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American Guild of Organists

 
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American Guild of Organists
 
 
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The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organist
Organist

An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ . An organist may play organ repertoire, play with an musical ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist....
s in the USA, headquartered in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization. Membership is not limited to professional organists, but is open to anybody with an interest in organ
Organ (music)

The organ is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard played either Manual or Pedal clavier. The organ is one of the oldest musical instruments in the European classical music....
 music. There are approximately 25,000 AGO members in all categories. The Guild seeks to set and maintain high musical standards and to promote understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music.

AGO is geographically divided into nine regions and 330 chapters nationwide.






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The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organist
Organist

An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ . An organist may play organ repertoire, play with an musical ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist....
s in the USA, headquartered in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization. Membership is not limited to professional organists, but is open to anybody with an interest in organ
Organ (music)

The organ is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard played either Manual or Pedal clavier. The organ is one of the oldest musical instruments in the European classical music....
 music. There are approximately 25,000 AGO members in all categories. The Guild seeks to set and maintain high musical standards and to promote understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music.

Organization

The AGO is geographically divided into nine regions and 330 chapters nationwide. In recent years, the AGO has added international chapters in Bermuda
Bermuda

Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1350 kilometres south of Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
, and Singapore
Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country microstate located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands....
. The Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
an chapter is the oldest international chapter, with many members in France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 and Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
, as well as some in other countries.

The leadership of the AGO consists of a National Council, several Regions and various local chapters within each Region. The national headquarters are located at 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, in New York, USA.

The National Council is the main governing body of the American Guild of Organists. The four National Officers, three National Councillors with portfolio and nine Regional Councillors are members of the National Council. The Executive Director is a non-voting member of the National Council.

The Executive Committee of the Guild is responsible for the management of the affairs of the Guild when the National Council is not in session and acts on matters referred to it by the National Council. All actions of the Executive Committee are subject to ratification by the National Council at its next meeting. The Executive Committee consists of the four National Officers, the three National Councillors with portfolio and the Convener of the Regional Councillors (elected by the Regional Councillors at their first meeting following a national election). The Executive Director is a member of the Executive Committee.

The National Officers of the Guild consist of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer who also serves as the Councillor for Finance and Development, and a Chaplain. The Chaplain is an honorary national officer and not a member of the National Council.

National Councillors coordinate and represent to the National Council specific areas of the work of the Guild -- education, professional development, competitions and conventions, and finance and development.

The Regional Councillors supervise and coordinate the work of the Guild in each Region and represent the Regions on the National Council. There are nine regions:

I – New England
II – New York/New Jersey, including Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
III – Mid-Atlantic
IV– Southeast, including Bermuda
Bermuda

Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1350 kilometres south of Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada....
V– Great Lakes
VI – North Central
VII – Southwest
VIII– Pacific Northwest
IX– Far West, including chapters in Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
, and Singapore
Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country microstate located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands....


A Regional Councillor is elected by the members of the Guild assigned to Chapters within each of the nine regions. The Regional Councillor is responsible for supervision and coordination of the work of the Guild in their Region and representation of the Region on the National Council.

Appointed District Conveners are responsible for the development of the Guild's interests in each state or area located within the Region. The District Convener assists the Regional Councillor in the work of the Region.

In addition to District Conveners, Regional Coordinators are appointed to assist the Regional Councillor and a National Councillor in coordinating work of a specific portfolio area of the Guild within the Region, such as education and professional concerns.

Eileen Guenther is president, elected on June 25, 2008 at the AGO's national convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis is the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Hennepin County, Minnesota. The city lies on both banks of the Mississippi River, just north of the river's confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Saint Paul, Minnesota, the state's Capital ....
 to a two–year term (July 1, 2008–June 30, 2010). Guenther's predecessor, Frederick Swann
Frederick Swann

Frederick L. Swann is a prominent United States concert organist, recording artist, Conducting, and former president of the American Guild of Organists ....
, had served as president for three terms between 2002 and 2008, having been re-elected to a third two-year term as AGO President in July 2006 at the AGO's national convention in Chicago, Illinois. John Walker
John Walker (organist)

John C. Walker , more familiarly known as John Walker, is an United States concert organist, Conducting, and Compact Disc recording artist....
 is vice-president, elected at the Minneapolis conclave to a two–year term (July 1, 2008–June 30, 2010).

Programs and publications

The organization holds national conventions in even-numbered years and regional conventions in odd-numbered years. It sponsors a number of education programs, including "Pipe Organ Encounters," which are intended to introduce school children to the organ
Pipe organ

The pipe organ is a keyboard musical instrument that produces sound by venting mechanically compressed air through resonant Organ pipe. Each pipe produces sound at one fixed pitch, so they are provided in sets or "ranks" with one pipe or more per note, each rank having a common timbre and loudness throughout....
 and its workings.

The AGO also issues several professional certificates and designations upon completion of the appropriate exams and membership in good standing in a Guild chapter: the Service Playing Certificate (SPC), Colleague (CAGO), Choir Master (ChM), Associateship (AAGO), and Fellowship (FAGO).

The AGO publishes monthly The American Organist, as the official journal of the AGO and the Royal Canadian College of Organists
Royal Canadian College of Organists

The Royal Canadian College of Organists , founded in 1909,is a national association of organists and church musicians in Canada, with 32 centres from Victoria, British Columbia to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island....
 (RCCO) for members and non-member subscribers. The illustrated magazine features news about new and restored pipe organs, concert programs, research into organ literature, chapter activities, and reviews of new organ compact disc
Compact Disc

A Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store Data , originally developed for storing digital audio. The CD, available on the market since October 1982, remains the standard physical medium for sale of commercial Sound recording and reproduction to the present day....
s. The American Organist is also the official magazine for the Associated Pipe Organ Builders in America. Its masthead
Masthead (publishing)

Masthead is a list, usually found on the editorial page of a newspaper or magazine, of the members of the newspaper's editorial board. If no editorial board exists, the masthead will often feature a list of top news staff members....
 proclaims the journal's goal: "to further ...[the AGO's and RCCO's] ideals, objectives, and cultural and educational aspirations".

External links