Dear Colleagues,
By now, many of you have likely read about the AGO’s “Year of the Young Organist” initiatives through either TAO or the Chapter newsletter. In September’s TAO, Executive Director James Thomashower announced the creation of a new Organ Scholar program for our young organists. This is an exciting new opportunity for a significant music ministry, local AGO Chapters, and AGO National Headquarters to sponsor a gap-year student in their formation.
Having taken a gap year (two, actually) to be an organ scholar myself, I cannot highlight enough how important an experience this is for the potential candidates. More importantly, this could be an excellent opportunity for both your ministry and our Chapter. Hosting an Organ Scholar will draw the attention of organists both far and near, for the year of the program and beyond as Alumni begin their careers. Highlighting the experiences and opportunities that can be found here will only help to encourage more young organists to join, and to think of Chicago and our North Shore chapter as a thriving and collegial community for the Organ.
Finally, I wish to express to you the vast importance of the practical training that an Organ Scholar receives. As we all have seen, organ programs and Universities and Conservatories across the US continue to shrink, change, or even be cut entirely. Beyond that, the time spent in an academic degree is easily focused on repertoire, musicianship, theory, and all the other parts of a well-rounded music education. In a practical training program like an Organ Scholar, one can finally focus on and employ skills and talents in the areas which make up so much of an organist’s profession: service playing, choral accompanying, administration, and building collegial relationships with clergy, laity, and fellow musicians. The training and experience that an Organ Scholar receives even in just one year can jumpstart a long and vibrant career in music ministry.
More details about the AGO’s new Organ Scholar program can be found at www.agohq.org/organ-scholar-program/ as well as the application form and guidelines. Though the deadline is rapidly approaching to apply as a host institution (October 15), I would highly encourage you to consider if you and your ministry might be an excellent host for one of these two Organ Scholars. If you have any questions about the program, creating an Organ Scholar position of your own, or about other opportunities for Young Organists, I am always glad to receive your questions or direct to someone more knowledgeable than myself!
With every best wish,
Peter Morey, MM, AAGO
Organist, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston IL
petermorey@hotmail.com