1/4

Message from the Dean

Greetings from the Palm Beach County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists!


Every year, we organize events that showcase instruments and music around the county, including guest artists, an annual recital performed by our members, organ crawls, and dinners. We also share events and newsletters with our neighboring Chapters in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, so there’s a wide variety of exciting possibilities for all of us. Take a look through this website to get to know us, to see which events are coming up soon, and for information on how to get connected.


Stuart Forster, Dean

A few instruments in Palm Beach County

Chapter Events

Sunday, May 18, 2025

End-of-year Dinner & Installation of Officers

6:30 pm

-

8:30 pm

Grato, 1901 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach

Event Details

Sunday, May 18, 2025

End-of-year Dinner & Installation of Officers

This venue was popular in 2023, so we’re going back! The Chapter will subsidize drinks and dinner up to $15 per member • Questions? Contact ...

Event Details

6:30 pm

-

8:30 pm

Grato, 1901 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach

Chapter News

Our Organ Crawl in Miami on January 13, 2025,  included 2 instruments less than a year old and 2 more familiar instruments. Seventeen members visited organs by Aeolian-Skinner, Casavant, Schoenstein, and Schantz. Lunch together was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and to meet new friends with common interests. More photos below.

Performers at the Annual Hymn Festival

One recent event was the annual Hymn Festival at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palm Beach Gardens on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

On Sunday, October 27, 2024, we joined the Miami and Fort Lauderdale chapters for our annual Tri-County Emerging Artist Recital, performed this year by NYACOP winner Ryan Chan at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center, Florida International University, Miami.

Meet & Greet at Bethesda-by-the-Sea

We opened our season with our annual Meet & Greet on Sunday, September 29, 2024 in the Parish Hall at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach.


BELOW: Performers at the Member Recital on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach

Competition Winners

Compositions

The Palm Beach County AGO chapter is thrilled to announce the winners in our second Organ Composition Contest. The 17 entries from around the world were of very high quality, and we hope that other chapters will soon follow the lead in presenting more opportunities for composers in bringing new organ music to the world!

Prizes

After much deliberation, which was done in completely anonymity, the judging panel has selected the following three works for prizes:

The Ruth Fulford First Prize of $500.00: 

        “Festivity” by Matthew Corl

Second Prize of $250.00: 

        “Triptych on 'The Ash Grove'” by 

               Alejandro Consolacion II

Third Prize of $150.00: 

         “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian” by Evelyn Larter

Premiere Performances

Each of these works will receive their premiere performance at the Palm Beach AGO Member Recital on Sunday, February 16, where an additional prize of $100.00 will be awarded to the “Ethel Vogel People's Choice Winner.” 

Our chapter members may receive a copy of the three winning works, if they wish. After the recital, the piece is the composer's to publish, etc., as the copyright remains with the composer.

Instruments from our Organ Crawl in Miami

Meet Our Board

Stuart Forster, Dean

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Phil Lehenbauer, Sub-Dean

Phil Lehenbauer, Sub-Dean

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Phil Lehenbauer, Sub-Dean

Jan Fulford, Secretary

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Hal Pysher, Treasurer & Newsletter editor

Michael Murray, Class of 2025

Barbara Thompson, Class of 2025

Barbara Thompson, Class of 2025

Barbara Thompson, Class of 2025

Barbara Thompson, Class of 2025

Barbara Thompson, Class of 2025

Patricia Holland, Class of 2026

Barbara Thompson, Class of 2025

Patricia Holland, Class of 2026

Mark Lohmeyer, Class of 2026

David Clyle Morse, Class of 2027

Patricia Holland, Class of 2026

Robert Vogel, Class of 2027

David Clyle Morse, Class of 2027

David Clyle Morse, Class of 2027

David Clyle Morse, Class of 2027

David Clyle Morse, Class of 2027

David Clyle Morse, Class of 2027

Contact Us

For more information or to join the AGO, fill out this form.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 

Follow us on Facebook

Copyright © 2025 Palm Beach County Chapter - American Guild of Organists - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept