Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists 

CHAPTER BOARD

Executive Board

Interim Co-Dean, Registrar (2022), Newsletter
Ronald Butts-Boehmer, CAGO

Interim Co-Dean, Member at Large (2022)
Carter Stevens

Interim Treasurer, Member at Large (2022), Webmaster
Edward Roberts

Secretary (2022), Facebook
Erin Bullock


Chapter Officers and Committees

Chaplain
Rev. Dr. J. Michael McMahon

Auditor, Budget & Finance Committee
Christopher J. Cooper, JD

Archivist. Historian, Program Committee, Yearbook Committee
Alvin D. "Ted" Gustin

Education: AGO Certification
Dr. David G. Kelley, AAGO, ChM

Education: AGO Certification, Program Committee
Dr. Justus F. Parrotta, FAGO

Hospitality Committee
Dr. Kimberly A. Hess, Past Dean

Online Technology
Steve J. McBride. Jr.

Potomac Organ Institute Liason, Publicity
Adam Graham

Program Committee
Jason Abel


Email: novaago@gmail.com

Website:  www.novaago.org

Chapter Mailing Address:
Northern Virginia Chapter of the
American Guild of Organists
Erin Bullock, Secretary
PO Box 101632
Arlington VA 22210

Telephone: 276-806-2191

National: https://www.agohq.org/

Potomac Organ Institute 
http://www.novaago.org/potomac-organ-institute.html

Co-Coordinators
Carolyn Booth 
CLBmuscmkr@aol.com
Peter Crisafulli 
​peter.crisafulli@allsaintschurch.net

The Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (organized in 1955 by Mary Camm Adams) is a chapter of the American Guild of Organists, a chartered educational organization, with membership open to professionals, amateurs, and supporters.

Its mission is to enrich lives through organ and choral music.

To achieve this, we
• Encourage excellence in the performance of organ and choral music;
• Inspire, educate, and offer certification for organists and choral conductors;
• Provide networking, fellowship, and mutual support;
• Nurture future generations of organists;
• Promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles; and
• Engage wider audiences with organ and choral music.

Purpose and History

The purposes of the American Guild of Organists are:

• To advance the cause of organ and choral music, to increase their contributions to aesthetic and religious experiences, and to promote their understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment.
• To improve the proficiency of organists and choral conductors.
• To evaluate, by examination, attainments in organ playing, choral techniques, conducting, and the theory and general knowledge of music, and to grant certificates to those who pass such examinations at specified levels of attainment.
• To provide members with opportunities to meet for discussion of professional topics, and to pursue such other activities as contribute to the fulfillment of the purposes of the Guild.
• Guild sponsored activities include a series of examinations for professional certification as well as programs and an extensive list of publications, CDs, DVDs, and learning resources for all levels of interest. The Guild sponsors competitions in organ performance and improvisation and in organ and choral composition. National and regional conventions held in alternate years, present the finest performers. THE AMERICAN ORGANIST magazine, published monthly by the AGO, is the most widely read journal devoted to organ and choral music in the world.

History of the American Guild of Organists

The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. The Guild serves approximately 20,000 members in more than 300 chapters throughout the United States and abroad.

Founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization, the Guild seeks to set and maintain high musical standards and to promote understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music.

Under the leadership of the National Council, a network of volunteer committees and officials at the regional, district, and local levels directs the activities of the Guild. The AGO National Headquarters is in New York City where a full time staff supports and coordinates publication, administration, and development activities of the organization. For purposes of administration and representation, the Guild is divided into nine geographical regions, and each chapter is assigned to one of them.

The American Guild of Organists and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America (APOBA) share a mutually beneficial association, a collaboration that has existed since 1975. For several decades this relationship has been strengthened by financial contributions from APOBA and its members in support of the AGO and its Pipe Organ Encounters (POE) program. The AGO has responded with generous provisions for bringing news from APOBA and its members to the organ public.

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Past Deans of Northern Virginia Chapter

​1955-1957    Mary Camm Adams*
1957-1959    R. Eugene Livesay*
1959-1961    Margaret L. F. Garthoff*
1961-1963    Dean B. Thomas
1963-1965   Dana C. Brown, ChM*
1965-1967   Nancy Phillips, FAGO
1967-1969   Francis S. Harrell
1969-1971    Robert R. Zboray
1971-1972    Frederick C. North, II
1972-1974   Phyllis K. Lind
1974-1976   Angeline I. Zipp
1976-1978   Kurt Karlsson
1978-1980   Jane A. Bourdow
1980-1982   Helen P . Healy*
1982-1984   Marti Rideout
1984-1986   Barbara M. Hanson
1986-1988   Ralph E. Maxwell
1988-1990   Marjory H. Melnick
1990-1992   Shirley J. Minter
1992-1994   Paul Skevington
1994-1997   Rebecca Verner
1997-1998   Terry Sisk
1998-2000   Rick Gibala
2000-2002  Rebecca Jackson
2002-2004  Andrew Price
2004-2006  Helen Rickels*
2006-2007  Thomas Lee Bailey
2007-2010   Lawrence Young*
2010-2013    Scott Matthias
2013-2015    Benjamin Keseley
​2015-2016   Michael Lodico
2016-2020  Kimberly Ann Hess
2020-2020  Jason Farris

*Deceased  ​