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 (SPC)
Colleague (CAGO)
Choir Master (ChM)
Associateship (AAGO)
Fellowship (FAGO)
The Chart of Requirements and Detailed Professional Certification Requirements are available in PDF form at the bottom of this page.
New: AGO members discuss the benefits of certification at the 2018 AGO Kansas City Convention. Hear the inspiring story of a 12-year old student earning the Service Playing Certificate (SPC) and Part 1 of the Colleague (CAGO).
Watch AGO members discuss the benefits of certification at the 2016 Houston Convention:
View Committee on Professional Certification Members (CPC)
Videos Demonstrating Certification Exam Procedures
Ordering Educational Resources for Certification:
The Examination Hymn Booklet: 2013 Revised Edition with Service Playing Certificate Test Supplement is available in PDF format, or to obtain detailed requirements for each examination or applications, contact the AGO Certification Administrator, email.
Choir Master, Associateship, and Fellowship repertoire can all be conveniently purchased at Cliff Hill Music and Lois Fyfe Music.
2018-2019 Examination Dates
Service Playing Certificate Test:
October 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019.
Colleague Examination:
November 16, 2018, and May 10, 2019; November 15, 2019.
Choir Master Examination:
June 5, 2019 (morning and afternoon).
Associateship Examination:
June 6 and 7, 2019 (paperwork section both mornings; organ playing one of the afternoons).
Fellowship Examination:
June 6 and 7, 2019 (paperwork section both mornings; organ playing one of the afternoons).
Application Deadlines
Service Playing Test:
February 1 is the final application deadline. (Applications for SPC tests between October and early February should be be received at least 3 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
Articles for exam preparation that have appeared in recent issues of TAO include:
AGO Colleague Examination 2013/Improvisation Question/The Modulating Bridge, by Philip Gehring, FAGO, Oct. 2013, pp. 80-81; Correction shown on p. 60 of Jan. 2014
AGO Service Playing Anthem Accompaniment/Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace: Approaches to Wesley’s Most Popular Anthem by Jonathan B. Hall, FAGO, ChM, pp. 46-47, August 2012
“It Don’t Mean A Thing If You Can’t Make ‘Em Sing”/Leading Hymn Singing from the Organ: A Practical Checklist, by Kenneth Grinnell, FAGO, ChM, April 2006, pp. 52-54.
Regular Countersubjects in Fugue, by Walter Hilse, FAGO, March 2008, pp. 52-54.
Ten Tips on Sight Reading, by Jonathan B. Hall, FAGO, March 2009, pp. 84-85.
The Fugal Answer, by Walter Hilse, FAGO, April 2006, pp. 102-103
Transposition: Not a Four-Letter Word, by Kenneth Grinnell, FAGO, May 2008, pp. 82-83.
Two Additional Service Playing Test Anthems, by Joyce Shupe Kull, FAGO, ChM, April 2006, p. 104.
Two Additional Service Playing Test Pieces, by Kathleen Thomerson, FAGO, ChM, October 2009, p. 42.
The last two articles are also in the Study Guide for the AGO Service Playing Test.
Manual of Procedure
Service Playing Test
Manual of Procedure
Colleague Exam
Manual of Procedure
Associate and Fellowship Examination
Chart of Requirements
Detailed Professional Certification Requirements (2020)
AGO Bibliography for Examination Preparation
NEW–Academic Regalia Order Form (For ChM, AAGO, FAGO)
2017-2018 Examination Fees
Service Playing Certificate Test
$150, Student rate $125
Colleague
Both sections $175, Single section $150
Student rate both sections $150, single section $125
Choir Master
Both sections $300, single section $250
(No student rate.)
Associateship
Both sections $300, single section $250
Student rate both sections $275, single section $225
Fellowship
Both sections $300, single section $250
(No student rate.)
Surcharge for nonmembers of the AGO
$100
To request an application for an examination, contact AGO National Headquarters by email, fax, mail or telephone.
Committee on Professional Certification (CPC)
Jonathan B. Hall, FAGO, ChM, DM, Director
Email, 845-324-8193
Website
Gregory Gyllsdorff, FAGO, ChM, MFA
Email, 630-897-7283
M. Jonathan Ryan, FAGO, ChM, MM
Email, 214-363-5471
Eva Sze, FAGO, PhD (cand.)
Email, 347-209-7535
Certification Program Administrator
Paul Wolfe
Email, 212-870-2311, ext. 4303
Walter Hilse (emeritus and adviser), FAGO, PhD
