Our History
The Formation of the
American Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists was founded in 1896 in New York. The Guild decided to allow the formation of chapters throughout the country in 1901. The first chapter was established in Philadelphia in 1902. Boston was next in 1905, followed by Chicago. Soon, other chapters were springing up in Virginia (later Richmond), Minnesota (later Twin Cities), Los Angeles- all in 1910, Cleveland and Atlanta in 1914, Central Ohio (later Columbus) in 1917, and Milwaukee in 1919.
The Beginning
The first meeting of the North Carolina Chapter, AGO, was held at Salem College, Winston Salem, North Carolina, on November 23, 1922. “At 9:30 am, a short business session was held in the Alice Clowell Memorial building.” Officers were installed by Warden Frank L. Sealy of the National AGO Headquarters. Besides the 4 main officers, there were 2 auditors, a Registrar/Librarian, and an Executive board comprised of a Chairman and 9 members with 1, 2, and 3-year terms.
Following the installation, one of the members gave an organ recital playing works by Handel and Baldwin. Afterward, “Winston-Salem organs were inspected.” A luncheon at the college was followed by 2 more organ recitals in Memorial Hall on a 3 manual Hook and Hastings organ. That same day, a third organ recital was held at Reynolda, where tea was served. The meeting concluded with a banquet at the Robert E. Lee Hotel, where a vocalist provided musical entertainment. 22 members were present at that first meeting.
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Whew! In one day, they held a business meeting, had 4 organ recitals, an organ crawl, a luncheon, tea, and a banquet!
The Early Years
The chapter met again on April 17, 1924, at the College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Now UNC-Greensboro). This time, there was 1 organ recital. A musical program was given by the Euterpe Club. The Euterpe Club, named for one of the 9 muses (Music) in Greek Mythology, was organized in 1889. It is still in existence today.
A topic of discussion at the 1926 meeting was “Problems of the Church Organist.” Meetings were held approximately every 18 months.
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During the early years, musical entertainment included not only organ recitals but also vocal soloists, Glee club presentations, and instrumental groups. The organ recitals featured works by Bach, Saint-Seans, Karg-Elert, Guilmant, and Widor. They also included transcriptions and popular secular music of the day. Some of the titles found in the programs were:
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Song of the Basket Weaver
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Song of the Volga Boatmen-(arranged by the recitalist George M. Thompson-Head of the organ department at the Women’s College)
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March Slav
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O Thou Sublime Sweet Evening Star from “Tannhauser.”
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The last 3 titles were played for the dedication of the new Austin organ at Grace Methodist Church in Greensboro.
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A decision was made to have 2 meetings a year in different parts of the state. So, in 1927, the chapter met at St. Mary’s School in Raleigh. The Treasurer’s report showed a balance of $140.47. In 1935, a “Chapter History” was read into the minutes. It included the following paragraph:
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“Attendance at the meetings seems to have varied because of locations. We note with delight that at one time, there were 23 members present. And as varied has been the treasure’s reports, and for history’s purpose alone, we should like to note that the Guild at one time had a balance of $140.47 and at another $179.35. This seems so much like a fairy story that it is recorded here as history.”
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At the 1927 meeting, the chapter established an “Organ Students Contest” for young people to be held annually at each meeting of the Guild “for the encouragement of young musicians to study Pipe Organ, and to raise the standards of Church playing the State.”
The entrance fee for the contest was $1. Contestants were to play a hymn, one of Bach's Eight Little Preludes and Fugues, and one other piece from a list provided. One of the rules stated:
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“Contestants will not be required to play from memory, but they must arrange their own stop combinations and turn the pages of their music themselves.”
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The winner was awarded a silver cup.
The 1920s-1930s
In 1929, the chapter “goes on record as opposing an increase of fee, Two Dollars ($2.00) instead of One Dollar ($1.00), to be paid annually to head-quarters.”
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Membership declined in the 1930s, and an effort was made to encourage membership to return to active participation by canceling any dues in arrears.
