Our History

History of the Dallas Chapter AGO (formerly the Texas Chapter)

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1918 The first AGO chapter in Texas, the Texas Chapter, was founded, with Mrs. James H. Cassidy, AAGO, as Dean.

1919 | The Rev. Thomas F. Gallaher, D.D., was elected first Chaplain of the Texas Chapter.

1921 | The first yearbook was published.

1924 | The first Guild Service was held.

1925 | The Texas Chapter held the first State Convention.

1928 | The Texas Chapter celebrated its 10th Anniversary.

1929 | The Texas Chapter organized its first sub-chapter, Fort Worth.

1934 | The Texas Organist, the chapter’s first news sheet, was published.

1935-1949 | Complimentary recitals were presented to the public.

1948 | The Texas Chapter celebrated its 30th Anniversary.

1949 | The Crescendo, the chapter’s second news sheet, began publication.

1950 | The chapter’s first Recital Series was inaugurated.

1952 | The Texas Chapter was host to the Annual Conclave of Deans and Regents.

1956 | The Concordia Choir was presented in the first local Guild-sponsored choral concert.

1957-1958 | Texas’ largest and oldest chapter celebrated its 40th Anniversary.

1958-1959 | Mrs. J. H. Cassidy, AAGO, organizer of the Texas Chapter and its first Dean, died. The Texas Chapter became international with the admission of Julian Zuniga of Mexico City as an active member. Katherine Hammons resigned as Regional Chairman.

1960-1961 | In memory of Dora Poteet Barclay, AAGO, a recording of one of her recitals was issued jointly by the Texas and Fort Worth Chapters.

1961-1962 | Katherine Hammons, Dean of the Texas Chapter in 1927-1929 and 1943-1945, died. The Texas Chapter became the Dallas Chapter.

1966 | The Dallas Chapter was host to the Midwinter Conclave.

1967 | The Dallas Chapter celebrated its 50th Anniversary.

1969 | The Dallas Chapter was the successful bidder for the 1972 National Convention.

1970 | Dallasite George C. Baker, III, won First Place in the AGO National Organ Playing Competition.

1972 | The Dallas Chapter was host to the Guild’s National Convention; 907 delegates attended.

1973 | The Education Projects Fund was established.

1974 | The Recital Series was revitalized.

1975-1976 | Gerald Near, the first composer to appear on the chapter’s new “Meet the Composer” series, drew the largest attendance ever for a chapter meeting.

1976-1977 | The program for the year resembled a repeat of the 1976 National Convention in Boston, featuring Martha Folts, Harold Vogel, and Daniel Pinkham, plus other outstanding performers.

1977 | On less than four month’s notice, the Dallas Chapter organized, and was host to, the AGO Southwest Regional Workshop. The “Cluster Meeting” concept was introduced.

1978 | Gustav Leonhardt was presented in the first local Guild-sponsored harpsichord recital. The Education Projects Committee sponsored its first Free University, a six-week session of courses designed as aids to members preparing for Guild examinations. The classes were open to the public without charge. AGO National President, Dr. Roberta Bitgood, addressed the Dallas Chapter at its first meeting of 1978. Twenty-five-year members were honored, and pins were presented to fifty-year members, Anita Hansen and Inez A. Hudgins.

1979 | The Education Projects Committee commissioned and presented the first performance of William Bolcom’s Three Gospel Preludes to commemorate the chapter’s 60th Anniversary.

1980 | The Education Projects Committee presented Colloquium I: “A Musician’s Quest for Relevance in a Complex World,” featuring speakers and other participants from throughout Texas and across the nation.

1981 | The Education Projects Committee presented “Practicum: Public Relations for the Organist in the Church and in the Community.” Guest speakers were Dr. Norman Mealy, Pacific School of Theology in Berkeley, California and Dr. Nicholas Kenyon, Music Critic for The New Yorker Magazine in New York City.

1982 | The Dallas Chapter expands the Recital Series to include a performance and master class on “Baroque Performance” by the ARS Musica ensemble, a group from Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in early music.

1983 | The Education Projects Committee, Recital Series Committee, and the Program Committee joined forces to present Recital/Workshops by William Porter and Robert Glasgow.

1984 | The Dallas Chapter adopted a new set of Operating Procedures in accordance with national guidelines.

1985 | The Education Projects Committee, in the chapter’s “Meet the Composer” series, commissioned The Dallas Anthem Book by Daniel Pinkham and presented its first performance with the composer conducting.

