Presented by: Charles Boyd Tompkins, DMA Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover E Carl Rütti (b. 1949) is one of the outstanding Swiss composers of our time. His extensive catalogue of compositions includes a number of striking and colorful works for solo organ. Rütti has also composed anthems and longer choral works with organ accompaniment, all […]

Presented by: John Brock, MM Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover F This workshop introduces 101 Chorale Preludes: German Organ Works of the 17th and 18th Centuries, a new publication by Wayne Leupold Editions, edited by John Brock and Quentin Faulkner. This volume contains a significant body of chorale-based works by North, Central, and South German […]

Presented by: Robert Knupp, DMA Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover B When one embarks on a journey, there are things that one expects to learn and things one learns that one does not expect. Some aspects of a journey go well beyond expectations, and sometimes one must adapt and just journey on. "Lessons from Leipzig" […]

Presented by: Don Cook, DMA, AAGO, Councillor for Education Location: Hyatt Regency - Inman While the AGO devotes much attention to the new organist, great effort is also made to assist advanced organists and teachers in their work and goals. This presentation will explore the many AGO resources, programs, and opportunities for organists who are […]

Location: Hyatt Regency - Regency V

Presented by: Erin Scheessele, PhD, Orgelkids USA Location: Kennesaw Orgelkids is a powerful tool for engaging the public with the King of Instruments by building a working organ. Your AGO chapter can bring Orgelkids to your community, explore how Orgelkids fits into AGO’s existing outreach curriculum, and examine how you can curate the Orgelkids kit […]

Presented by: Jordan Prescott, MM Location: Learning Center What is the difference between a personal statement, a statement of intent, and a cover letter? What should be in a curriculum vitae? How can I increase my chances for financial aid? Beyond the preparation of audition repertoire, these questions — and many others — can be […]

Presented by: Eileen Hunt, DMA, AAGO, Vice President & Councillor for Competitions and New Music, James Thomashower, BA, AGO Executive Director, and the Strategic Planning Task Force Location: Hyatt Regency - Dunwoody This workshop will present an update on year two of our Strategic Planning Initiative and the exciting progress on meeting our Goals and […]

Presented by: Rachel Laurin, June Nixon, Barbara Portman Location: Hyatt Regency - Courtland Three well-known and highly respected composers share insights into their compositional processes, inspirations for their works, and thoughts about writing for the organ.

Presented by: Benjamin Kołodziej Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover E Providing music for weddings and funerals can pose a challenge for musicians, who often find themselves caught between elevated emotions and abounding sentimentality. How do we maintain our composure and balance in these trying circumstances, realizing that the situation strains our ability to communicate and […]

Presented by: Charles W. Steele, DMA Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover F An important facet of America’s musical heritage has been preserved in the shape-note tunebooks of the nineteenth century. A significant compiler of shape-note collections was William Walker (1809-1875) of Spartanburg, SC. His collection, Southern Harmony, was very popular in its day. Supposedly, over […]

Presented by: Members of the AGO National Council Location: Hyatt Regency - Dunwoody This Open Forum is your opportunity to meet with members of the AGO National Council to discuss topics of interest to you. The agenda is wide open. The setting is informal. Guild members and guests are invited to ask questions, state their […]

Presented by: Peter Bates, MM, Committee on Sharing Skills and Resources, and David Lamb, DMus, CAGO, Councillor for Membership Location: Hyatt Regency - Inman A discussion of ideas to help bring your AGO chapter offerings to the forefront of your community arts events calendar.

Location: Hyatt Regency - Regency V

Presented by: Jillian Gardner, MM, Convener of AGOYO Location: Hyatt Regency - Learning Center Not all collegiate organ majors are solely destined to be strictly a church organist or concert organist, so how do you find your niche as our profession is changing? How do you establish yourself in a new community of professionals? We […]

Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover C

Presented by: The Rev. Barbara Day Miller, MDiv Location: Hyatt Regency - Courtland Those who lead worship on the Sabbath are often without a Sabbath rest themselves. This workshop will provide resources and explore paths for claiming space and time for weekly and seasonal renewal, nourishing spiritual growth, and maintaining energy and passion for our […]

Presented by: Anne Marsden Thomas, MBE, BMus, FRCO, FRSCM, ARAM and Frederick Stocken, PhD Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover E Most students concentrate on learning pieces, postponing the study of keyboard skills until full-time training, diplomas, or church requirements prompt an intensive catch-up course. Instead of this fear-inducing and confidence-sapping approach to learning keyboard skills, […]

Presented by: David A. Stech, PhD Location: Hyatt Regency - Inman Dr. Stech will discuss his ongoing project to discover obscure and rare sound recordings of organ improvisations performed by renowned French organist Marcel Dupré (1886-1971). A brief discussion regarding the techniques used to transcribe and reconstruct music score engravings for publication will follow. Also […]

Location: Hyatt Regency - Regency V

Presented by: Vicki Schaeffer, DMus, Chair of the Board of Regional Councillors Location: Hyatt Regency - Learning Center How did you get where you are? What skills do you think are crucial to our careers as organists and church musicians? Who were your mentors? What can we do to support and encourage those who are […]

Presented by: Derek Remeš, MM, MA Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover B Recent archival discoveries have begun to alter long-standing assumptions about the methods and materials of J.S. Bach’s pedagogy. It was not the ornate, four-part, vocal Choralgesänge that played the central role in Bach’s teaching, but rather simpler thoroughbass chorale harmonizations at the keyboard. […]

Presented by: Joseph Golden, MM Location: Hyatt Regency - Hanover F A workshop/demonstration that will focus on lifting hymn playing to the highest standards expected of all keyboard playing in the popular realm of Collaborative Arts, presented by a member of the AGO and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). Emphasis will be […]