About Us
Northern Virginia Executive Officers
Christopher J. Hoh, Dean
Composer-Editor-Publisher, HohMade Music
U.S. Foreign Service, retired
Georgetown University, BSFS
Composer-Editor-Publisher, HohMade Music
U.S. Foreign Service, retired
Georgetown University, BSFS
Christopher Betts, FRCO, Sub Dean
Managing Director, Solid State Organ Systems
Associate Organist, St. John's Lafayette Square
Formerly St. Paul United Methodist, Houston, TX, & Washington National Cathedral
Magdalen College, Oxford University, MA
Managing Director, Solid State Organ Systems
Associate Organist, St. John's Lafayette Square
Formerly St. Paul United Methodist, Houston, TX, & Washington National Cathedral
Magdalen College, Oxford University, MA
John "JJ" Mitchell, Treasurer (Dean 2024-2026)
Choral Arts Director, Gonzaga College High School
Formerly St. John Neumann, Reston, & Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX
3rd Prize in National Improvisation Competition of the AGO
Westminster Choir College, BA, Notre Dame, MSM, University of Houston, DMA
Choral Arts Director, Gonzaga College High School
Formerly St. John Neumann, Reston, & Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX
3rd Prize in National Improvisation Competition of the AGO
Westminster Choir College, BA, Notre Dame, MSM, University of Houston, DMA
Christopher Cooper, CAGO, Secretary
University of North Dakota, BBA, BSA, JD
Full time professional in the aviation industry
20+ years of experience as a part-time or substitute organist in both Protestant and Catholic liturgies.
University of North Dakota, BBA, BSA, JD
Full time professional in the aviation industry
20+ years of experience as a part-time or substitute organist in both Protestant and Catholic liturgies.
Ronald Butts Boehmer, CAGO, Registrar (Dean 2020-2024)
Orchestral Conducting, Salerno Conservatory
USN Veteran
Orchestral Conducting, Salerno Conservatory
USN Veteran
Jason Abel, Member at Large
Music Director, Christ Church (Episcopal), Alexandria
Formerly Church of the Nativity, Huntsville, AL
The University of the South (Sewanee), BA; Southern Methodist University MSM
Music Director, Christ Church (Episcopal), Alexandria
Formerly Church of the Nativity, Huntsville, AL
The University of the South (Sewanee), BA; Southern Methodist University MSM
Randall Sheets, Member at Large (Auditor)
Ceremonial Organist, Arlington National Cemetery, (retired)
Former Concert Organist with Seipp/Sheets Duo
Wittenberg University, BM, Bowling Green University, MM, University of Maryland, DMA
Organist at First Church of Christ Scientist, Alexandria, VA
Ceremonial Organist, Arlington National Cemetery, (retired)
Former Concert Organist with Seipp/Sheets Duo
Wittenberg University, BM, Bowling Green University, MM, University of Maryland, DMA
Organist at First Church of Christ Scientist, Alexandria, VA
The American Guild of Organists
The mission of the American Guild of Organists is to foster a thriving community of musicians who share their knowledge and inspire passion for the organ.
The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. The Guild serves approximately 14,700 members in approximately 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 seven 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.
The purposes of the American Guild of Organists are:
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.
The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. The Guild serves approximately 14,700 members in approximately 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 seven 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.
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.
Former Deans of the 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
2020-2021 Ronald Butts Beohmer CAGO & Carter Stevens
2021-2024 Ronald Butts Boehmer CAGO
2024-2026 John "JJ" Mitchell
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
2020-2021 Ronald Butts Beohmer CAGO & Carter Stevens
2021-2024 Ronald Butts Boehmer CAGO
2024-2026 John "JJ" Mitchell