1986 | The Dallas Chapter presented two programs on hymnody – the first led by Dr. Richard P. Heitzenrater and the Bridwell Library staff, the second a panel discussion by Jane Marshall, J. D. Godwin, W. Thomas Smith, Marjorie Procter-Smith, Kenneth Shields, William J. Reynolds, and Dale Peters.

1987 | The Professional Concerns Committee of the Dallas Chapter published its first booklet, The Work and Compensation of the Church and Synagogue Musician. The booklet received high marks locally, as well as regionally and nationally. The Recital Series included a performance by Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert at the Majestic Theatre, in cooperation with the Dallas Civic Music Association.

1988 | The Chapter established the Russell E. Hellekson, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Education Projects sponsored James Rives Jones in a workshop and master class on instrumental conducting for the church musician.

1989 | The Recital Series presented national Young Artists Competition winner Christopher Young as well as Marie-Claire Alain, Philip Brunelle and Mireille Lagacé.

1990 | The National Council of the AGO approved Dallas as the site of the 1994 National AGO Convention. The Dallas Chapter also remembered the life and influence of the legendary Roy Perry with brief recitals on organs he designed.

1991 | The Dallas Chapter sponsored a very successful Pipe Organ Encounter for teen-agers. The Recital Series presented trumpeter, Edward Tarr, with Swiss organist Irmtraud Krüger. In the fall the chapter celebrated a “Festival of New Hymns” with Bruce Bengtson, and bid farewell to the Caruth Auditorium Aeolian-Skinner organ.

1992 | A spring meeting attended by Mme. Duruflé-Chevalier focused on choral and organ works by the late Maurice Duruflé. Convention planning moved into high gear. The Recital Series, in its first collaboration with the Dallas Symphony Association, co-sponsored David Higgs in a premier solo recital on the new Fisk organ at the Meyerson.

1993 | In May the chapter was successful in helping to sponsor the first broadcasts of “Pipe Dreams” on WRR-FM. The Education Projects Committee sponsored a second well-attended workshop on conducting.

1994 | The chapter played host to the 42nd National Convention of the AGO attended by 1,743 persons. Highlights included the premiere of Conrad Susa’s commissioned church opera The Wise Women and performances on the various instruments installed since the 1972 convention. The Education Projects Committee sponsored a Hymn Voluntary Writing Competition in conjunction with the convention. The Recital Series presented Cherry Rhodes and Thomas Murray in recitals at the Meyerson co-sponsored by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. It also brought the fortepianist Malcolm Bilson to Dallas for a solo recital.

1995 | The chapter began the year with a Service of Thanksgiving for the successful AGO Dallas 94 Convention. Committees began work on revitalizing the Recital Series, revising the Work and Compensation Guidelines, and planning for a year of programs on the state of church music at the end of the 20th century. Education Projects presented Ann Jones in a choral conducting workshop and Jon Gillock in a performance and masterclass on Messiaen’s Le Livre du Saint Sacrément.

1996 | The chapter presented a series of programs centered around the theme, “The Lord’s Song in a Strange Land.” Sponsored primarily by the Education Projects Committee, the theme focused on the problem of maintaining music and worship expressions of integrity in a fast-changing, pop-culture influenced world. Featured presenters included Dr. Bruce Leafblad, Dr. Don Saliers, and Dr. Paul Westermeyer. The renewed Recitals Series presented among others, Alan Morrison at the Meyerson Symphony Center (co-sponsored with the Dallas Symphony Association.) The Neighborhood Recital Series presented two organ recitals to the public free of charge, featuring local organists playing outstanding, but less frequently heard instruments.

1997 | Variety characterized the programs of the Dallas Chapter. Robert MacDonald of Fort Worth accompanied silent films at the Park Cities Baptist Church organ and Al Travis of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth hosted a joint meeting of Dallas and Fort Worth Chapters, presenting a “tonal tour” of the new Casavant organ. Masterclasses were presented by Harald Vogel and Hans Fagius. The chapter assisted the Dallas Symphony Association in the staging of the First Triennial Dallas International Organ Competition, held at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The first-place winner was one of our own chapter members, S. Wayne Foster, student of Dr. Lenora McCroskey.

1998 | The tone was set for the 80th anniversary of the Dallas Chapter at the Church of the Transfiguration with emphasis on our spiritual health and concluding with a walk on the labyrinth. The Recital Series was named in honor of Dr. Robert T. Anderson in deep appreciation for his life-long achievements and remarkable influence in Dallas and throughout the world. The Recital Series continues to be one of the finest and most visible aspects of the chapter in the community, as well as the ongoing quality of programming offered to its membership.

