From the Dean

	David Enlow, Dean

Dear Colleagues,

I am so pleased to write my first message as chapter dean; it’s a great honor to serve. When I joined the board several years ago, I thought I might be able to help out, just a bit around the edges! Now my hope is that I can do something to encourage, and nothing to hinder, the very good work you all are doing in your various positions around the City, the region, the country and the world! What a great privilege many of us have: to present music to people in worship and in concert in our great City. If you are a non-playing fan of organ music, we may need your enthusiasm and support even more! Thank you for being present at many wonderful organ offerings, and for appreciating them.

Program Year

You will see outlined later in this issue the Program Year which Sub-Dean James Kennerley and his program committee are responsible for. They have, through much deliberation and refinement, presented the slate of program events to your executive board, which has approved the events and set the whole thing in motion. We are proud of our long history of all sorts of chapter programs, as they set us apart as a center for education, performance, and social collegiality in the Guild. Please take note of the dates and be with us for as many events as you can.

Certification Results

Professional Certification is one of the ways in which the AGO transcends being just a membership organization, as it promotes high standards of all-around musicianship and continuing education in the profession. Congratulations to those chapter members who have passed examinations this year:

Eric Birk, FAGO

Bernadette Hoke, AAGO

Colin MacKnight, AAGO

Evan Griffith, CAGO

Special thanks to James Wetzel, a board member and exam coordinator. Having served in that role, I remember well that there are challenges and rewards in equal parts, with the usual difficulty of scheduling anything involving more than one person and venue in our fair City!

Your Executive Board

Finally, let me express my thanks to those serving the Chapter in the capacity of officers and board members this season. Much of the board’s work is not glamorous, but it provides strength to all of our chapter programs and activities, and I am glad to serve with such dedicated and good-spirited volunteers. If you see one of your board members, why not say ‘thanks’ for his or her service.

Let’s have a great year! I’ll see you at our events.

Yours truly,

David Enlow,
Dean

Next Chapter Event

Joey Fala		McNeil Robinson

Recital by the NYC AGO Competition Winner Joey Fala

and an Evening Celebrating the Career of McNeil Robinson

Monday evening, September 8 at 5.30 pm

Brick Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue and 91st Street

The Chapter’s program year will be launched with a recital by NYC AGO competition winner
Joey Fala on the magnificent Coignet-Casavant organ of Brick Church.

This will be followed by a champagne reception honoring the career of
beloved chapter member and renowned organist McNeil Robinson.

Stephen Tharp will lead a conversation with McNeil, whose legendary stories are sure to entertain us all.

Highlights of the Coming Season of Chapter Events

The next event of the year will be a conducting master class by Paul Spicer on Tuesday, October 21 at 6 pm.

Conductor of the UK-based Finzi Singers and teacher of choral conducting at the Royal College of Music in London, Paul is legendary in his field. In addition, he wrote the seminal biography of Herbert Howells, and is widely known as a composer.

The Chapter will provide a choir of volunteers and professionals, and we welcome applications from our members to act as the conducting “guinea pigs.” More information on this and our other Chapter events will be communicated in due course.

Looking ahead, please reserve Monday, February 16 for the Chapter’s Presidents Day weekend program. The mini-convention will focus on music of the German Romantic period, and Isabelle Demers and Paul Jacobs are included on the roster of artists. It is set to be a legendary event. Please be sure to join us.

Our thanks to the program committee: James Kennerley, Sub-Dean and Chair, Stephen Buzard, Christopher Creaghan, Frank Crosio, Ray Nagem, Alistair Reid, Benjamin Sheen, Keith Tóth, and Emily Werne.

Texts of Remarks by Nancianne Parrella and James Litton
at the May Meeting

For those not present at our May gathering at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, and for those who would like to revisit and hear them again, we are glad to provide the following links for the texts of their remarks. Thanks again, Nancianne and Jim, for a memorable evening.

http://nycago.org/pdf/140512_Litton.pdf

http://nycago.org/pdf/140512_McDonald.pdf

http://nycago.org/pdf/140512_Parrella.pdf

News of Members

	Bishop-elect John O'Hara

Pope Francis has appointed three priests of the Archdiocese of New York to serve as Auxiliary Bishops to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, one of whom is our fellow chapter member John Joseph O'Hara

The three new bishops will be ordained as bishops on August 4, 2014 in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. They join Bishop Gerald Walsh and Bishop Domenick Lagonegro as auxiliary bishops of New York. Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop-emeritus, is the retired Archbishop of New York, and Bishop Robert Brucato and Bishop Josu Iriondo are retired auxiliary bishops.

A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, Bishop-elect John O’Hara was born to John and Helen (Quinn) O’Hara on February 7, 1946. After working in the field of journalism, he entered Saint Joseph’s Seminary in 1980, and was ordained to the priesthood on December 1, 1984 by Cardinal John O’Connor. He has served at Saint Augustine’s Parish, New City, Saint Charles Parish, Staten Island, and Saint Teresa Parish, also on Staten Island. In 2012 he was appointed to assist with the pastoral planning process, Making All Things New, which he has led since 2013.

