History of the New York City Chapter

 
The New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists was formed as a result of a petition approved by the National Council on October 9, 1950, to make the chapter independent of the former Headquarters Chapter. The officers of the new chapter, which had 745 members, assumed their duties on January 1, 1951. The first public meeting, a recital and service which included the installation of officers, took place on January 9 at the Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) on East 31st Street in Manhattan. The Chapter was subsequently the host for the National Convention held in New York City June 25-29, 1956, and was host for the Centennial National Convention July 7-11, 1996. The chapter newsletter, The AGO Times, began publication in 1959 as a listing of concert events. In 2003, the newsletter was renamed Double Open and is in PDF format, allowing distribution via email. The International Performer of the Year Award was first granted in 1978 (to Robert Noehren) and has continued for most but not all years following; the award is considered by many to be the highest honor given to organists by a professional musicians' guild in the United States. In March of 2000, the chapter went "online" with its web site: www.nycago.org.
 
New York City Chapter Deans

1951–52

Carl Wiesemann
1977–80
Will Carter

1952–54

Harold Heeremans, FAGO, ChM *
1980–82
Frederick Grimes

1954–56

Robert Baker *
1982–84
Walter Hilse

1956–59

Edward Linzel
1984–86
Louise Basbas

1959–60

Alec Wyton *
1986–87
Alec Wyton *

1960–62

Donald L. Coats *
1987–89
Harold Stover

1962–64

Charles N. Henderson *
1989–90
Skinner Chavez-Mélo *

1964–66

David F. Hewlett *
1990–92
John C. Walker

1967–68

Frank Cedric Smith, ChM
1992
Kent Tritle (interim)

1968–70

Robert Arnold
1992–94
Keith S. Toth

1970–71

Richard Westenburg
1994–98
Arthur Lawrence

1971–73

Frederick Swann
1998–2004
 Stephen Hamilton

1973–74

John Weaver
2004–2006
Christopher Creaghan
1974–75 Robert MacDonald
2006–
 Frank Crosio
1975–77
Larry King *    

* deceased