1999 | The AGO Guild Service celebrated the chapter’s 80th anniversary. Highlights of the season’s programming included a demonstration concert by the Children’s Chorus of Dallas, a program on working with brass players, a program on the use of MIDI and other new technologies, and an East Texas “Organ Crawl” to Tyler, Kilgore and Longview.

2000 | Louis Robilliard (French recitalist), Dan Locklair (composer), George Ritchie (Bach specialist), Barbara Resch (music educator), and Stephen Cleobury (Kings College, BBC, England), were outstanding visiting presenters. The year closed with a successful dinner and theatre organ program (Phil Bordeleau) at the Lakewood Theatre.

2001 | Legendary organist Fred Swann set the tone for a splendid year of organ playing, which included young and veteran organists in the “Pipes Spectacular!” concert, as well as the Robert T. Anderson recitalists Ullrich Boehme, Carla Edwards and Robert Bates. Fred also included conversation about his distinguished musical career. The chapter had other evenings of learning and listening at the J. Eric Jonsson Central Library (Chapter archives and historic scores and recordings), with the Fort Worth chapter at St. Vincent’s Cathedral in Bedford (Sacred Harp singing), with David Heller (hymn-playing and improvisation) and Robert Bates’ workshop on French Organ Music. The final event was AGO Night at the Pocket Sandwich Theatre with a topical and hilarious melodrama.

2003 | Stephen Cleobury worked with the Orpheus Chamber Singers, Don Krehbiel, Director, in an open rehearsal. The Dallas and Fort Worth Chapters combined efforts for an “Otto Hofmann Retrospective and Organ Tour” to The Matthew Memorial Presbyterian Church in Albany, Texas. Education Projects sponsored a highly successful Pipe Organ Encounter for 31 students from across the country during July of 2003.

2004 | The Education Projects Committee presented “Herbert Howells – People, Places and Music” with Larry Palmer and Scott Cantrell presenting a multi-media presentation of Howells’ choral and organ music. Two programs were presented at the Meyerson Symphony Hall – a joint meeting with the Fort Worth Chapter to attend an open Dallas Symphony rehearsal of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and our own Bradley Welch performed the Stephen Paulus Organ Concerto with the DSO. The Recital Series present fine recitals by Peter Sykes and Christa Rakich.

2005 | The opening Clergy-Musician Banquet and Installation of Officers was hosted by Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, with its choir directed by Joel Martinson, performing some of his own music. The guild attended an open rehearsal of Verdi’s Requiem, conducted by David Davidson with the Dallas Symphony Chorus. Recitalists Ludger Lohmann, David Hurd, and harpsichordist Matthew Dirst brought variety to the Recital Series, and a program featured architect, minister, musician, and organ builder of St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church of Mesquite, discussing how they conceived and built that ediface and instrument. A highlight was a special performance of PIPEDREAMS LIVE! at the Meyerson Symphony Center, hosted by Michael Barone, later broadcast on National Public Radio, featuring local organists Dr. George Baker, James Diaz, Hyeon Jeong, Mary Preston, Damin Spritzer, and Dr. Bradley Welch. The year ended with a hymn festival featuring organ and brass at Perkins Chapel, SMU.

2006 | The opening guild service, with clergy/musician dinner, was hosted by Highland Park Presbyterian Church. Recital Series concerts brought William Porter, Bruce Neswick and Sarah Baldock, performing on organs by Garland, Noack, Sipe and Goulding & Wood, also attending our joint Ft. Worth concert by Olivier Latry. Choral programs were offered through Education Projects’ workshop by David Davidson on conducting instrumental groups, and attending a rehearsal of Dallas Symphony Chorus performing music by Mahler and Bernstein. A highlight was honoring special guest Marie-Claire Alain at the end-of-year barbecue party, following an organ crawl of Schantz and Letourneu instruments, performed by area college students.

2007 | Northway Christian Church hosted our opening worship, honoring clergy/musicians, with installation of officers, with a joint choir directed by Henry McDowell and Dr. Margaret Mulvey-Claeborne as organist, featuring Cast of Bronze Handbell Choir. Recital Series featured Frederic Blanc in concert and improvisation master class, and Ann Elise Smoot and Samuel Soria in concert. Educational Projects presented a lecture by Dr. Alessandra Comini on the “Changing Face of Mozart,” preceded by a chamber music concert and dinner. Sheila Paige and Bradley Welch introduced our guild to tips on “Wellness” performance practice, and Dr. Christopher Anderson presented a lecture on Max Reger. AGO held auditions of area college students and presented the winners in a “Rising Stars” concert on the new German Klais organ at First United Methodist Church of Richardson. The major effort throughout the year was to prepare for the Region VII Convention, which our chapter hosted in June 2007, planned by a diligent Steering Committee chaired by David Stinson. It was highly successful, presenting outstanding concerts, worship, workshops, and many highlights throughout that week. A Homily by Dr. C. Michael Hawn, Dean of Sacred Music Perkins School of Theology, SMU and Chaplain of the Dallas Chapter of the American Guild of Organists for the Installation Service of the Dallas Chapter, AGO, September 18, 2007 entitled Time Matters

