Overtones

The monthly e-newsletter of the North Shore Chapter AGO

Dean’s Column | January 2025

Dean’s Column | January 2025

Happy New Year!

This is a time of resolutions to let things go and make space for things that bring you and your community health, joy, peace, and purpose. I hope that our North Shore chapter of the AGO might be one of the things you might make space for in this new year. Perhaps by reconnecting with a colleague. Perhaps by renewing your membership or making a donation to support our chapter programming. Perhaps by adding our March 9 event to your calendar and bringing a friend. Perhaps by learning a new piece and sharing your progress on social media. Perhaps by registering for a convention or retreat to refuel your passion for music-making. However this looks for you, we value your place among us in our North Shore chapter.

As we enter this new year, I want to share the plan of what you can expect. Our Overtones newsletter will now be produced bi-monthly in Jan, Mar, May, July, Sep, Nov and will be sent mid-month.  In the other even-numbered months you will receive an upcoming program reminder with a link to the previous months’ Overtones. All past Overtones newsletters are also available on our website. And just because you receive our Overtones does not mean your membership is current. Please be sure that you can login to the AGO headquarters’ website and that your information and membership are current.

Go to https://www.agohq.org/ago/join and select Chapter Member. You’ll use your email where you receive your monthly AGO National news/TAO and if it is your first time logging in to this new system you’ll need to “forgot password” as no passwords were carried over. Note that our NSAGO chapter website has a login for members-only access which is separate from AGO National. I highly recommend making your National and NSAGO login credentials the same for easiest use. Anyone with membership questions can contact me at dean@northshoreago.org and/or our registrar Matthew Doran at registrar@northshoreago.org

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Epiphany Party on January 4 and to our wonderful host Andrea Handley who provided a delicious dinner in her festively decorated home. Twenty chapter members and friends were in attendance and enjoyed a program of piano duets and carols after dinner.

Looking ahead, be sure to save the date for our next chapter event:

March 9 – Woman Composers Sunday Members’ Recital at 4:00pm

Details for NSAGO and community events can be found on the Events page of our website.

Lastly, our hearts go out to all experiencing loss from the fires in California. Consider supporting former dean Andrea Handley’s daughter’s family who lost their home to the Eaton wildfire. If you would like to help, consider a donating to their GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/e5d2c015

Brian Schoettler, DMA
Dean, North Shore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
dean@northshoreago.org

Upcoming Event: Woman Composer Sunday Members’ Recital

First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights
302 N. Dunton Ave. Arlington Heights, IL 60004

North Shore chapter members present a program in observance of Woman Composer Sunday – the same weekend as International Women’s Day.  We’ll celebrate some familiar composers and learn some new pieces we might add to our own repertoire.  

Learn More
Organ Scholarship Update

Organ Scholarship Update

The North Shore AGO is offering two new organ scholarships available for beginning or continuing organ students who study with a teacher who is a member of the North Shore chapter. One or two awards of $250.00 will be made each year and are to be used for expenses related to organ study (i.e. tuition, music, organ shoes).

The Beginning Organ Study Scholarship is open to piano students who are playing at the level of a Bach Invention and interested in learning to play the organ. Students who are already studying the organ with a North Shore member may apply for a Continuing Organ Study Scholarship.

Both applications require teacher recommendations, YouTube links of performances, and other information detailed on the application. Students will receive a complimentary membership in the American Guild of Organists (which includes The American Organist).

For more information, check out the applications or e-mail the scholarship chair. 

Applications are due April 1 and can be downloaded here: https://northshoreago.org/scholarships/

Dr. Mary Beth Molenaar
NSAGO Scholarship Chair
m-molenaar@northwestern.edu

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Past issues of Overtones