership roles in the Canton, Akron, and Cleveland Chapters. In Canton we used to have monthly meetings that were always preceded by a member recital.
 
I served as Sub-dean and then Dean of the Akron Chapter. After finishing my (delayed) music degree at Case Western Reserve University, where I studied with Todd Wilson through the joint program with the Cleveland Institute of Music I served a two year term as Dean of the Cleveland Chapter. The highlight of that term was the dedication of the restored Severance Hall organ and the gala events surrounding that occasion. We also applied to host a regional convention. Subsequently, I served as program chair for the convention, under the able leadership of Carol Neff. The convention was a successful and rewarding endeavor.
 
Since then I have served the Chapter as Education and Exams chair. I have coordinated the Professional Exams that our Chapter administers at all levels. Last summer I was appointed Region V Coordinator for Education and Exams.
 
The AGO has been a constant throughout my life. I count among my oldest friends colleagues from the AGO. I have had the opportunity to travel to conventions and meet leaders in the organization at the National and Regional level. I would be honored to serve as Dean for the coming term. I will build on the excellent work done by Dean James Riggs, the Executive Committee and Web-Master Tim Robson in communications and programming. Areas that I think we need to work on are membership and perhaps downsizing the Executive Committee to meet the reality of today's volunteer pool.
 
SUB DEAN:  BARBARA MACGREGOR, AAGO
 
Barbara MacGregor is Professor of Music Emeritus in the College of Creative and Professional Arts, The University of Akron, where she taught organ, harpsichord and music theory courses and also served as Keyboard Studies Chair and Coordinator of the Performance Division. She was Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Akron for 20 years and Director of Music and Organist at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Akron for 15 years.  She has served as director of several concert series’ including the Keyboard Artist’s Recital Series (The University of Akron), Music at First Church (First United Methodist Church, Akron) and Trinity Organ Concert Series, (Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Akron).   She was organist for the Chautauqua program at Lakeside-on-Lake Erie and organist with the Akron Symphony Orchestra for many years. Currently, she serves on the Program Board of the Tuesday Musical Association in Akron and Music from the Western Reserve in Hudson.
 
AGO Activity includes the offices of Dean, Sub-Dean, Executive Committee, Placement Chair and Education Chair for the Akron, Ohio Chapter; Committee for the first Pipe Organ Encounter in Pittsburgh and faculty for 5 subsequent POEs in Regions IV and V; she has also been an adjudicator, clinician, workshop leader, or performer for many chapters across the country and has been a dual member of Cleveland and Akron chapters for many years.
 
Barbara is active as a performer and clinician throughout the country and has been a clinician and featured performer at regional or national conferences of Music Educators
National Conference, National Federation of Music Clubs, the American Guild of Organists and church denominations. Concert performances include appearances at Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, South Carolina, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Washington National Cathedral, Interlochen, Carnegie Hall, Cleveland Museum of Art and Severance Hall. She has also studied and performed in Europe and has performed with a variety of artists including Sir David Wilcocks, John Rutter, Dave Brubeck and Eugenia Zukerman.

SECRETARY:  LINDA KEMPKE
 
Linda Kempke, a retired Associate in Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is the interim Cantor at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Brooklyn, and currently a member of the Executive Committee. She holds degrees from Trinity Lutheran Seminary and the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music and also holds the AGO Colleague certificate.  Additionally, she attended Oberlin Conservatory. Active in church music for many years Linda is currently the Region 1 President of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.
 
TREASURER:  DON JACKSON
 
Don Jackson has a business degree from Virginia Commonwealth Univ. where he also studied organ and church music.  Don lived in the DC area for 20 years where he was employed by Potomac Electric Power Co. and was also active as a substitute organist.  He served at various times as treasurer and registrar of the Potomac (Maryland) Chapter, and registrar and program committee member of the DC Chapter.  After moving to Cleveland, he was organist-director at Parma Lutheran and for the last seven years he has been organist at Prince of Peace Lutheran, Westlake.  Don is also parish administrator and bookkeeper at Christ Episcopal, Shaker Heights.
 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
 
ROBERT (Bobby) SULLIVAN is the Organist and Director of Music/Liturgy and Parish Administrative Assistant at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Canton, Ohio, a position he has held for 15 years.  He is responsible for the acquisition of the 2004 Kegg Pipe Organ at St. John Church, the Gallery Choir and the day to day operation of the parish.  Bobby is also the Executive Secretary for the American Institute of Organbuilders.  Mr. Sullivan has served as Sub-Dean and Dean of the Canton Chapter of the AGO.
 