2008 | Highland Park United Methodist Church hosted the Clergy/Musician program, with a Eucharist service. David Davidson directed the choir, Dr. Bradley Welch presided at the organ, and newly appointed chaplain, Dr. Michael Hawn served as Liturgist and preacher. The 300th year of Buxtehude’s death was commemorated with a special Abendmusiken featuring Dr. Ibo Ortgies from Sweden and area musicians performing Buxtehude’s works. The Recital Series presented John Weaver in concert and master class, Chelsa Chen in concert, and David Briggs, both in classical concert, as well as as accompanist for the Silent film, Phantom of the Opera, preceded by a gala banquet with members dressed in opera-themed attire. Other highlights included a Members’ Recital of J. S. Bach’s “Great 18” Chorales at First Presbyterian Church; Dr. George Baker in a lecture/demonstration on Improvisation, and a first-ever North Texas District Meeting organized by N. Texas District Convener Dr. Ken Hart, to introduce the new Hellmuth Wolff organ at University of North Texas, premiered by Dr. Jesse Eschbach.

2009 | The chapter had a particularly busy and successful season with a number of events in observance of the International Year of the Organ, including Mary Preston’s appearance with the DSO and Bradley Welch’s playing with the Great Dallas Youth Orchestra, both featuring the Meyerson Fisk. The Robert T. Anderson Recital Series brought James David Christie, Carole Terry and Naji Hakim to Dallas. Education Projects sponsored a panel discussion with area organ builders on design and maintenance issues. Benjamin Kolodziej presented a workshop on wedding music in January, and Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church hosted the chapter’s Rising Stars Recital in March.

2010 | The chapter brought a number of extraordinarily distinguished guests to Dallas this year, including three recitalists on the Robert T. Anderson Series (Jan Kraybill, Martin Welzel, and Aaron David Miller), Guild President Eileen Guenther, and the renowned scholar and harpsichordist Peter Williams. Members had the opportunity to dialogue with President Guenther about the future of the AGO and the role of the Dallas Chapter in that future. Under the sponsorship of Education Projects, Professor Williams delivered a lecture on J. S. Bach and led an organ masterclass, all part of a week’s residency in Dallas. Further, chapter members offered a memorable recital of the works of Felix Mendelssohn.

2011 | The Dallas AGO enjoyed a varied program year, beginning with a spectacular evening of PipeDreams Live! with Michael Barone at the Meyerson Symphony Center, a landmark event sponsored jointly with FWAGO, WRR 101.1 FM, and the DSO. Another highlight came with the honoring of A. Eugene Ellsworth as Honorary Dean at the Annual Clergy-Musician Dinner and Service, which featured an original composition for the occasion by George Baker. The year was rounded out by a dynamic Recital Series – Isabelle Demers, Bálint Karosi, and Robert Parkins – a continuation of our tradition of Rising Stars recitals, an evening with James Kibbie marking the 100th birth year of Jehan Alain, and a gala closing banquet featuring the hilarious Victorian one-act comedy The Old Organist by Henry Jones, recently made available by the OHS Press.

2012 | The season began with Martin Jean, Professor of Sacred Music at Yale, addressing the chapter at the opening banquet. Activities this year included an organ crawl, a very successful Pedals, Pipes and Pizza which drew many children and youth to the organ for the first time, and workshops on the harpsichord and global music. The RTA series continued with three evens, each of which drew an increasing audience – Stefan Engels, Dongho Lee, and Tom Trenney. The year concluded with a silent movie with organ accompaniment at the McKinney Performing Arts Center.

2013 | The year began with a festive banquet and opening choral service at Northridge Presbyterian Church. Two Neighborhood Recitals featured chapter members as well as chapter scholarship students. The chapter sponsored educational events, including a presentation by Wayne Leupold entitled “Teaching Organ to Beginners” as well as a masterclass by David Baskeyfield. In addition to Baskeyfield, the RTA series also brought Lynne Davis and Kimberly Marshall to perform. In a concerted effort to enhance cooperation with other chapters, a Dean’s Exchange Recital was held with the Southern Plains Chapter, and a joint members’ recital was performed in Arlington in conjunction with the Fort Worth chapter. in April, three chapter authors presented a workshop of their research related to church music and organ performance, and the year concluded with an organ-plus banquet and concert at Christ United Methodist Church, Plano, featuring a variety of instrumentation supplementing the organ.

