Task Force for Gender Equity - American Guild of Organists

Woman Composer Sunday Organ Composition Competition

The AGO Task Force for Gender Equity invites women composers, and composers who identify as women or nonbinary, to submit new and unpublished organ compositions to celebrate Woman Composer Sunday on March 9, 2025. The application deadline is October 1, 2024. Click here for complete information.

Save the Date: Sunday, March 9, 2025

“The Growing Sisterhood of Organists” Discussion Panel was recently presented at the AGO Convention in San Francisco. It was aimed at anyone interested in promoting gender equity in organ performance and composition. The collaboration between the AGO Task Force for Gender Equity and the Society for Women Organists brought together leading figures who discussed their advocacy efforts and future goals.

The agenda covered a wide range of topics, from highlighting inspiring women organists to addressing the accessibility of music by female composers. There was also a dedicated Q&A session where attendees could raise their own concerns and learn how to get involved in this movement. The “Lightning Round” at the end offers a fun way to discover new music by women composers along with our Composition Competition announcement. Check out the resources below!

The Growing Sisterhood of Organists
Resource Handout

Mission:

To advocate for female organists;
to bring more women into the Guild;
to attract a new generation of young female organists;
to build equal representation of women in the American Guild of Organists at all levels.

Nancy Cooper, DMA, CAGO, Director – Email
Benjamin M. Cornelius-Bates FAGO, DMA – Email
Lindsey Johnson, MM – Email
Lyn Loewi, DMA – Email
Leslie Wolf Robb, BA, CAGO – Email
Eileen Hunt, ex-officio, AAGO, DMA – Email

Michelle Kardos, Director of Education, DMA, MT-BC, CAGO, AGO Headquarters Staff – Email

Monthly Newsletters:

AGO Task Force for Gender Equity Summer 2024 Newsletter

PAST ISSUES OF THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Please click on the ˇ to expand the menu associated with each of the topics listed below.

WOMAN COMPOSER SUNDAY

Woman Composer Sunday Toolkit

Here are some resources, compiled by the AGO Task Force for Gender Equity, to help you prepare for Woman Composer Sunday:

Webinar, “Woman Composer Sunday: Honoring Trailblazers and Inspiring New Generations” (YouTube)
Repertoire by Women Composers and Resources (PDF)
Church Bulletin Notes Template and Social Media Tips (PDF)
AGO Young Organists Women Composers Project (2023) Part 1 and Part 2 (YouTube)
“Largo” by Elizabeth Stirling (PDF, public domain)
“Children’s Prayer from Sweden” by Roberta Bitgood (PDF, reprinted with permission)
“Let Us Break Bread Together” by Martha Sobaje (PDF, reprinted with permission, courtesy of the Wayne Leupold Foundation)

2024 Webinar: Monday, February 12th, 7 pm
“Woman Composer Sunday – Honoring Trailblazers and Inspiring New Generations”
Watch on YouTube

What are you going to play on Woman Composer Sunday, March 10? Join us for this interactive webinar as we share plans for the third annual event, presented by the AGO and the U.K. Society of Women Organists. In addition to repertoire and helpful resources, participants will be introduced to three trailblazing women composers: Lynn Loewi will introduce British organist and composer Elizabeth Stirling (1819-1895), who was introduced in the January issue of The American Organist. AGO President Eileen Hunt will interview Dr. Grace Wiersma, daughter of Dr. Roberta Bitgood, organist, composer, and first female president of the AGO (1975-1981). Michelle Kardos will have a conversation with contemporary composer Dr. Martha Sobaje. Works by all three composers will be reprinted in the January – March issues of The American Organist, for use on Woman Composer Sunday. This webinar is presented by the AGO Task Force for Gender Equity, Dr. Nancy Cooper, director.

RESOURCES