CLIFFORD HILL is the President and Music Buyer for Cliff Hill Music Company. An expert in choral and organ literature, Mr. Hill is consulted by church musicians throughout the world. He frequently conducts choral reading sessions and has contributed to www.beliefnet.com, a web site devoted to religions of the world. In addition, Mr. Hill sings with the cathedral choir at Trinity Cathedral. He is a graduate of Westminster Choir College where he earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees. He is active in the Association of Anglican Musicians and The American Guild of Organists.
 
JAMES D. CLOUSER is the Director of Music Ministries/Principal Organist at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Strongsville.  Jim is a member of the Cleveland and Akron chapters.  He was the first prize winner of the 2004 Quimby/AGO Region V Competition and holds the Colleaugue (CAGO) and Choirmaster (Ch.M) certification. After studying Organ Performance with Todd Wilson at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Jim worked as an apprentice and office assistant at the Leek Pipe Organ Company in Oberlin.  He continues to work with the firm as an independent contractor as a project assistant/consultant, newsletter editor, and organist/speaker for educational events.
 
PATRICK WICKLIFFE holds a Master of Music in performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Antonio Pompa-Baldi and a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory, where he studied with Robert Shannon and Peter Takács. Mr. Wickliffe currently serves as Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. His church career has spanned eight years and has included assistantships, key internships, and staff positions at area churches including St. Angela Merici Catholic Church, First United Methodist Church of Macedonia, and Plymouth Church, UCC, of Shaker Heights, where he studied music ministry and organ with Jim Riggs, current Dean of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Mr. Wickliffe maintains active membership in the AGO as well as the National Pastoral Musician’s Association (NPM), and has been a past member of the Music Teachers National Association, and the College Music Society.

There is no better time of year than the holidays to give the gift of membership to a student, friend, or loved one. Are you an organ teacher looking for the perfect gift for your talented student? Are you an organ enthusiast looking to share your passion for the instrument with a friend? Is there someone special in your life with whom you want to share your deep commitment to the organ?

Share your love of the organ by giving a gift membership today!

With a variety of voting and non-voting membership options including Chapter-affiliated, Independent, and Lifetime Membership to name a few, there is sure to be a category perfect for everyone on your list. Remember that all individuals interested in the organ and choral music are prime candidates for AGO membership, and that membership is open to everyone, regardless of denominational affiliation or musical ability.

Not sure membership fits everyone on your list? Give a Subscription to the world’s most widely read journal devoted to organ and choral music, THE AMERICANORGANIST Magazine; shop the AGO Online Store for other gift ideas; or make anOnline Contribution to honor a student, friend, or loved one.

Questions? Please give us a call at 212-870-2310 or e-mail info@agohq.org. AGO holiday elves are ready to assist you with your selection.

Thank you for your support of the American Guild of Organists!

Warm wishes for the holiday season,

James Thomashower, Executive Director,
and the AGO National Headquarters Staff

NEA Funding Will Support New Music, Workshops, and Performances at the
51st Biennial AGO National Convention in Nashville, Tenn., July 1–6, 2012


NEW YORK CITY — The American Guild of Organists (AGO) has been awarded a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support the 2012 AGO National Convention in Nashville, Tenn., July 1–6, 2012. The $15,000 NEA “Art Works” grant is directed to new music, workshops, and performances, and carries a mandate that it be matched dollar for dollar from other funding sources. The 2012 AGO National Convention is the third consecutive AGO National Convention that has garnered funding from the arts endowment.

AGO President Eileen Guenther stated, “The recognition by the NEA reaffirms the importance of new music commissions to increase organ and choral repertoire available to future generations, and to increase the American public’s knowledge of and appreciation for contemporary classical music. The AGO is especially interested in supporting new music for the concert stage, as there are increasing numbers of American concert halls, including the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, with new concert organs.”