2014 | The season began with a concert and hymn-playing masterclass by Marilyn Keiser in September. Later in the Fall, in an effort to encourage member participation and fellowship, the Program Committee sponsored a members’ recital at Northaven United Methodist Church. Johann Vexo, choir organist at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris presented a concert at Perkins Chapel in January, and the RTA series concluded in March with Christian Lane performing at Church of the Transfiguration. In an effort to engage more of the student members and to feature less-utilized organs, “Neighborhood Recitals” were held on the 1850’s-era Swiss chamber organ housed at the Mesquite Performing Arts Center as well as at Christ the Servant Lutheran in Allen. The season concluded with the year-end banquet and closing worship at Highland Park Presbyterian Church, led by the church’s resident choir and bell ensemble. The executive committee spent much of its year simultaneously looking forward and back in anticipation of the chapter’s 100th anniversary in 2018, culminating in the chapter’s successful bid to host the 2017 regional convention.

2015 | The fall brought several successful evens: a certification workshop, the opening banquet and Evensong at the Church of the Incarnation, a recital at NorthPark Presbyterian with Ahreum Han, a conducting masterclass with Dr. Jan Harrington, and a Neighborhood recital with AGO scholarship recipient David Preston and Dallas organist Jonathan Gregoire. In January we held our first-time Twelfth Night celebration at the home of Gordon McMillan, and subsequently were hosted by Northridge Presbyterian in another Education Projects masterclass led by keyboard wellness expert, Sheila Paige. February brought us a lively concert at First United Methodist Church, Dallas, by Organized Rhythm, the organ/percussion duo of Clive Dirskill-Smith and Joseph Gramley. Later evnts included a Neighborhood Recital with local organists Jordan DeRouen, Minjung Nam, Hentus van Rooyen, and Henry Webb; an organ crawl from Christ the King Church to St. Mark’s School, to St. Monica Church, visiting new instruments by Juget-Sinclair, Létourneau, and Nichols and Simpson, respectively; and a Recital Series concert by Daryl Robinson at St. Monica Church. Finally, we culminated an eventful and captivating year with a closing banquet and Service of Choral Evening Prayer and Installation of Officers at West Plano Presbyterian Church.

2016 | This year was an outstanding one, beginning with a workshop let by Dr. Quentin Faulkner exploring historical keyboards and technique. Subsequent fall events included a program on music of the German Romantic Period led by Prof. Stefan Engels; a recital by Simon Johnson, organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, a neighborhood recital, an improvisation masterclass and hymn festival led by Robert McCormick of St. Paul’s Parish, Washington, D.C., two more Recital Series concerts – by Vincent Dubois and Jan Kraybill – and a closing banquet at St. Andrew UMC in Plano.

2017 | The Dallas Chapter began its year with a chapter meeting and dinner at Spring Valley UMC. The program featured Scott Cantrell, Bradley Welch, and Scott Dettra in a survey of organ transcriptions. Two Neighborhood Recitals were presented by members this year. The fall program featured the newly installed Reuter organ at Resurrection Lutheran in Plano, with the spring program featuring the historic Moller-Casavant-E.A. Kelley at Tyler St. UMC in Oak Cliff. Educational and professional growth programs included a choral intensive day at Northpark Presbyterian Church with clinicians Allen Hightower, Cynthia Nott, and Dale Dietert, and a join program with the Fort Worth Chapter at St. Vincent’s Cathedral in Bedford surveying online publishing and composers. Other special chapter events included a preview of regional convention opportunities at King of Glory Lutheran Church, and a splendid Twelfth Night social at the home of Jody and JoNell Lindh. The Robert T. Anderson recital series provided outstanding recitals by guest artists Benjamin Sheen at Church of the Incarnation, Renée Anne Louprette at Royal Lane Baptist, and John Schwandt at First UMC, Richardson. A major achievement of the year was the Dallas Chapter’s hosting of the highly successful 2017 AGO Region VII Convention, featuring 13 area churches and organs, recitals and concerts by Chanticleer, Organized Rhythm, Stefan Engels, Joel Bacon, Monica Czausz, Maxine Thévenot, Elizabeth Farr, Nathan Laube, Rebecca Groom te Velde, and Alcee Chriss III, as well as informative workshops and inspiring worship services. René Schmidt was chair of the convention Steering Committee.

