Are you still in the AGO?
  • tandrews
    Posts: 237
    I'm a board member of our local AGO chapter. Membership is way down (a dozen members!). I don't know why I'm still in it other than I have been since college, I believe my dues help prop up a dying art form, and it's fun to see what jobs get posted even though I'm perfectly happy with the church job I have. But I never read TAO, the Conventions are all sales pitches and no substance, it feels tailored to Protestantism and performance, and none of the discounts really apply to me except for 10% off Sheet Music Plus.

    I have a great young organ student and I want to pitch membership to her parents to join, but I'm struggling to convince myself what's so good about the AGO anymore, especially as a Catholic. I get more out of my CMAA membership than the AGO.
  • TCJ
    Posts: 1,062
    Go with CMAA. I've never been a part of the AGO and I've avoided them. They have blacklisted two area Catholic churches because those churches removed AGO organists who were causing scandals due to their public moral stance (and actions).
    Thanked by 1novusgordo
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,451
    I haven't been a member since 2015. Hard to believe it's been that long! I'll be sad when it's gone, but I don't have the bandwidth to be a part of it and it's not focused on Catholic praxis anyway
  • Charles_Weaver
    Posts: 249
    I am still a member. It makes me feel like more of an organist! But I don't really use it for much other than paying dues.

    I consider the CMAA far, far more important.
    Thanked by 5tomjaw CHGiffen Roborgelmeister novusgordo ServiamScores
  • Diapason84
    Posts: 161
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  • davido
    Posts: 1,222
    I was just at the national convention in St Louis. It’s true that the concert world of organ performance is pretty far away from my day to day Catholic music making.

    However, at the convention concerts, the best venues, the best acoustics, and the best music was all Catholic.

    I think it is good to remember that the organ world (music world in general) is larger than our insular Catholic circles. Not bad to be exposed to the wider world once in a while.
    Thanked by 6Roborgelmeister CHGiffen kyletoddp tandrews Liam LauraKaz
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 12,091
    I have stayed a member. AGO is like a disagreeable wife you would like to kill but don't want the headaches of disposing of the body. The local chapter always seemed dominated by the most unlikeable people but I stick it out anyway. Maybe for sentimental reasons although I am not always sure what I get out of it.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen StimsonInRehab tomjaw
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,698
    Our organist has long been a member. The connections are worth it since I am not an organist; I am a big fan of the music from the organists I’ve heard and that is a very nice bonus too.
    Thanked by 1Roborgelmeister
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,325
    I'm a member. Mostly so I keep getting the mag, and once in a while I do something with the local AGO who are good colleagues generally speaking. CMAA is my bread and butter, but I like maintaining an AGO membership just because it's professionally appropriate and it doesn't break the bank.
    Thanked by 3tandrews Roborgelmeister LauraKaz
  • Noctcaelador
    Posts: 28
    Also went to the national convention, but mostly because I was performing. Were I not, might have given it a skip. One thing that was puzzling to me was the Latter Day Saints tone of two events, including a homily... But there was also a trip to a Roman seminary and a really dignified service of morning prayer with all the trimmings. As well as an excellent trip to the Cathedral Basilica, compline at the old Basilica, etc.
    Hopeful that under new leadership, the organization will find renewed purpose; bear in mind that we had 30 years of the previous leader.
    Thanked by 1tandrews
  • oldhymnsoldhymns
    Posts: 279
    Several of the chapters of AGO in Massachusetts would have, in years past, interesting tours of churches to visit and learn about the organs in those churches. I enjoyed these very much. Once we went to Nantucket! It was a fun day.
    Thanked by 2Roborgelmeister davido
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