Upcoming events
Epiphany Recital and Dinner
Celebrate the Epiphany and the 12th Day of Christmas with AGO friends, longtime and new!
Monday, January 6, 2025
6:00 p.m. Recital at
Christ Church Grosse Pointe
61 Grosse Pointe Boulevard,
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan
7:00 p.m. Dinner at
The War Memorial
32 Lakeshore Drive,
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan
This year’s recital will be given by
Dr. Sarah Simko, Associate Organist,
The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, Detroit
on the Harrison and Harrison organ at Christ Church Grosse Pointe.
Dinner will follow the recital down the street at The War Memorial.
Guests, spouses, and partners are welcome!
Cost: $55 per ticket
Young Organist (under 30):
$35 per ticket
Ticket plus Sponsorship
of a Young Organist: $75
For an invitation or any questions, please contact us at https://www.detroitago.org/contact
Jörg Abbing Lecture
Jörg Abbing, organist and professor
Lecture on Messiaen's Livre du Saint Sacrement
Monday, October 7, 7:00 p.m.
Metropolitan United Methodist Church
8000 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI
Following his October 6 4 p.m. recital at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, German organist and scholar Jörg Abbing [https://www.joergabbing.de/vita/] will offer a lecture and demonstration of Olivier Messaien's Livre du Saint Sacrement, commissioned by the Detroit Chapter of the American Guild of Organists for the AGO National Convention in 1986, and performed by Abbing's teacher, Almut Rössler.
About the Event:
German organist and professor Jörg Abbing offered a fascinating lecture and demonstration of Olivier Messiaen’s Livre du Saint Sacrement on the 121-rank Moller organ at Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Detroit, the site of its 1986 premiere by his teacher Almut Rossler. Dr. Abbing provided a thorough musical and historical overview of the work, commissioned by our chapter for the 1986 AGO National Convention. About 25 Detroit AGO members and others — including four who were present at the premiere — asked questions and followed along on scores, as he talked through each movement. It was a brilliant evening of history, scholarship, and music-making! We are in discussions for Dr. Abbing’s return to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the premiere and play the entire work!
September Board Recital and Induction Ceremony
Join the Detroit Chapter of the American Guild of Organists as it kicks off its 2024-25 program year with a recital featuring members of its executive board — including leading organists in Greater Detroit — at Allen Park Presbyterian Church. We will honor outgoing AGO board leaders and induct our new board by the Refreshments to follow.
About the Event:
For our first local chapter event of the year, members of the AGO executive committee offered a program of a diverse assemblage of organ music, many by contemporary composers, including Kristina Arakelyan, Janet M. Correll, Aaron David Miller, Nkeiru Okoye, and Calvin Taylor. Nearly 70 chapter and community members gathered, many at their first AGO event, to hear new AGO board members David Enos, Grace Jackson, and David Stultz play along with veterans Jackson Merrill, Pete Townsend, and Christine El-Hage Walters.
Alcee Chriss Concert
Our closing event of the season is our major artist recital featuring Alcee Chriss III. First-prize and Bach prize winner at the 2017 Canadian International Organ Competition, Alcee Chriss III is widely regarded as one of the leading young organists of our time.
Organs Along Woodward
12:00-1:00: Lunch at Shield's Pizza Detroit (separate checks) 5057 Woodward Avenue
1:20-2:10-Casavant and Austin organs at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral
2:20-3:10-Whitelegg Moller organ at People's Community Church (formerly First Baptist)
Please RSVP to andrew@fpcbirmingham.org
Gospel Organ Masterclass
Julian Goods, organist of Hartford Memorial Baptist, leads a masterclass in playing hymns with a gospel flair on the pipe organ.
Solo Organ Music of Women Composers
Dr. Sarah Simko presents a fascinating lecture/recital on the contributions of female composers. Discover new works you can incorporate into your repertoire.
We will also honor Dr. James Kibbie as a Lifetime Member of the Detroit AGO.
Chant Bootcamp
So much of our repertoire is based on Gregorian chant, but how many of us actually know how to read chant notation? Chant expert and Detroit AGO member, Joe Balistreri will make the complex seem simple! Coffee, cider and donuts will be served.
Progressive Organ Recital
Our closing event of the season is a progressive concert featuring three fantastic organs within walking distance of each other. This will be the first time our chapter has visited the brand new Casavant atLutheran Church of the Redeemer.
Organ Crawl
Grosse Pointe Organ Crawl
$10 per person (to cover the cost of lunch, payable the day of the crawl)
Please RSVP to andrew@fpcbirmingham.org
Schedule of Events
12:00 Gather at St. Michael's Episcopal Church for lunch
12:40-1:20 St. Michael's Episcopal Church (1928 E.M. Skinner)
1:30-2:10 Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church (2001 Wilhelm)
2:20-3:00 Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (1989 Klais)
The Future of Organ Pedagogy
Noted pedagogue and recently appointed organ professor at the University of Michigan, Nicole Keller will lead a discussion on the future of teaching the organ, the current status of the organ department at the University of Michigan, and where she sees the program headed.
Rising Stars Organ Concert
Capping off the "Year of the Young Organists," we present three of our youngest and most talented chapter members. Abe Wallace, Joe Moss, and Mary Zelinski will present an exciting concert on the rebuilt 3 manual Steiner-Reck organ of St. John Lutheran, Fraser. Reception following the recital.
Christopher Houlihan
Our closing concert of the season, Christopher Houlihan plays an exciting program of Franck, Dupré, Price, Guilmant, Mendelssohn, and Vierne on the 3 manual Wigton organ at St. Mary's Greektown. Free parking is available in the church parking lot.
Dexter Kennedy
Our chapter is partnering with the Toledo chapter to present Dexter Kennedy in a recital of the works of César Franck. This concert is in celebration of 200th anniversary of Franck's birth. Holy Rosary contains one of the finest organs in the entire region, a 4 manual Skinner from 1931.