2018 | The post-regional convention program year was relaxed, but nonetheless impactful. Programs included A Service of the Word for Evening Praise and Prayer at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church presided by Rev. Jeff Hall of Cochran Chapel United Methodist Church, with organists Jordan DeRouen and Jeff Brummel; Benjamin Kolodziej, with students of Prof. Stefan Engels, presented on Reformation and German Influences in Worship and Music at the Episcopal School of Dallas. The Robert T. Anderson Recital Series welcomed Thomas Ospital (St. Eustache, Paris) at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Janette Fishell (Indiana University) at Caruth Auditorium-Southern Methodist University, and Martin Jean (Yale University) at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. Drs. Fishell and Jean shared their wisdom in day-after recital masterclasses. Performances by members as well as students from the studios of the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University were featured in Neighborhood Recitals at Temple Emanu-el and Custer Road United Methodist Church. The beautiful home of Michael Conrady was the venue for the annual Twelfth Night social, which included ample refreshment, and an impromptu performance by young member Jo-Ellen West.

2019 | The Dallas AGO celebrated its 100th anniversary (2018) in various programs throughout the chapter year. A banner highlight was an evening at the Meyerson Symphony Hall with hosts Michael Bedford (AGO President), and Vicki Schaeffer (Region VII Councilor), and local members performing on the magnificent Lay Family C.B. Fisk organ: Dr. Bradley Hunter Welch, Jonathan Ryan, Dr. Yoon-Mi Lin, Stefan Engels, Scott Dettra, Benjamin Kolodziej. A hymn festival began the season at Royal Lane Baptist Church, featuring hymns by Dallas composers and connections. Newly installed organs were explored in an organ crawl as well as carillons at St Mark’s School of Texas, Highland Park UMC, and Cathedral Guadalupe. A successful Pedal, Pipes and Pizza event drew in a large number of enthusiastic students and parents learning about the organ. The RTA series delivered impactful performances by Amanda Mole, David Higgs, and Jean-Baptiste Robin. Neighborhood recitals shared with the community two interesting organs from FUMC Garland’s Tellers Organ and St Luke Episcopal’s historic Aeolian-Skinner. The year was a celebration of the rich history of a chapter with a great future ahead.

2020 | The 2019-2020 season will be long remembered as the year curtailed by the global Covid 19 pandemic. The chapter year began with a wonderful program (and dinner) at FUMC-Dallas highlighting music of Dallas-based composers George Baker, Joel Martinson, and S. Andrew Lloyd.  A fall neighborhood recital at St. Monica Catholic Church was followed by the year’s first Education Projects event; a conducting workshop at Wilshire Baptist Church led by Dallas Symphony Chorus director, Joshua Habermann. Other educational events included a program by Steven Harlos and Scott Dettra on practice techniques, a workshop by First Baptist Church-Dallas’ organist, Jerry Aultman on the use of traditional organ in non-traditional worship, a program at St. Michael and All Angels honoring the history/refurbishment of the organ at Notre-Dame, Paris (with speakers Philippe Lefebvre, Betrand Cattiaux, and Scott Cantrell), and a symposium on French improvisation by Thierry Escaich at St. Andrew UMC-Plano. The R.T.A. Series featured inspiring recitals by Thierry Escaich at St. Andrew, and Aaron Tan playing the new, Op. 3924 Casavant at Third Church of Christ Scientist. An enjoyable Twelfth Night social event was held at the beautiful home of chapter friend, Barbara Bradfield. From October 2019 into February 2020 ever-increasing international concern over growing Covid 19 viral spread began to loom widely in the United States, and by mid-March into April general work and life across the country slowed to a point of major quarantining by June. This growing concern forced chapter activities to cease, and our proposed spring neighborhood recital at Bentwood Trail Presbyterian Church was moved to the fall, and the chapter‘s third R.T.A. artist, Rhonda Sider Edgington was rescheduled for the fall of 2021. 

