The Southeast Minnesota Chapter of the American Guild of Organists has scholarships available for high school students interested in learning to play the organ. An anonymous donor, through the Rochester Foundation, funds these scholarships for one year (September through June) of organ study. These awards are designed to encourage piano students with an interest in church music to become acquainted with the pipe organ.

Scholarship Winners' Recital

The seventh annual Organ Scholarship Winners' Recital will be held Sunday, April 27, 2008, 4:00 p.m. The recital will be held at the First Congregational Church, 965 17th Avenue Southwest, Rochester.

• Jordan Buchholtz, Spring Valley, MN. This is Jordan's second year for the scholarship. Organ teacher is Robert Scoggin.
• The Hoang, Owatonna, MN. Organ teacher is Lee Afdahl.
• Emily Howe, Rochester, MN. Organ teacher is Robert Scoggin.
• Tim Reichmann, Chatfield, MN. Organ teacher is Brian Williams.
• Tyler Simpson, Chatfield, MN. This is Tyler's second year for the scholarship. Organ teacher is Lee Afdahl.

The SE Minnesota AGO continues to be blessed with the seventh year of scholarship funds provided by the J. Isabelle Dyck Fund of the Rochester Foundation. The scholarships are facilitated by the Southeast Minnesota Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

We thank the Congregational Church for hosting the event and give special thanks to Zoe Abrahamson for her efforts as Scholarship Committee chairperson.

Auditions

The 2008-2009 AGO Scholarship Auditions will be held Saturday, May 3, at The First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, MN, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Auditions will be held before a panel of three qualified piano and organ judges. Each applicant is required to perform the following repertoire on the piano or on the organ:

1. Applicant's choice of a Baroque piano or organ piece.
2. Applicant's choice of a piano or organ piece demonstrating technical and musical proficiency.
3. Hymn of student's choice.
4. Hymn (to be sight read) as chosen by the AGO Scholarship Committee.

Applicants should complete the application form (pdf, 243 KB) and return by April 11, 2008 to:

Zoe Ann Abrahamson, Chairperson
1051 Foxcroft Circle
Rochester, MN 55902

The Southeast Minnesota Student Organ Scholarships are provided by the J. Isabella Dyck Fund of the Rochester Foundation. The scholarships are facilitated by the Southeast Minnesota Chapter of the AGO. This program is designed to encourage students, with adequate keyboard training and an interest in church music, to become acquainted with another keyboard instrument. We hope, by offering this scholarship, we can help students make informed choices later in their musical careers regarding the organ.

The AGO Scholarship Committee, which coordinates the scholarship auditions, consists of Lee Afdahl, JoAnne Larson, Robert E. Scoggin, Brian Williams, and Zoe Abrahamson. For further information about this program, contact the Chapter Dean, Kristy Giere.