The AGO New Organist Fund was established in 1993 to support Guild programs dedicated to developing a new generation of organists. Inaugural contributions to this fund were made in honor of three extraordinary leaders of the Guild: M. Searle Wright, fago; Roberta Bitgood, fago, chm; and Leslie P. Spelman, fago. Today, the New Organist Fund shelters both permanently restricted gifts to named scholarships, and restricted gifts for the support and development of new organists. Each year, this fund provides scholarship assistance for talented POE participants. Many young, aspiring organists benefit from this fund each year, some who otherwise would be unable to attend a POE.
Honor a loved one, friend, colleague, or beloved teacher by establishing a permanently endowed AGO POE scholarship in their name with a minimum contribution of $15,000. For further information, please contact:
F. Anthony Thurman
Chief Development Officer
AGO National Headquarters
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260
New York, NY 10115
212-870-2311, ext. 4308
fathurman@agohq.org
Contribute Now (you will need to login using your AGO online credentials)
After clicking on the button above, please login to make your contribution to the New Organist Fund. If you are designating it for one of the named scholarships, below, please select the scholarship name in the honor/memorial box.
Printable Form for Contributions
Contribution levels are as follows:
Full scholarship funding ($15,000+)
Benefactor ($1,000+)
Sponsor ($500-999)
Patron ($250-499)
Donor ($100-249)
Sustainer ($50-99)
Contributor ($25-49)
Friend ($1-24)
Permanently Restricted Gifts
Charlene Brice Alexander Scholarship
1916–1987
The Charlene Brice Alexander Scholarship was established in 2006 through a generous gift from Henry White. The first scholarship award was made in 2007. Contributions in memory of Charlene Brice Alexander are invited.
Lucie Ford Anderson Scholarship
1920–2012
The Lucie Ford Anderson Scholarship fund was established in 2012 through a generous bequest from her estate and gifts from family and friends. A scholarship will be awarded once the minimum balance threshold is achieved. Contributions in memory of Lucie Ford Anderson are invited.
Anthony Baglivi Scholarship
The Anthony Baglivi scholarship was established in 2009 by the AGO National Council and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America in recognition of more than three decades of service as editor and advertising manager of The American Organist Magazine. A scholarship for a POE (Technical) student is awarded annually. Contributions in honor of Anthony Baglivi, Editor Emeritus of The American Organist Magazine, are invited.
Philip E. Baker Scholarship
The Philip E. Baker Scholarship was established in 2001 by the AGO National Council through a generous grant from the Perot Foundation. Contributions in honor of Philip Baker, aago, are invited.
Robert S. Baker Scholarship
1916–2005
The Robert S. Baker Scholarship was established in 2005 by Dr. Baker’s family, friends, students, and Yale University colleagues. Contributions in memory of Robert Baker are invited.
E. Power Biggs Scholarship
1906–1977
The E. Power Biggs Scholarship was established in 2021 by Edward T. Walsh, aago. A scholarship will be awarded once the minimum balance threshold is achieved. Contributions in memory of E. Power Biggs are invited.
Seth Bingham Scholarship
1882–1972
The Seth Bingham Scholarship was established in 2001 by Patricia Bingham Dale. Contributions in memory of Seth Bingham are invited.
David C. Byrkit Scholarship
1944–2024
The David C. Byrkit Scholarship, established in 2024 by his family and friends, invites contributions in honor of his lifelong dedication and talent as an organist and choir director in New York City and Peoria, Ill.
Michael Cohen Scholarship
1939–2008
The Michael Cohen Scholarship fund was established by Michael’s partner, Carl Brown, with the support of family and friends. Contributions in memory Michael Cohen are invited.
Printable Contribution Form
Margaret R. Curtin Scholarship
1920–2016
The Margaret R. Curtin Scholarship was established in 2016 through generous gifts from her family. The first scholarship award was made in 2017. Contributions in memory of Margaret Curtin are invited.
Clarence Dickinson Scholarship
1873–1969
The Clarence Dickinson Scholarship was established in 2001 by M. Louise Miller. Contributions in memory of Clarence Dickinson are invited.
Richard and Clara Mae Enright Scholarship
1923–2016
The Richard G. Enright Scholarship was established in 2017 by members of the AGO North Shore Chapter. The name of the scholarship was amended in 2018 to include Clara Mae. Contributions in memory of Richard and Clara Mae Enright are invited.
Printable Contribution Form
Virgil Fox Scholarship
1912–1980
The Virgil Fox Scholarship fund was established in 2002 by The Virgil Fox Society, Inc. Contributions in memory of Virgil Fox are invited.
