About Us

The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. The Guild serves approximately 20,000 members in 330 chapters throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The purpose of the American Guild of Organists is to promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles, to encourage excellence in the performance of organ and choral music, and to provide a forum for mutual support, inspiration, education, and certification of Guild members.

  • Founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization, the Guild seeks to set and maintain high musical standards and to promote understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music. Under the leadership of the National Council, a network of volunteer committees and officials at the regional, district, and local levels directs the activities of the Guild. The AGO National Headquarters is in New York City where a full time staff supports and coordinates publication, administration, and development activities of the organization. For purposes of administration and representation, the Guild is divided into nine geographical regions, and each chapter is assigned to one of them.

    The purposes of the American Guild of Organists are:

    1. To advance the cause of organ and choral music, to increase their contributions to aesthetic and religious experiences, and to promote their understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment.

    2. To improve the proficiency of organists and choral conductors.

    3. To evaluate, by examination, attainments in organ playing, choral techniques, conducting, and the theory and general knowledge of music, and to grant certificates to those who pass such examinations at specified levels of attainment.

    4. To provide members with opportunities to meet for discussion of professional topics, and to pursue such other activities as contribute to the fulfillment of the purposes of the Guild.

    Guild sponsored activities include a series of examinations for professional certification as well as programs and an extensive list of publications, audiocassettes and learning resources for all levels of interest. The Guild sponsors competitions in organ performance and improvisation and in organ and choral composition.

    National and Regional conventions are held in alternate years, and present the finest performers, workshops for personal improvement and opportunities for professional networking.  Members are encouraged to attend these gatherings whenever possible. 

    THE AMERICAN ORGANIST magazine, published monthly by the AGO, is the most widely read journal devoted to organ and choral music in the world.  All members receive a copy either in print or on-line. 

    The Detroit Chapter conducts examinations for the various professional degrees offered by the AGO.  The Detroit Chapter also conducts an annual Scholarship Competition.  If you are a student and wish to apply for the Scholarship, please refer to the Examinations/Scholarship page of this website.

Meet the Board

  • Nathan Costa

    DEAN

  • Jackson Merrill

    SUBDEAN

  • David Enos

    SECRETARY

  • Richard Abdoo

    TREASURER

  • Pete Townsend

    REGISTRAR

  • Christine Walters

    BOARD MEMBER | CLASS OF 2026

  • Michael Bradley

    BOARD MEMBER | CLASS OF 2026

  • Seung Hee Cho

    BOARD MEMBER | CLASS OF 2027

  • David Stultz

    BOARD MEMBER | CLASS OF 2027

  • Michael Katopodes

    BOARD MEMBER | CLASS OF 2028

  • Nicholas Welch

    BOARD MEMBER | CLASS OF 2028

Officers

  • Dean

    Nathan Costa has served churches and schools for over 25 years, currently as Director of Music and Organist at Angelica Lutheran Church in Allen Park. He came to Michigan in 2018 as assistant director of music and liturgist at Christ Church Cranbrook. Previously, he had worked in liturgy and music in Roman Catholic and Episcopal parishes in San Diego, Delaware, and Maryland, and at St. Andrew’s School, an Episcopal boarding school in Middletown, Delaware, where for 17 years he served in teaching and administrative capacities, including as organist / choirmaster, teacher of Latin and Greek, and academic dean. During that time, Nathan has served the AGO, in San Diego on the board and planning committee for the 2017 Pipe Organ Encounter, and on the program committee in Delaware. Nathan received a B.A. in Classics from Yale University and M.A. in Liturgical Music (Organ) and in Theology (Liturgy) from St. John’s University School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota.  He is currently teaching at Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Boys.

  • Subdean

    Jackson Merrill is the Assistant Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church Grosse Pointe. He recently completed his master's degree in organ performance at the University of Michigan, where he was awarded the Marilyn Mason Scholarship, the Patricia Barret Ludlow Memorial Scholarship in Organ, and the Chris Schroeder Graduate Fellowship. He came to Michigan from Hartford, Connecticut where he was Organist and Director of Music Ministries at Trinity Church, Music Director for The Choir School of Hartford, and Choral Director of Trinity Academy. He holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Jacksonville University where he was awarded such honors as the Harvey Scholl Prize in Piano and the Excellence in Performance Award. Recently, Jackson was honored by The Diapason (a publication designed for organists and organ builders) as a member of their "20 under 30 Class of 2021" which "recognizes young talents in the fields of organ and harpsichord performance, organ and harpsichord building, carillon, and church music.”

  • Secretary

    David Enos is a graduate of Westminster Choir College and the Eastman School of Music. He is currently Interim Associate Organist and Carillonist at Kirk in the Hills and Carillonist at St. Hugo of the Hills, where he was previously Music Associate. He has served several terms on the boards of the Detroit and Syracuse chapters of the AGO, and has performed in regional conventions.

  • Treasurer

    Rick Abdoo has been a member of the Detroit Chapter AGO for 26 years. He has served as a board member, and as Treasurer for a total of eight terms. Rick is a retired engineering supervisor from Ford Motor. He holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, and has three patents. Rick has been in business as Abdoo Organ Services, repairing, expanding and rebuilding pipe organs for sixteen years. Rick presently is the Treasurer for the Detroit Chapter AGO, Citizens for Peace, and the Citizens for Peace Education Fund. He was previously the Treasurer for the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club. He is experienced in accounting and reporting for his own business as well as non-profit organizations, using Quickbooks Premier for non-profits.