AGO Executive Director James Thomashower added, “It is an honor to be recognized by the NEA. We are highly grateful for this grant that will enable us to continue our tradition of presenting outstanding musical performances when we meet for our 2012 AGO National Convention in Nashville.”

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman announced that the agency will award 863 grants to organizations and individuals across the country. The 863 grant awards total $22.543 million, encompass 15 artistic disciplines and fields, and support projects in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. “Art Works is the guiding principle at the NEA,” said Agency Chairman Landesman. “And I’m pleased to see that principle represented through the Art Works-funded projects that demonstrate the imaginative and innovative capacities of artists and arts organizations to enhance the quality of life in their communities.”

For its 51st biennial National Convention in Nashville, Tenn., the AGO has commissioned new compositions from Diana Burrell, David Conte, Eleanor Daley, Craig Phillips, Rosephanye Dunn Powell, and Roberto Sierra. The NEA grant will support these newly commissioned works and their premier performances, as well as educational workshops and concert programming during the convention. The roster of convention performers will include organ recitalists Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin, Matthew Dirst, Ahreum Han, Hector Olivera, Jane Parker-Smith, Craig Phillips, Raul Priéto Ramirez, Cherry Rhodes, Tom Trenney, and Thomas Trotter, plus winners of the AGO National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance, the AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation, and the AGO/Quimby Regional Competitions for Young Organists; choral ensembles Choir of Trinity College (Cambridge) and Nashville Chamber Choir; and instrumental ensembles Nashville Baroque Ensemble, Nashville Symphony (with organists Nathan Laube and Todd Wilson), and Joseph Gramley/Clive Driskill-Smith (organ and percussion duo).

For further information about the 2012 AGO National Convention, please visit www.Ago2012.org. For further information about the National Endowment for the Arts, please visit www.Nea.gov. ■

F. Anthony Thurman, DMA
Director of Development and Communications
American Guild of Organists
National Headquarters and THE AMERICAN ORGANIST Magazine
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260
New York, NY 10115
212-870-2310
212-870-2311 Ext. 4308 (Direct)
FAX: 212-870-2163
E-Mail: fathurman@agohq.org 
Web: www.agohq.org 

Download an insert to put in your church's Sunday bulletin to advertise Cleveland Organ Weekend, October 28-30, at https://sites.google.com/a/agocleveland.org/agocleveland/chapter-events/cleveland-organ-weekend-resources/OrganWeekendBulletininsert.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

An archive of each Weekly Update email message can now be found linked on the Newsletter page or here.  Archives of the monthly issues of the chapter newsletter from January through June 2011 are also available on the Newsletter page.

My name is Stacy, I am Joyce Gordon’s daughter. My mom mentioned that she shared with you the predicament we are in regarding my grandfathers organ.  This is a beautiful instrument that we no longer have any use for.  The ad below mentions a price of $3000 or best offer.  We are more than happy to provide this as simply a donation in exchange for a tax receipt.  We so much appreciate your help in finding a home for this piece.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 216.536.6388 orsaggabhgirls@hotmail.com
Thanks,
Stacy
 
Make beautiful music!

 This Yamaha FX-10 retailed for almost $20,000. One owner and meticulously maintained. Asking $3000 or best offer

  FX-10 utilizes patented FM frequency modulation and a dynamic sound system to create orchestra-like presence with:
• Dual five octave keyboards (61 keys each)
• Dual octave foot pedals (25 pedals)
• Hundreds of different instrumental voice combinations with 
• Optional individual voice volume adjustment 
• Optimal touch sensitive features
• 8 registration preset buttons, covering control over the entire orchestration of the organ (which can be stored on a cartridge) 
• Auto Rhythm - 19 rhythm styles, with 4 variations in each (64 total)
• Break variations (48 patterns)
• Auto variation - normal, 4 bar, 8 bar, 16 bar
• Rhythm sequence programmer
• Digital display for temp bar/beat
• Tempo range 40 - 340 beats per minute
Includes all owners manuals

Buyer is responsible for moving.