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In 1933, the chapter decided to make the organ contest more challenging to be “worthy of the sanction of the chapter.” It was recommended for contestants to play pieces from memory and play four different styles of hymns: German chorale, general praise, evening hymns, and one other hymn. No two contestants could play the same hymns. There would be 3 judges instead of 1, and they would meet with each contestant after the competition to give them their criticisms.
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In 1936, the Chapter attempted to survey organists’ salaries in the state. “Not any church pastor or treasurer responded.” Dues were increased to $3.50.
The chapter sponsored the famous Pietro Yon in a recital at First Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC. The church was filled to capacity. The first 15 minutes were broadcast on the radio, and “Mr. Yon responded graciously to encores.” Special numbers were repeated after the program for those attendees in the parlors and Sunday school rooms who were not able to hear the first program.
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The chapter continued to meet at various locations in the state and always had a student recital as part of its program.
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In 1939, 26-year-old Virgil Fox was sponsored in a recital at Meredith College. He played works by Purcell, Vierne, Reger, Bach, Franck’s Grand Piece Symphonique, Bingham, McAmis, and Mulet, as well as Perpetuum Mobile (Etude for pedals alone) by Middelschulte. The chapter minutes recorded this comment:
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“Such clean, keen musicianship has not been enjoyed in so youthful a person before in North Carolina.”
The 1940s-1950s
Recitalists in the 1940’s included: Parvin Titus, Harry E. Cooper, Thane MacDonald, Clair Coci, and E Power Biggs. Admission for the Titus recital was 0.50.
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In 1942, the chapter purchased a $25.00 Defense Bond.
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Guest speaker at the November 1, 1948 meeting was Warden S. Lewis Elmer from National Headquarters. He gave a brief history of the Guild and presented the latest ideas to promote membership in the Guild. He announced the formation of 15 regions. Individual chapters were to have monthly meetings. There would be annual state conferences, Regional and National conventions. Student Groups were developed. (The first one was at Mississippi College for Women.) He also said the Guild would admit Choral directors as colleagues. “It is hoped that now that there are full time choral directors and the standards are high that salaries can rise also in the proper proportion.”
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Records from the 1950’s are missing, but at some point the chapter became the Central North Carolina Chapter.
The 1960s-1970s
The 1960s was a time of much activity. In 1965, the chapter hosted the Southeast Regional Convention. There were numerous recitals. At one given by Heinz Wunderlich, he premiered his “Toccata,” composed expressly for his United States concert tour. Other concert artists included Donald McDonald, Joan Lippincott, Vernon deTar, and Gillian Weir.
Arthur Poister held a 2-day, 4-session Master Class at Meredith College.
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The chapter also sponsored Community Thanksgiving services in Raleigh. Many area churches and choirs participated in these events.
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Members took a trip to the Zimmer Organ factory in Charlotte.
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The Community Thanksgiving Services continued into the 1970s, with some broadcast on WRAL TV.
Other chapter programs included: Student recitals, organ and instrument concerts, Master classes, Carillon programs, and Anthem Festivals, in addition to organ recitals.
The 1980s-1990s
In the 1980s, the chapter co-sponsored the North Carolina Bach Festival.
A newsletter was started. Dean Leonard Smith called the first issue “The Open Diapason.” Subsequent issues were given the names of different organ stops-Quintadena, Prestant, Geigen Sesquialtera, Bourdon, The Nazard, Gemshorn, Blockflöte, Koppelflöte, Hohflöte, The Tierce, Stopped Diapason, Gedackt, Dulciana. In 1982, it was given the name “Pontifical Trumpet” by Dean- Carolyn Brockwell.
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Recitalists included CJ Sambach, David Craighead, and Ray Ferguson and a Children’s choir festival by Sue Ellen Page was held in March 1983.
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The 1990s brought anthem reading sessions, members’ recitals, master classes, and hymn festivals. Recitalists included David Higgs, Frederick Swann, and Michael Farris.
In 1991, the newsletter was reinstated by Dean-Deanna Boksleitner with the name “Reverberations.” 1993 saw the development of the newsletter into its current form.