  • Registrar

    Pete studied piano from an early age. While in high school he spent $50 to purchase a tracker organ from small church about to be demolished. He reworked the chest installing electric valves to become unit organ and built a 2 manual console from manuals and pedalboard salvaged from other instruments. He taught himself how to play. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Wayne State University, and while there decided to formalize his knowledge and took 2 years of organ lessons. During college also worked midnight to 6 a.m. on the first restoration of the Fox organ which was in total non-working order, to get it ready for the 1960 AGO Convention. He plays at least once a month at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, and remains a true amateur organist.

    In addition to his duties as registrar, Pete is also responsible for maintaining the membership & substitutes lists.

BOARD Members at-Large

  • Board Member

    Christine El-Hage Walters is a doctoral candidate pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Sacred Music at the University of Michigan. In 2021, she received a Master of Music degree in Sacred Music from U of M, where she was awarded the Marilyn Mason–William Steinhoff Scholarship in support of her studies. She has studied organ under the tutelage of Dr. James Kibbie, Dr. Kola Owolabi, Mr. Todd Wilson, and most recently, Ms. Nicole Keller. Christine also studies carillon with Dr. Tiffany Ng.

    Christine holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Wayne State University, where she graduated magna cum laude and received various scholarships for piano and academic excellence.

    Christine has been teaching Elementary General Music in the Dearborn Public Schools district since 2017. She was at Allen Park Presbyterian Church for over 17 years as their lead organist and choir director, but is now organist and choir accompanist at Assumption Grotto Catholic Church in Detroit, Michigan. Christine also maintains a private studio of piano and organ students. In her spare time, Christine enjoys traveling, shopping, and spending time with her husband and dog.

  • Board Member

    Rev. Bradley has served as rector of St. Michael's Church, Grosse Pointe Woods, since December 2019.

    He received a Bachelor of Music in organ performance at the University of Southern Maine, 1979, and served as organist/choir director at the Church of Sts. Luke & Margaret, Boston from 1979 to 1993, where he developed a fine volunteer choir in the English choral tradition.

    He completed his Master of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, 1990, and was ordained in the Episcopal Church. His ministry has included hopital chaplaincy, rural ministry on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland, and parish and college chaplaincy ministry at St. George's Episcopal Church/University of New Hampshire, Durham, 1997-2019, where he installed and restored a 19th century pipe organ.

    He has served in leadership with the New Hampshire chapter AGO, where he focused on the support and education of student organists. He has served as accompanist for choral societies and enjoys time at the console whenever he has some free moments.

  • Board Member

    Dr. Seung Hee Cho is an avid concert organist, chamber musician, and veteran choral and orchestral music conductor. Currently Director of Music at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Rochester, she holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and additional post-doctorate studies in choral and orchestral conducting. A true native of liturgical music, Dr. Cho has spent over 30 years as the Director of Music and Organist at several churches in Seoul, Korea, New York, Philadelphia, Michigan, and Washington D.C.

  • Board Member

    David Stultz, originally from Chattanooga, TN, began his musical journey studying piano with his grandmother, Dr. Sigrid Luther, throughout high school. David graduated in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in organ performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, under Dr. Edie Johnson. He then received a full scholarship at the University of Notre Dame where he pursued a masters in sacred music with Dr. Kola Owolabi and served as a graduate assistant organist at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Currently, David is pursuing a three-year doctoral program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, mentored by Professor Nicole Keller. He also studies organ improvisation with Bálint Karosi. Additionally, he serves as the Associate Director of Sacred Music at St. Hugo of the Hills Parish in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Some of David's notable achievements include winning first prize and the hymn-playing award in the 2015 Greater Columbia AGO Young Organist Competition and first prize in the 2021 Southeast Regional AGO Competition for Young Organists. Out of many applicants worldwide, he was recently selected along with six other candidates to compete in the 2024 Haarlem, Netherlands International Competition in Organ Improvisation.

  • Board Member

  • Board Member

Committee Chairs & Support

  • Emily Solomon

  • Rev. Randall Engle

  • Dalos Grobe

  • Jackson Merrill

  • David Stultz

  • Rev. Michael Bradley

Detroit AGO Membership

Why join the AGO? American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the professional organization for organists and choral directors. Meet other musicians, hear concert artists, attend workshops, hear and play historic organs and new instruments. Enhance musical skills by sharing knowledge and ideas with others who have similar interests and/or responsibilities, gain valuable knowledge of the pipe organ and its place in music.

Beginning in 2014, all requests to join any AGO chapter or renew existing memberships are being handled through the National AGO Headquarters.

To JOIN as a NEW MEMBER: CLICK HERE
To RENEW your EXISTING MEMBERSHIP: CLICK HERE


CHAPTER ROSTER

A MEMBER ROSTER is provided to chapter members each year.  For personal security reasons a list of chapter members is not published online.  

We welcome businesses and individuals to place advertisements in the Roster. Please contact rostereditor@detroitago.org or registrar@detroitago.org for further information and prices.

FIND A MEMBER
Members of any chapter of the AGO may search for any other member by going to AGOHQ.org and selecting “Find a Member (Login required)” at the bottom of the page.