Eileen M. Guenther Scholarship
The Eileen M. Guenther Scholarship was established in 2014 by the AGO National Council in recognition of her many years of leadership as a member of the council. A scholarship will be awarded once the minimum balance threshold is achieved. Contributions in honor of Eileen Guenther, Past President of the American Guild of Organists, are invited.
Philip Hahn Scholarship
1935–2003
The Philip Hahn Scholarship was established in 2002 by the AGO National Council in recognition of Dr. Hahn’s ten years of extraordinary leadership as a member of the council. Contributions in memory of Philip Hahn, aago, Past President of the American Guild of Organists are invited.
Charles Huddleston Heaton Scholarship
1928–2021
The Charles Huddleston Heaton Scholarship was established in 2021 by his family and friends. Contributions in memory of Charles Heaton are invited.
Charles Henderson Scholarship
1917–2001
The Charles N. Henderson Scholarship was established in 2001 by the family and friends of Charles Henderson and the AGO National Council. Contributions in memory of Charles Henderson, Editor Emeritus of The American Organist Magazine, are invited.
Wayne Hobbs Scholarship
1938–2019
The Wayne Hobbs Scholarship was established in 2019 by his family. Contributions in memory of Wayne Hobbs, former music department chairman at Texas Tech and Western Kentucky University, are invited. (Photo credit: Dwight Pounds)
Printable Contribution Form
Joyce Johnson Scholarship
The Joyce Johnson Scholarship was established in 2021 by Rebecca A. Silliman. Contributions in honor of Joyce Johnson, aago, professor emerita of music and college organist at Spelman College in Atlanta, are invited.
The Leupold Foundation Scholarship
The Leupold Foundation scholarship was established in 2008 through a generous gift from the Leupold Foundation. Contributions are invited.
Alfred E. Lunsford Scholarship
1918–2003
The Alfred E. Lunsford Scholarship was established in 2003 through the generosity of the Schantz Organ Company and a gift from Mr. Lunsford’s estate. Contributions in memory of Alfred E. Lunsford are invited.
Ruth Milliken Scholarship
1921–2008
The Ruth Milliken Scholarship fund was established in 2003 by Ms. Milliken’s students and friends. Contributions in honor of Ruth Milliken, aago, are invited.
Jacquelyn King Perry Monroe Scholarship
1931–2020
The Jacquelyn King Perry Monroe Scholarship was established in 2020 through generous gifts from her family and friends. Contributions in memory of Jacquelyn Monroe are invited.
Printable Contribution Form
Bruce Prince-Joseph Scholarship
1926–2015
The Bruce Prince-Joseph Scholarship was established in 2015 through a gift from his estate. Contributions in memory of Bruce Prince-Joseph are invited.
Douglas Rafter Scholarship
1915–2013
The Douglas Rafter Scholarship was established in 2015. The first scholarship award was made in 2017. Contributions in memory of Douglas Rafter, AAGO, are invited.
Gordon and Naomi Rowley Scholarship
The Gordon and Naomi Rowley Scholarship was established in 2012 through a generous gift from the Rowleys. Contributions are invited.
Ned Siebert Scholarship
1953–2000
The Ned Siebert Scholarship was established in 2000 through the generosity of the family and friends of Ned Siebert. Contributions in memory of Ned Siebert are invited.
Morgan and Mary Simmons Scholarship
The Morgan and Mary Simmons Scholarship was established by a generous gift from the Andrew Family Foundation in 1996. The fund continues to grow each year through the generosity of the Simmonses and dedicated friends. Contributions in honor of Morgan and Mary Simmons are invited.
Mary Kathryn Smith Scholarship
1937–2015
The Mary Kathryn Smith Scholarship was established in 2015 through generous gifts from her family and friends. The first scholarship award was made in 2017. Contributions in memory of Mary Kathryn Smith are invited.
Frederick Swann Scholarship
1931–2023
The Frederick Swann scholarship was established in 2008 by the AGO National Council in recognition of his many years of extraordinary leadership as a member of the council. Contributions in honor of Frederick Swann, fago, Past President of the American Guild of Organists, are invited.
Martin (1919–2002) and Barbara Wick Scholarship
The Martin M. Wick Scholarship was established in 2004 by the Wicks Organ Company through the generosity of Arthur J. Meier Jr. In 2023, the Wick family expanded the scholarship to honor Barbara Wick as well. Contributions are invited.
Printable Contribution Form