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The chapter participated in the World’s Largest Organ Recital on April 14, 1996. Every recital began with Toccata and Fugue in D minor-Bach
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In 1997, we celebrated the 75th Anniversary with a dinner and program.
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1998 saw the establishment of a scholarship fund for organ studies, and the chapter held its first Pipes, Pedals, and Pizza event to encourage young piano and organ students.
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The Bach Birthday Bash recital celebrating Bach’s 313th birthday in 1998 raised $449.00 for the scholarship fund-one of the largest sums raised by a chapter event.
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The banner on display was designed for use at the 1999 Region IV convention in Knoxville, TN.
A New Millennium
The new Millennium brings more activities for the chapter, including the establishment of the Cooper-Miller Organ Scholarship in 2007, named for two distinguished organists from Raleigh, NC.
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Programs during this time are many and varied, including workshops on cultural music, members’ recitals, organ crawls, hymn festivals, and organ recitals by well-known performers. The World’s Largest Organ recital evolved to include organs and other instruments. Recitalists have included: Charles Callahan, John Mitchner, Todd Wilson, Paul Jacobs, Dorothy Papadakos, Erik Wm. Suiter, and Timothy Albrecht.
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From its beginning in 1922 to the present, the North Carolina –later Central North Carolina Chapter of the AGO has promoted the highest level of organ playing. It has constantly sought to encourage the recognition of organists and other musicians for their unique talents and encourage young organists in developing their talents. It is our hope that this will continue for many years to come.
Previous Deans of the Central North Carolina American Guild of Organists
1922-1923
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Paul J. Weaver, AAGO
1925-1926
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George M. Thompson
1927-1928
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H. A. Shirley
Died in office, the remainder was served by the Sub Dean (C. J. Velie)
1930-1931
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C. G. Vardell Jr.
1933-1934
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Frederick S. Smith, AAGO
1938-1939
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Dr. Eugene Craft
1941-1944
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Russell Broughton, FAGO
1946-1948
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David S. Alkins
1950-1952
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Claude Murphrees
1958-1960
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David Pizzaro
1961-1962
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Jean Swanson
1963-1964
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Dr. Lillian Parker Wallace
1965-1966
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Gloria Green
1967-1969
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Geraldine S. Cate
1970-1971
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Dr. W. David Lynch
1972-1974
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Ruth Ann Ostergren
1976-1978
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Dr. William J. Weisser
1980-1982
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Leonard A. Smith
1983-1984
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Dr. James W. Good, AAGO
1985-1986
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Leonard A. Smith
1987-1988
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Dr. Dianna L. Greene
1990-1993
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Deanna E. Boksleitner
1995-1997
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Kevin S. Kerstetter
1999-2001
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Eddie Abernathy
2003-2005
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Lee Harris
2007-2011
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Dr. Thomas Fielding
2019-2024
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Dr. Mark Andersen
1924-1925
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Frank M. Church
1926-1927
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C. J. Velie
1929-1930
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C. J. Velie
1931-1933
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Nelson O. Kennedy
1934-1938
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Leslie P. Spelman, FAGO
1939-1941
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Dr. Harry E. Cooper, FAGO
1944-1946
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Unknown
1948-1950
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Unknown
1952-1958
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Unknown
1960-1961
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Unknown
1962-1963
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William Byrd
1964-1965
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Stephen E. Young, AAGO
1966-1967
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Walter Ross
1969-1970
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Robert Burns King
1971-1972
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Barbara L. Clarke
1974-1976
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Lewis Bruun
1978-1980
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Dr. Brock W. Downward
1982-1983
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Carolyn D. Brockwell
1984-1985
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Dr. William J. Weisser
1986-1987
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David K. Witt
1988-1990
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Dr. Cynthia Clark Brown
1993-1995
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Kenneth O. Woodard
Due to illness during part of his term, David K. Witt was Acting Dean
1997-1999
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Paul J. Monachino
2001-2003
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Janet Cherry
2005-2007
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Mark K. Gourley
2011-2019
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Dr. William J. Weisser
2024-
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Tanner Winchester