AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS ENDOWMENT FUND DISTINGUISHED ARTIST AWARD RECITAL AND GALA BENEFIT RECEPTION HONORING John Walker NADINE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019 SHADYSIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Congratulations, John, on your outstanding career as a performer, conductor and teacher, and thank you for your many contributions as a member of the Reuter Board of Directors 1991 - 1994 Len Levasseur Photography Opus 2175 April 26, 2019 Dear Friends, ELCOME TO THE 2019 AGO Endowment Fund Distinguished W Artist Award Recital and Gala Benefit Reception honoring our beloved friend, faithful colleague, and AGO Past President John Walker. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Shadyside Presbyterian Church, its pastors and staff, for allowing us to share their spectacular sanctuary and magnificent organ with you tonight. We are deeply blessed by John Walker’s lifelong career as a teacher, performer, and minister of music. John has served our organization faithfully as president, vice president, treasurer, regional convention coordinator, and chapter dean. Throughout his career, he has been a champion of our professional certification program, earning our highest certificate, the Fellowship. John was a member of the task force that envisioned and created our highly popular and successful Pipe Organ Encounters program for youth and adults, now in its fourth decade of existence. During his presidency, he spearheaded efforts to put young people on our national committees and created new ways for us to encourage and nurture the next generation of church musicians and leaders. We are forever grateful for his leadership of the American Guild of Organists. We are also grateful for your support of the AGO—the largest organization of its kind in the world promoting a single musical instrument and the performers and listeners who enjoy organ music—through your gifts to the AGO Endowment Fund this evening. Although many schools around the country have discontinued their organ degree programs, the American Guild of Organists, founded in 1896, is here to stay. Your support of the AGO Endowment Fund helps to ensure that we will. All income from tonight’s Gala will be invested in John’s honor to support educational programs like Pipe Organ Encounters, our most effective means of ensuring that there will be organists in churches and concert halls for generations to come. If you have already made a contribution, thank you! If not, please make a gift to honor John online at Agohq.org/2019-gala. Finally, we extend our deepest gratitude to John Walker, the women’s choir, Mark Anderson, and Joseph Kneer for the performance we are about to experience. Thank you again for your support and for being here this evening. Sincerely, Michael Bedford, AAGO, CHM President 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. Learn more at www.agohq.org. GALA SPONSORS Patsy Link Arthur P. Lawrence, aago, chm (as of April 15) Joan Lippincott Douglas M. Moorehead Colleen Lissy Leslie Robb, cago major support is provided by Henry and Leigh Lowe Joanne Harris Rodland AGO National Headquarters and Joanne Lozier Alex and Carolyn Shearer The American Organist Magazine Edward Maki-Schramm Kenneth J. Spengler Organ Artists Series of Pittsburgh Robert G. Mayer Jr. Joyce Moon Strobel, aago Shadyside Presbyterian Church J. Barbara McKelway Mr. and Mrs. Christoph Tietze Signe O. Mitchell, cago, and Lois Z. Toeppner bronze sponsors George Armstrong Kathryn Zita Weyland Richard L. Cassel Sue Mitchell-Wallace, fago Mina Belle Packer Wichmann Craig Datz, Rochelle Parker, Edward Alan Moore Hedley E. Yost Karen Haslag, and Etta Cox Douglas M. Moorehead Craig and Linda Blythe Everhart Marjory Mount sustainers Barbara Nelson William Neely AGO Indiana (Pa.) Chapter William Glenn Osborne Marvin and Donna Adams HISTORY advertising sponsors Mary Josephine Page-Phillips Barbara Baker AGO Baltimore Chapter Wilberta Naden Pickett, chm Fred W. Cogswell AGO Finance and Development Jordan W. Prescott, spc Giles and Diane Nolan Cooke, spc The AGO Endowment Fund Committee Leslie Robb, cago June and Larry Fletcher-Hill was established in 1994 to pro- AGO National Convention, Atlanta, Ga. Glenn L. Rodgers, aago Tom Hall AGO New York City Chapter Charlotte D. Roederer Laurell N. Huber, aago vide income to educate new AGO Pittsburgh Chapter Carl and Mary Romanek Mr. and Mrs. Dean G. Jamieson organists and to cultivate new Allegheny Pipe Organ Company Brent Ruka Lyndie and Jean-Marc Larsen audiences for organ and choral Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church David P. Schaap, David R. Lawrie, spc music. Tax-deductible contribu- Church Music Institute Selah Publishing Co., Inc. Katherine Scott Lee Peabody Conservatory Vicki J. Schaeffer Betsy Lord, cago