Back row: William Aylesworth, Leon Nelson, Richard Enright, George Williams, Robert Neuenschwander. Middle row: Lorraine Brugh, Austin Lovelace, Maxine Ramseyer, Jill Hunt, Margaret Kemper, William Bottom. Front row: Morgan Simmons, Marcia VanOyen, Jack Goode, Mary Simmons
The first meeting of the North Shore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists was held on January 11, 1958. Among the deans in those first decades were: Thomas Matthews, Austin Lovelace, Jack Goode, Richard Enright, Morgan Simmons, and Margaret Kemper. In subsequent years, deans included other well-known names in the area: William Aylesworth, Leon Nelson, George Williams, Mary Simmons, Robert Neuenschwander, Lorraine Brugh, Maxine Ramseyer, Jill Hunt, William Bottom, and Marcia VanOyen. The picture at the left, taken at a 50th anniversary program held in 2008, includes many of these past deans.
Performers for North Shore chapter programs in those early years are also well-known: Virgil Fox, E. Power Biggs, Austin Lovelace, Henry Beard, Karel Paukert, Mildred Andrews, Alec Wyton, and Marie-Claire Alain among them. The program below, from one of the first concerts sponsored by the NSAGO chapter by E. Power Biggs is an enlightening window into our past. The list of benefactors alone reads like a who’s who list of organists from around the country! Suffice it to say, we have a rich heritage in the NSAGO chapter! Please join us for our many enriching programs.
The Chapter proudly celebrated it’s 60th anniversary in April of 2018 with a recital presented by past Deans, and a gala banquet including an exciting slide show history.
