NEW YORK CITY—The American Guild of Organists (AGO), the largest organization in the world dedicated to organ and choral music, honors Anthony Baglivi upon his retirement after more than three decades of service as editor and advertising manager of THE AMERICAN ORGANIST Magazine. The publication is the official journal of the American Guild of Organists and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America and has a monthly circulation of 24,000.

Mr. Baglivi joined the AGO National Headquarters staff in 1973 as editorial assistant. He assumed responsibilities for advertising and production of the magazine in February 1974, as managing editor in May 1980, and as editor in August 1982. Earlier this year, Mr. Baglivi announced his intention to retire from the AGO effective December 31, 2009. The AGO National Council has awarded him the title of editor emeritus, which he will assume on January 1, 2010. Todd R. Sisley has been appointed acting editor and advertising manager.

"In his 36-year AGO career, Tony has been personally responsible for selecting thousands of letters and articles for publication, laying out more than 25,000 pages of editorial and advertising copy, and generating millions of dollars in advertising income," declared AGO Executive Director James Thomashower. "Under his leadership, THE AMERICAN ORGANIST Magazine became the world's leading journal in the organ and choral field, with more readers, more advertisers, and more editorial content than any other periodical serving this market."

"The American Guild of Organists and the entire organ profession have benefitted from Anthony Baglivi's loving attention to every detail, his vision of what needs to be shared, and the best way to communicate it," added AGO President Eileen Guenther. Thomashower continues: "Tony is much more than the editor of a magazine; he is a true leader of the profession. I join my staff co-workers in praising him for his unstinting commitment to excellence in every aspect of the magazine's production, and his uncanny gift for balancing the rigorous and often conflicting demands of his position."

In honor of the many years of distinguished service Anthony Baglivi has given to the Guild, the AGO National Council, in cooperation with the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, has created a permanently endowed scholarship in his name. Annual earnings from the scholarship fund will support an award to be given to a student attending an AGO Pipe Organ Encounter (Technical). Additional contributions in honor of Anthony Baglivi can be made online at www.agohq.org/contributions or by sending a check to: Anthony Baglivi Scholarship, American Guild of Organists, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, NY 10115. For further information about the scholarship fund, please contact AGO Director of Development and Communications F. Anthony Thurman at 212-870-2311 (ext. 4308) or e-mail fathurman@agohq.org.

AGO President Eileen Guenther announced the appointment of Todd Sisley as acting editor and advertising manager of THE AMERICAN ORGANIST Magazine, effective January 1, 2010. Sisley began work at AGO National Headquarters in 1993 as an assistant in the membership department. He gradually assumed other duties over the next four years eventually becoming more involved with THE AMERICAN ORGANIST Magazine and working as assistant to Daniel Colburn, AGO Executive Director 1980–1995. "With changes to the staff in January of 1998, Robert Price and I asked Todd to work exclusively for the magazine," stated Anthony Baglivi. "Todd is a first-class, professional musician and an extremely talented editor. He has worked closely with the magazine's senior staff for over ten years and is ideally suited to take over the duties of editor."