2020-21 | The Dallas Chapter’s 2020-21 season opened with a virtual installation of

officers on Sept. 28 in the outdoor courtyard at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (hosted by Assistant Director of Music/Organist, Philip Fillion). Oct. 17 Education Projects director Dr. Julia Lee hosted a virtual hymn playing, and hymn improvisation workshop at St. Rita Catholic Church (Bedient organ) featuring chapter members Graham Schultz (FAGO), and immediate past-dean Bradley Reznicek (organist at St. Rita). Nov. 17 the chapter uploaded our first virtual video program featuring Robert T. Anderson recital series committee members, Monica Czausz (CAGO) (performing on the Rosales organ at King-of-Glory Lutheran Church) , Joshua Boyd (performing on the C.B. Fisk organ at Southern Methodist University), and Graham Schultz (FAGO) (performing on the Noack organ at The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation). Dec. 6, the chapter uploaded a Neighborhood Recital video filmed chiefly at Cathedral Guadalupe (Chris Johnson, Director of Music/Organist, program sponsor, and Neighborhood Recitals coordinator) featuring chapter members, JoEllen West, Larry McCain (SPC), Catherine Trausch, Joshua Boyd, Chris Widomski, Dr. JuYeon ‘Julia’ Lee, Jordan Peek, Kenton Kravig (SPC), and Rev. Dr. Jeff Brummel, performing primarily on the historic 1871 Midmer-Redman pipe organ. On January 5 the chapter enjoyed a delightful 12th Night party zoom hosted by Dr. Michael Conrady (FAGO), Logan Herod (Social Committee Chair), Nicholas Halbert, Conner McMains (Chapter Sub-Dean), and Dean, Chris S. Brunt. Feb. 23 we happily presented our first in-person/virtual program at Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Dan Garland organ) (hosted by Director of Music/Organist, Jay Terpstra, Joshua Boyd, Recital Series Director, and Chris S. Brunt, Chapter Dean), featuring a brilliant program by Rice University graduate student, Ben Kerswell (student of Ken Cowan).  April 17 the chapter hosted it’s Quimby/RCYO area competition (pre-recorded entries) adjudicated at Custer Road UMC in Plano, with TCU student David Preston taking First Prize (student of Dr. H. Joseph Butler), and Simon Templet, Second Prize. David went on to place first in the Southwest regional competition.  April 18, Bentwood Trail Presbyterian Church (Dan Garland organ) in North Dallas hosted our Spring Neighborhood Recital featuring chapter members, Gregg Wright, David Rodgers, Michael Soto, Hee-Sook Kim, Dr. Julia Lee, and Nicholas Halbert.  May 31 we concluded our chapter year with a stunning all-Dupré program at Christ-the-King Catholic Church (Juget-Sinclair organ) presented by University of North Texas graduate student, Ethan Gainer (FAGO) (student of Dr. Jesse Eschbach), and hosted by Thom Pavlechko (CAGO), Director of Music/Organist at Christ-the-King, and Dr. Jesse Eschbach, Professor of Organ at The University of North Texas.

2021-22 | The Dallas Chapter’s 2021-22 season began with a September 13 Certification Workshop (Christine Bouton (CAGO), Certification Chair), Benjamin Kolodziej (CAGO), presenter, St. John’s Episcopal Church (Dallas) On October 2 Education Projects presented their first workshop of the year in the main auditorium at The University of North Texas with Education Projects Chair, Dr. Juyeon ‘Julia’ Lee, presenter (topic: “Rhythmic Structure in the Music of Jean Guillou: Agnis-Ignis from Hyperion (1988). Education Projects’ second program featured chapter Dean, Chris S. Brunt, performing all three Hindemith organ sonatas in a lecture-recital entitled: “The Three Organ Sonatas of Paul Hindemith: REVISITED” (Chris Widomski, organ assistant) in a live broadcast from First Presbyterian Church-Richardson)(Julia Lee, Chris Brunt, Ralph Stannard, and Edwin Walker, hosts) October 24-27, The University of North Texas, and the Dallas AGO, presented Festival Dupré (Dr. Jesse Eschbach, concept/organizer) featuring performers Destin Wernicke, Ethan Gainer (FAGO), and Jeremy Filsell (NYC). Host churches were: St. Andrew United Methodist Church (Plano), Dr. Jonathan Gregoire, hosting, St. Monica Catholic Church (Dallas), Conner McMains, hosting, and Christ-the-King Catholic Church (Dallas), Thom Pavlechko (CAGO), hosting. On November 9 the chapter’s first post-covid Robert T. Anderson Recital Series program (Joshua Boyd, R.T.A. Director) featured Rhonda Sider Edgington at University Park UMC (Dallas). On November 22 a second Certification Workshop was presented by Ethan Gainer (FAGO) at Walnut Hill United Methodist Church (Dallas). December 13 the chapter presented an Advent-Christmas themed Neighborhood Recital  at Our Lady-of-the-Lake Catholic Church in Rockwall featuring organists, Bradley Reznicek, Eldred Marshall, Matthew Wilkinson, Kamilya Akhmetova, and Chris Widomski (Neighbor-hood  Recitals coordinator). On January 6 we hosted the return of our festive in-person Twelfth Night party at the lovely home of Benjamin Kolodziej (CAGO) in Richardson. On Saturday January 8 the chapter accepted a special invitation to attend the kick-off of Scott Dettra’s Cesar Franck recital tour year (complete Franck organ works), presented at The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation (Dallas). On February 1 our second R.T.A. recital was presented by the esteemed Dr. Nicole Keller at Northpark Presbyterian (Dallas). March 12 saw a wonderful chapter organ crawl to Ft. Worth (with Ft. Worth Sub-Dean, Peggy Graff, host, the event co-sponsored with the Fort Worth chapter, Beverly Howard, Dean). On March 28 our second Neighborhood Recital was held at Northaven UMC (Dallas) featuring chapter members Andrew Packard, Eileen Cloutier (CAGO), Yunjung Lee, Elizabeth Yoo, Larry McCain (SPC), and Dr. Michael Conrady (AAGO).  Saturday, April 2 saw the return of our very popular ‘Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza’ event (Chris Johnson, Chris Brunt, Elizabeth Yoo, presenters) at First United Methodist Church of Richardson (Mary Lightfoot, Kim O’Neill, Julia Lee, Sheryl Sebo (AAGO), Gary Beathard, and Mike Lightfoot, hosts), with 27 young folk in attendance. The chapter’s third and final R.T.A. program was May 3 at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church (Dallas), and featured retiring University of Michigan professor, Dr. James Kibbie. On Monday evening, May 23, we happily held our first chapter meeting and dinner since 2019 at Custer Road United Methodist Church (Plano) followed by an excellent presentation on new research into Franck performance practice, with University of North Texas professor, Dr. Jesse Eschbach (lecturer), and UNT graduate organ majors Sungyun Kim, Michael Soto, and Destin Wernicke, performing.