Congratulations Father—soon to be Bishop—O'Hara!

National Election Results

The AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS announces a newly elected National Council for a term of two years, July 1, 2014–June 30, 2016. Members of the newly elected National Council include four national officers and three national councillors with portfolio.

	John Walker, President of the American Guild of Organists

PRESIDENT John Walker, FAGO, DMA. Baltimore, Md.

VICE PRESIDENT /COUNCILLOR FOR COMPETITIONS AND NEW MUSIC
Christian M. Lane, MM. Somerville, Mass.

SECRETARY / COUNCILLOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS
Mary V. Stutz, BS. Williamsburg, Va.

TREASURER / COUNCILLOR FOR FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
Barbara Adler, SPC, DMA. Kansas City,Mo.

COUNCILLOR FOR CONVENTIONS Michael Velting, DMA. Nashville, Tenn.

COUNCILLOR FOR EDUCATION Don Cook, AAGO, DMA. Provo, Utah

COUNCILLOR FOR MEMBERSHIP / David K. Lamb, CAGO, D.MUS. New Albany, Ind.
CONVENOR OF REGIONAL COUNCILLORS

Non-Voting Members of the AGO National Council

AGO PAST PRESIDENT Eileen Guenther, DMA. Ex officio. Vienna, Va.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James E. Thomashower, CAE, BA. Ex officio. New York, N.Y.

CHAPLAIN Don E. Saliers, Honorary. Atlanta,Ga.

Seven regional councillors were also elected during the national election. In accordance with the
Guild’s new organizational structure, the regional councillors will be represented on the National
Council through the Councillor for Membership.

NORTHEAST REGION Cheryl Duerr, AAGO, MM. Attleboro, Mass.
(Formerly Regions I and II )

President Walker writes “As a lifelong member of the AGO, it is both a thrill and a humbling responsibility to be chosen by my peers to lead this great organization. As the 31st President in the 118 year history of the Guild, I am honored to walk in the steps of illustrious predecessors. During this era of widespread cultural change, I hope to bring my experience as a church musician, concert performer, conservatory and university professor, and AGO officer to vitalize the Guild’s mission to enrich lives through organ and choral music.”

Although we are a national and international organization, the heart of the AGO dwells at the chapter level. As Speaker of the House ‘Tip’ O'Neill famously said, ‘All politics is local,’ so the AGO resides in 300 chapters, which provide networking, fellowship, and mutual support to members. With the help of our dedicated and skilled staff at National Headquarters and thousands of volunteers throughout the Guild, my role will be to coordinate all of these activities and to provide focus for our shared vision .

I send best greetings to my colleagues and friends in the New York City Chapter."

	Keith S. Tóth, Dean of the NYC Chapter 2010-14 and 1992-94

Members From the Past

Chris Babcock and Donald McDonald each correctly identified our outgoing Dean, Keith Tóth, in last month's issue.

The famous classical musician photographer Christian Steiner took a series of photos of Keith in 1992 as publicity for a performance of Darius Milhaud’s Sérvice Sacré, in which Keith participated, which was presented during the “Milhaud Retrospective Series” in Merkin Concert Hall in October of that year, performed in the presence of Madame Milhaud.

Thanks, Keith, for a job well done!

Can You Identify This Member From the Past?

. . . now deceased?

Centennial Millennium Fund

The New York City Chapter AGO
Centennial Millennium Fund

The New York City Chapter is pleased to announce that it will
award grants from the Centennial Millennium Fund
in the amount of $2,500 to $10,000 in 2015.

Grant proposals (maximum 500 words) for projects that will promote
and enhance the pipe organ as a musical instrument to the general public
are welcomed through December 31, 2014.

The Centennial Millennium Fund was created with proceeds from
the 1996 National AGO Centennial Convention held in New York City.

Please direct your proposals in electronic format to:

Keith S. Tóth, Chair
NYC AGO Centennial Millennium Fund Trustees
agokeith@gmail.com

Time to Renew Your AGO Membership

Registrar Larry J. Long reminds everyone that it is time for renewing AGO membership for the 2014-15 season.

Beginning this year, the national AGO office is now collecting dues for membership, not the local chapter. Please go to their website, www.agohq.org click on “Membership,” then “Renew your membership.”

Follow the instructions to complete the process. You will need your membership number (from The American Organist magazine) to use as your password. Your user id is the first letter of your first name, followed by your last name (mine is “LLong” – caps are not necessary).

If your church/employer pays your dues, in the process of renewing your membership you will find an option for printing out the membership invoice so that you may submit it for payment.

The 2014-15 year began on July 1, so renew promptly!

From the Editor

We welcome news of members and other submissions for the newsletter. The deadline is the 15th of the month preceeding. Send material to Neal Campbell, Editor.