Dean’s Column | November 2025

Snow has fallen and Advent and Christmas will soon be here. Wishing you all a successful holiday season with the added services and concerts that come with it. In the aftermath of it all, we invite you to join us on Tuesday, January 6 at 6:30pm for our annual NSAGO Epiphany party. This year will be the last Epiphany party at the Handleys since Andrea will be moving to Pasadena, CA this coming summer, along with her husband, Dave. They will be living in a lovely retirement community for retired Presbyterian pastors, and will be located 20 minutes from their daughter and grandchildren who live in Altadena. We’re thankful for Andrea’s leadership as NSAGO Dean, Chair of the 2023 Regional Convention, and host of our Epiphany party for over a decade!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Jonathan Ryan’s concert in Arlington Heights in October and to Chris Urban for hosting. Our next event will be a members recital in February featuring music in observance of Black History Month. I encourage you to continue to explore this repertoire through collections like GIA’s “King of Kings” and MorningStar’s “African-American Organ Music Anthology.” Our Sub-Dean Marianne Kim is coordinating this program and I encourage you to reach out to her as with your interest. We will share the date and venue with you once it is finalized.

Since this is our last newsletter for 2025, I encourage you to review the various reports included in this issue including our Treasurer’s report, scholarship awards, and membership. If you do not see your name listed on the membership listing, then you will no longer receive our email communications in the new year. We encourage you to renew your membership to support our programming and stay connected. If you’re unable to join us in membership, we encourage you to make a gift and join us as a chapter friend. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Epiphany party in January!

Brian Schoettler

Brian Schoettler, DMA
Dean, North Shore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
dean@teal-ostrich-479748.hostingersite.com


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Past Overtones

Dean’s Column | July 2026

Please mark your calendar to join us for our first event of our 2026-27 season, a Choral Reading Session and Reception at St. Augustine’s Church in Wilmette on Sunday, September 27 at 2:00 p.m. We’d love to have you with us! We will gather that afternoon to sight-read...

Dean’s Column | May 2026

Passing the Baton This is the final Overtones newsletter of my 2-year term as Dean. I want to thank all of the board members who I’ve served with for their time, dedication, and energy in support of organ music here on the North Shore. I especially want to thank...

Dean’s Column | March 2026

A Christmas Carol February 28, 2026 marked one year since the passing of long-time member and former NSAGO Dean Morgan Simmons. I hope that many of you are already acquainted with his “Prelude on Christmas Carol” published by MorningStar...