IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the national American Guild of Organists changing website providers, this website will be decommissioned in the coming months, no later than Summer 2024. We invite you to follow our public Facebook page for upcoming events and updates.
Last updated June 7, 2024.
Welcome!
Greetings from the Wilmington (North Carolina) Chapter! Founded in 1989, the Wilmington Chapter currently has a growing membership. While the majority of its members live in the greater Wilmington area, the chapter spans a large geographic area that includes southeastern North Carolina and portions of eastern North Carolina.
The Chapter meets monthly September through June. Each meeting includes a program which often is a concert performed by chapter members for the community, a lecture on a topic of interest or a guest artist recital. Many meetings feature a catered meal. The Wilmington chapter prides itself on presenting many concerts and events for the greater community. Many years, chapter members present a Hymn Festival for the Church Year, and a members’ organ recital. In past years, chapter members have also formed the AGO Chamber Choir which performs a concert of the works of a major composer with chamber orchestra.
Historic Wilmington, North Carolina, is located on the Southeastern coast of North Carolina and is home to many fine pipe organs. Builders represented include Austin, Bozeman, Casavant, Estey, Goulding & Wood, Noack, Pilcher, Schantz, E. M. Skinner, Taylor and Boody, and Visser-Rowland.
For more information on the Wilmington Chapter, please contact Justin Smith, Membership Coordinator, at Email.
The mission of the American Guild of Organists is to foster a thriving community of musicians who share their knowledge and inspire passion for the organ.
The vision of the American Guild of Organists is to engage, support, and uplift every organist.
Newsletter
Greetings from the Dean
Our 2023-2024 year was a success! We enjoyed two dinner socials in members’ homes, three fabulous organ concerts, a Hymn Festival, a workshop on healthful playing technique, and a Member’s Recital of Lent and Easter music for organ.
What would you like to see included in the upcoming program year? Organ crawl? A presentation on specific organ repertoire? Something for choir directors? A workshop on online products such as ForScore? Do you have a favorite recitalist to suggest? Can you host one of our dinner socials? Other ideas?
All are invited to take part in the planning process! You can either email me with ideas and suggestions nnovelly@gmail.com or, if you’re available, attend our planning meeting:
Sunday, July 7th, 4pm
home of Martha and Sherman Hayes
mmhayes9773@gmail.com
If you can attend:
Please RSVP directly to Martha at the email address above. And please bring some finger food to share (cheese & crackers, fruit, veggies, brownies, etc) and whatever you’d like to drink.
I hope to see you on July 7th, and/or hear your ideas for our 2024/2025 program year. Enjoy these beautiful warm days of early summer!
Blessings,
Nancy Novelly, Dean
Renewals
A note from Elizabeth George:
Members of your chapters have recently contacted us to inform us that the envelopes containing their checks for membership renewal sent to AGO headquarters have been returned, “address unknown.” The Postmaster General is aware if this situation and we hope that this issue will be resolved as soon as possible.
In the meantime, please contact your chapter members and encourage them to renew by credit card. They can safely renew online here, or they can call AGO HQ at 212-870-2310, and we will be happy to assist them in renewing their membership over the phone. Please let them know that if they insist on sending a check, their subscription to The American Organist magazine may be delayed.
Thank you for your immediate assistance in contacting your members and encouraging them to renew their membership as soon as possible by credit card.
Our local Treasurer/Membership Coordinator, Justin Smith, encourages all members with a July 1 renewal date to renew your membership as soon as possible. This will assist the planning committee when making plans for the 2024/2025 program year. Thanks in advance!
Photos below are from our summer social at the historic home of chapter member, Julia Walker-Jewell. Thanks to Sherman Hayes for the beautiful photos!
Chapter members with Elizabeth George, (fourth from right), Chief Membership Officer of AGO, following the Robert Winston Memorial Organ Concert on April 28th.
2024 National Convention
June 30 – July 4
San Francisco, CA
https://www.sfago2024.org/
(from AGO Headquarters)
An invoice is created for your next membership year. “Renew Dues and Subscriptions” appears on your ONCARD menu. Your status changes to “invoiced not paid” on your chapter’s member roster. A renewal notice is sent from headquarters, either by email or postal mail depending on your preferences.
Two Months Before Your Expiration Date
A second renewal notice is sent from headquarters, either by email or postal mail depending on your preferences.
One Month Before Your Expiration Date
A third renewal notice is sent from headquarters by postal mail.
Two Weeks Before Your Expiration Date
Chapter officers receive notification of all members who have not yet renewed.
Bill Due Date
AGO dues payments are due on the last day of the month before expiration.
Expiration Date: Always the First of the Month
A membership expires, and a two week grace period begins at the time of expiration.
Two Weeks After the Expiration Date
The grace period ends and memberships are marked canceled. If a payment is received after this date, delivery of The American Organist may be delayed.
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Chapter Events 2024-2025
Coming soon!
Local Events
Click on the following links for the most current concert information!
Membership
Membership in the Wilmington AGO is open to all who possess a love of organ and choral music. For more information on becoming a member, please contact Justin Smith, Membership Coordinator, at email. You may also join online by visiting https://www.agohq.org/oncard-login/.
Placement
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Organist/Choirmaster
Church of the Good Shepherd
Wilmington, NC
Retired, but still want to play the organ? This opportunity may be just right. At Church of the Good Shepherd, we are looking for an organist to play 2 Sundays a month. The job also includes being a choir master to a small choir. We have a 3 manual digital Allen organ and a George Steck 5’7” grand piano. Church of the Good Shepherd is an Episcopal Church at the corner of 6th Street and Queen Street in Wilmington. We would also consider full time position.
If interested please contact Alice Evans, senior warden, at Church of the Good Shepherd.
Mobile no 910-232-8057 and text.
Email Alice@dynamickitchens.com
Rose Hill Methodist Church
The church musician/pianist plays the piano and or other related instruments (in his/her skill set) for all worship services and special services such as Ash Wednesday. This position is part-time.
Specific Responsibilities
1. Plays for weekly and special worship services directed by the church.
2. Assist the pastor in selecting music for the worship services.
3. Maintain reporting of CCLI related licensing requirements from various worship services.
4. Help the congregation in singing the worship music.
5. Plays for funerals upon request if available.
6. Plays for weddings upon request if available.
Supervision
The Church Musician works with the minister to provide music for worship services, and is supervised by the SPRC.
Click here to read about the new church building.
Certification
For more information about certification, please visit http://www.agohq.org/certification or contact the Dean at Email.
Contact Us
Dean: Nancy Novelly – Email
Subdean and Program Coordinator: Bill Weisser – Email
Secretary: Bob Norem – Email
Treasurer and Membership Coordinator: Justin Smith – Email
Member at Large: Martha Hayes – Email
Member at Large and Chaplain: Barrett Ingram – Email
Member at Large: Julia Walker Jewell – Email
Links
AGO Southeast Region Facebook Page