Committee on Professional Certification

Ms. Kathleen Thomerson, FAGO, ChM, Director
13030 Nutty Brown Road
Austin, TX 78737-9383
512-288-2370 (W)
512-301-4077 (H)
kthomerson@austin.rr.com

Dean W. Billmeyer, FAGO, DMA
University of Minnesota
School of Music, Ferguson Hall
2106 Fourth Street South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
S: 612-624-3307
Fax: 612-626-2200
dwb@umn.edu

David Enlow, FAGO, MMus
Church of the Resurrection
119 East 74th Street
New York, NY 10021
W: 212-535-9666, x31
david@davidenlow.com
www.davidenlow.com
www.resurrectionnyc.org

Kenneth J. Grinnell, Jr., FAGO, ChM, MSM
First Congregational Church
508 Union St.
Manchester, NH 03104-4890
Church Phone: 603-625-5093
Church Fax: 603-625-9107
kgrinnell@fccmanchesternh.org

Walter Hilse, FAGO, PhD
326 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
H: 212-765-8905

The American Guild of Organists was chartered in 1896 by the Board of Regents, University of the State of New York, to administer a comprehensive series of examinations for professional certification. Through the Professional Certification Committee the Guild offers the following certificates:

Service Playing Certificate
Colleague (CAGO)
Choir Master (ChM)
Associateship (AAGO)
Fellowship (FAGO)

To order Educational Resources for Certification:

To obtain detailed requirements for each examination, contact National Headquarters by email, fax, mail or telephone. To order Educational Resources for Certification, click here.

2010 Examination Dates

Service Playing Test:
October 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010

Colleague Examination:
November 13, 2009; May 14, 2010; November 12, 2010

Choir Master Examination:
June 2, 2010
(morning and afternoon)

Associateship Examination:
June 3 and 4, 2010
(paperwork section both mornings; organ playing one of the afternoons)

Fellowship Examination:
June 3 and 4, 2010
(paperwork section both mornings; organ playing one of the afternoons)

Click here for Exam Locations

Click here for Certification Chart

Application Deadlines

Service Playing Test:
March 1 is the final application date.
(Applications for SPC tests scheduled between October and February should be received at least 4 weeks prior to the scheduled test date.)

Colleague Examination:
September 15 for the November CAGO exam; March 1 for the May CAGO exam.

Fellowship, Associate, and Choir Master:
1 April

		AGO Exam Updates AGO exam updates for candidates, including clarifications and notices. Three consecutive updates are available: 2009
		Requirements for 2010 Detailed Professional Certification Requirements in Adobe Acrobat Reader Format

2010 Examination Fees

Service Playing Certificate Test
$80

Colleague
Both Sections $130, Single Section $100

Choir Master
both sections $205, single section $150

Associateship
both sections $205, single section $150

Fellowship
both sections $205, single section $150

Surcharge for nonmembers of the AGO
$100

To request an application for an examination, contact National Headquarters by email, fax, mail or telephone.