2022-23 | The Dallas Chapter’s 2022-23 season began with a chapter dinner/meeting/Installation of Officers event at Highland Park UMC (Sept. 19). The evening included a musical program by chapter members, and a presentation of dual Honorary Deanships to Dr. Ken Hart (ChM) and Ellen Hart (AAGO). The chapter year featured several members in three notable Neighborhood Recitals (Chris Widomski, coordinator) (Oct. 24 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Denton, Jan. 16 at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, April 24 at Northway Christian Church). This season’s Robert T. Anderson Recital Series (Joshua Boyd, director) featured Jens Korndorfer (Oct. 21 at St. Monica Catholic Church, in conjunction with The 2022 Dallas International Organ Festival) Jeremy David Tarrant (Feb. 14 at St. Mark’s School, with a masterclass at SMU the following day), and Kimberly Marshall (May 5, at The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration). A mid-year 12th Night party (Jan. 6) was held at the home of David Rodgers and Gregg Wright in Richardson. An informal closing dinner for the chapter year was held at Celebration restaurant in Dallas (June 1, 2023). Chapter members we lost during the chapter year included Gene Jacob, Sarah Tarver, Bill Leazer, Peggy Wood, Dr. Kenneth Hart, and Barbara Clark.

2023-24 | The Dallas Chapter’s 2023-24 season (Conner McMains, Dean) began with a chapter clergy/musician dinner meeting at Highland Park UMC (Aug. 7) featuring a panel discussion, followed by Compline in the HPUMC chapel led by organist/CMI guest clinician, Ethan Haman. A convivial dinner and officer installation ceremony was held on Sept. 24 at The Londoner restaurant in Addison. This season’s Robert T. Anderson Recital Series (Jordan Peek, director) featured Phillippe Lefevbre (Oct. 12 at The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation) Joel Bacon (Feb. 12 at Preston Hollow Presbyterian), and Katelyn Emerson (April 21 at First United Lutheran Church). The chapter year featured several members in two notable Neighborhood Recitals (Chris Widomski, coordinator)(host churches were Christ Church Episcopal in Oak Cliff, and Lover’s Lane UMC-Dallas). On Nov. 11 DSO organist, Dr. Bradley Hunter Welch, presented a chapter demonstration of the Fisk organ at the Meyerson Symphony Center. A mid-year 12th Night party (Jan. 6) was held at the home of longtime member Rene Schmidt. On May 18 UNT professor Dr. Jesse Eschbach (+several students) presented a lecture-demonstration of Roy Redman’s newly refurbished main auditorium Moeller organ (UNT). The chapter sponsored a reception at a Denton restaurant immediately following to honor Dr. Eschbach’s retirement. Chapter members we lost during the chapter year included Graham Clarke, Robert Sipe, and former Dean, Dr. Charles S. Brown FAGO, ChM.