Welcome to the Educational Resources web page of the American Guild of Organists. The educational resources on this page have been developed over the years and cover a wide range of practical topics useful to organists, church musicians and AGO members. The emphasis is on content not otherwise readily available through non-AGO sources. You will find video recordings of AGO convention workshops, downloadable documents covering a wide range of topics, as well as links for repertoire, registration, and organ history and design.
New! Lessons for the New Organist
The AGO Committee on Continuing Professional Education has just produced a series of 30 videos entitled Lessons for the New Organist. It often happens that pianists are asked by their congregation to play the organ, and these videos were developed to help new organists acquire basic skills and techniques as quickly as possible. Each video lesson is 2 to 7 minutes long, and there is a wide variety of topics from shoes to bench height, stops, registrations, and basic pedaling.
You will find additional educational videos on the New Organist Page, where several young organists answer common questions about the organ.
Mini-Course in Basic Organ Registration
The material included in this AGO educational resource was prepared specifically for the beginning organist and covers only basic information. The musical examples and much of the information from the original resource are now available online. The online musical examples are accompanied by a downloadable informational document, however, further information can be found in the study book available in the AGO online store.
Other Videos in DVD Format
The three videos below were recorded at recent AGO National Conventions and are now available in DVD format. They can be found with several others in the Organ Music/Essays/Catalogs section of the AGO store.
Improvisation in Service Playing
Tom Trenney
Hymn Tune Improvisations: Increasing Your Skill
William Porter
How We Got Here From There: Trends in Pedagogy, 1860-1960
Ann Marie Rigler
Downloadable Documents
Manual of Procedure for the Service Playing Test
Manual of Procedure for the Colleague Examination
Manual of Procedure for the Associate and Fellowship Examination
Selected Repertoire for Organ and Orchestra, compiled by Michael Barone
Modern Editions of Early French Organ Music
AGO Certification. A chapter guide for promotion, preparation, and participation.
Certification Requirements
AGO Bibliography for Exam Preparation
Wedding Policy: A Guide for Churches and Synagogues
AGO Wedding Repertoire List
Pipe Up! Let it Resound!An Introduction to the Pipe Organ booklet for Pre-School through Grade 5.
Chapter Outreach
POE/POE+ Handbook
Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza
Pipeworks
The Challenge Teaching the Organ to Youth
The Examinations and Academic Regalia of the American Guild of Organists by Agnes Armstrong, first published in The American Organist, July 1996
Organ Repertoire Lists
- Alain, Jehan
- Bach, J.S.
- Bovet, Guy
- Durufle, Maurice
- Gawthrop, Daniel
- Guillou, Jean
- Hakim, Naji
- Locklair, Dan
- Messiaen, Olivier
- Peeters, Flor
- Schumann, Clara
- French Classical
Performing Editions - Iberian Organ Music
- CD Recordings of Organ Music by Black Composers
- East Asian Works for Harpsichord and Organ
- Latin American & Hispanic-American Organ Music
- Bibliography of Organ Works by Black Composers
Graded Repertoire Documents
Other
- A Mini-course in Basic Organ Registration
- The Tournemire Voyage
- Learn to Improvise, Articles from The American Organist Magazine, 2001-2009
- Quotes of Famous Pedagogues
- Links for composers, organists, organ builders, organs, publications, recordings, resources, and miscellaneous
Organ History and Design
- Organ History and the Pipe Organ from its origin through 20th century
- History of Organ Design by James Cook
- Osiris: worldwide collection of Pipe organ Specifications and details
- Westfield Center
- Goteborg Organ Art Center
- Organ of St. Sulpice, France
- Gottfried Silbermann
- Esplanade concert hall in Singapore; a camera pan that you control with your mouse
- Pipe Organ Education Project; explains how a pipe organ works
- Designed to teach children about pipe organs
- Encylopedia of Organ stops
- Voyages of Discovery: part 1: Haarlem
- Voyages: part 2; Almaar
- Voyages: part 3; Edam