tions to the Endowment Fund Reuter Organ Company Diane Schaming Elizabeth Reichelt are invested to produce continu- The Riverside Church Curt Scheib Morgan and Nora Roberts ing income for Guild programs Sacred Music Institute of America Marilyn Kay Schempp, spc Court and Sally Shoemaker Robinson Shadyside Presbyterian Church John F. Schuder Dianne and Andrew Ross and educational projects. Philip Truckenbrod Concert Artists Nancy Shaytar Michael D. Schreffler UBS Financial Services Carol Thompson Smith Lou R. Steigler The AGO Endowment Fund Victor Printing Leslie C. Smith, cago William H. Stump Distinguished Artist Award and Yale Institute of Sacred Music Michael Spillane G. Ronald Vanderwest Doug and Annette Starr Deborah S. Woods Gala travels around the country to ticket sponsors James M. Stark celebrate distinguished members Barbara W. Adler, spc Vernon Steele and Sarah Pillsbury contributors of the organ world, to raise aware- Larry E. Allen Steven Stem and JP Scott Kitty B. Allen ness for the Endowment Fund, Michael Bedford, aago, chm Mary V. Stutz Susan Shively Burkhalter, cago David A. Billings, cago Arlan J. Sunnarborg Tom R. Clark and to secure gifts to strengthen Karen Black Donald S. Sutherland and Peggy Kelley Reinburg it. All income from this Gala will Adam J. Brakel Phyllis Bryn-Julson James E. Thomashower, Penny Brickman, be invested in perpetuity. Don Broderick C. John Thickey, cago and Sarah Thomashower Barry and Suzanne Brown James E. Thomashower Cornelia E. Tolbert Ken Brown Tony Thurman and Ted Barr Past honorees have included: Karl Bruhn, spc Mr. and Mrs. Christoph Tietze in-kind contributions David and Susanna Buchanan Tim Utterback Anthony Baglivi and †Marie-Claire Alain Matthew F. Burt, spc Michael Velting Rollin Smith, editorial John and Lynda Burton Jeffrey J. Verkuilen, fago Len Levasseur, prepress and design new York citY, 2002 Peilun Vicky Chang Russell J. Weismann, aago Pro Organo, digital recordings Charles Callahan SangGyu Choi Mina Belle Packer Wichmann st. Louis, 2014 Tom R. Clark R. Joseph Wiessinger, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS †David Craighead Christine M. Clewell Reuter Organ Co. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Crane, spc Wayne L. Wold, aago special thanks phiLadeLphia, 2012 Christopher Creaghan Joseph Zamberlan & Co. AGO Pittsburgh Chapter Gala John Ferguson Frank L. Crosio, fago Mi Zhou Promotion Committee: st. oLaf college, 2018 Ryan Croyle Linda Everhart, chair Katherine M. Csellar, cago additional contributions and Larry Allen, Chaz Bowers, †Gerre & Judith Hancock Patricia Cummerick participating from a distance Craig Dobbins, Suzanne Gilliland, new York citY, 2004 J.R. Daniels, spc Barbara McKelway, and Doug Starr Wilma Jensen Preston and Mary Dibble sponsors Len Levasseur, photography nashville, 2016 Mr. and Mrs. John S. Dixon, cago Bruce P. Bengtson, aago Mansions on Fifth R. Craig Dobbins Paul Marvin and Melissa Geiger Nadine Photography Joyce Jones Ellen E. Dodge Anna Pinto, calligraphy fort worth, 2010 Wayne N. Earnest patrons Victor Printing, program book Joan Lippincott Dennis Elwell Immanuel Choir, YoungNak Presbyterian Margaret and Barbara Evans Church, Seoul, Korea AGO NATIONAL COUNCIL AND STAFF princeton universitY, 2017 Donald K. Fellows Margaret M. Kemper Michael Bedford, aago, chm, President Marilyn Keiser Mr. and Mrs. Keith Ferguson, spc Donald M. Kendrick, chm Barbara W. Adler, spc, new York citY, 2013 Gene Forish Frederick L. Swann, fago Treasurer/Councillor for †Marilyn Mason Michael P. Frank III Finance and Development Jillian Gardner donors James E. Thomashower, cae, univ. of michigan, 2009 Suzanne L. Gilliland James M. Anthony Executive Director Thomas Murray Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Gould, aago Gail Everhart Barber and F. Anthony Thurman, YaLe universitY, 2011 Gregory Gyllsdorff, fago, chm Robert Schwenk Director of Development †John Obetz Stephen Harouff Rosemary B. Beakes, spc and Communications Elizabeth and Jim Haskins Barbara Beisel kansas citY, 2007 Gail Henry Rebecca Buchanan AGO FINANCE AND Cherry Rhodes & Ladd Thomas Sherman Hesselgrave Neal F. Campbell DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE GlendaLe, 2015 Samuel C. Hutchison Maw Sheng and Nancy Chen Ronald Krebs Regina Kettering Preston and Mary Dibble Ed Maki-Schramm Frederick Swann John T. King Laura R. Ellis G. Ronald Vanderwest Los angeLes, 2008 Karen F. Krenitsky, spc Michael P. Frank III Jeffrey J. Verkuilen, fago John & Marianne Weaver Charlotte Kroeker Joseph Galema phiLadeLphia, 2012 Ann Labounsky, fago, chm, and Sheila L. Hess, cago American Guild of Organists Lewis M. Steele Jr. Ashley L. Horner David K. Lamb, cago Chris Kouklis and Tim Nye 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260 † deceased Alice Grier Lee Dale Krider, fago New York, NY 10115