Celebration of Brilliant Performer, Teacher, and Friend
Raised $30,000 in New Haven, Conn., Benefitting AGO Endowment Fund



NEW YORK CITY — The American Guild of Organists (AGO) presented its eighth  annual Recital and Gala Benefit Reception on Sunday, May 15, at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. An estimated audience of 500 colleagues, students, and friends came together to celebrate the lifetime achievements of Thomas Murray on the occasion of his thirtieth anniversary at Yale.

The gala was sponsored by the AGO National Council and its Development Committee. Major funding was provided by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Pemcor Inc. of Lancaster, Pa., printer of The American Organist. The event raised $30,000 to be invested in the AGO Endowment Fund in Thomas Murray’s honor.

The recital, which was played by Thomas Murray on the world renowned Newberry Memorial Organ in Woolsey Hall, was introduced by Craig Whitney, New York Times assistant managing editor (retired) and author of All the Stops: The Glorious Pipe Organ and Its American Masters. Professor Murray’s program included Bach’s Toccata in F Major (BWV 540), Sonata II (1937) by Hindemith, selections from Symphony I on Gregorian Themes (1932) by Guy Weitz, and the Symphony in D Minor by Franck, transcribed by Calvin Hampton. A reception, which was attended by 125 individuals, followed in the Yale President’s Room.

Established in 1994, the AGO Endowment Fund provides income to expand programs for leadership development among AGO members; educate new organists; and cultivate new audiences for organ and choral music. Tax-deductible contributions to the Endowment Fund are invested in perpetuity to produce continuing income support for essential Guild programs and educational projects.

Those unable to attend the gala will receive a copy of the souvenir program book with their contribution of $25 or more to the Endowment Fund. Contributions in honor of Thomas Murray can be made online at www.agohq.org or by mailing a check to: AGO Endowment Fund, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, NY 10115. All gifts will be acknowledged in The American Organist. For information, please call 212-870-2311 (ext. 4308) or e-mail gala@agohq.org. ■

EROI Festival 2011: Improvisation and Organ Pedagogy
November 10–13, 2011, Rochester, N.Y.
 
NEW YORK CITY—The American Guild of Organists (AGO) and the Eastman School of Music are partnering to produce the 16th biennial AGO National Conference on Organ Pedagogy, November 10–13, 2011, in Rochester, N.Y. The conference, designed in cooperation between the AGO Committee on Continuing Professional Education and the 10th annual Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative (EROI) Festival, will present the topic of organ improvisation through a variety of compositional techniques and styles. Complete information, including online registration, is available online. Early registration discounts are available through August 15.



"The goal of the AGO’s pedagogy conferences is to address various topics and issues pertaining to organ instruction in North America," declared David Heller, director of the AGO Committee on Continuing Professional Education. "The City of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music, with its multiplicity of instruments and performing venues, will provide a superb setting in which to address the topic of improvisation from many different angles, providing information and resources that will be useful to all instructors of the organ at all levels of instruction."

The four-day conference will present master classes featuring students at a variety of levels, panel discussions addressing the teaching of improvisation, and sessions that will provide attendees with resource material in the pedagogy of improvisation. The keynote address, Why Is Improvisation So Difficult?, will be given by Eastman faculty member William Porter.
A distinguished faculty of internationally renowned organists and teachers working in the discipline of organ improvisation will include Jeffrey Brillhart (Yale University), Tony Caramia (Eastman), Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin (Royal College of Music, London), Hans Davidsson (Eastman), Michael Dodds (University of North Carolina School of the Arts), Gerre Hancock (Butler School of Music, University of Texas), David Higgs (Eastman), Denise Lanning (Denver Chapter, AGO), Rudolf Lutz (Schola Cantorum Basiliensis), William Marvin (Eastman), Bruce Neswick (Indiana University), David Peckham (Horseheads United Methodist Church, Horseheads, N.Y.), McNeil Robinson (Manhattan School of Music), Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra (author of Bach and the Art of Improvisation), John R. Shannon (Sweet Briar College), and Daniel Zager (Eastman).

For further information, please contact please contact EROI Festival Coordinator Annie Laver at 585-274-1564 or e-mail anne.laver@rochester.edu.