The first meeting of the Saginaw Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists was held on September 30, 1957, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw, MI. The group received its charter from the American Guild of Organists in January 1958.
Charter members of the Saginaw Valley Chapter of the A.G.O. are as follows:
Dr. Martha Arnold Dorothy McIntyre
George Davey Dr. Ted Meisel
Dr. Kent Dennis Eugene Rolf
Frances Kroll Frank Serresseque
Dorina Lovay
The first meeting of the Saginaw Valley Chapter was held on September 30, 1957, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw. The group received its charter in January of 1958.
Dr. Herbert Goetsch was the first Dean of our Chapter in 1958.
The SVAGO Chapter celebrated its 30th Anniversary in January 1988, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw, the site of its first meeting. A festival service featured a massed choir of area singers which premiered an anthem by Dr. Moonyeen Albrecht, Professor Emerita of Music (Theory and Composition), Central Michigan University. Commissioned by the SVAGO Chapter, the music for the anthem was based upon Psalm 92, “It Is Good to Give Thanks to the Lord.”
In December 1996, our Chapter, under the leadership of Dean Jane Johnson, established the Kent Dennis Memorial Scholarship. The first competition for the scholarship was held on May 10, 1997, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Saginaw.
Dr. Kent Dennis was Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, and after his death in 2007, the Executive Committee decided to name the scholarship in his memory.
We marked our 50th Anniversary on May 13, 2007, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw, with a recital by Dr. Marilyn Mason, Professor of Organ and University
Organist at The University of Michigan. The recital was followed by a dinner, after which Dr. Mason shared her memories as a teacher and performer. Marilyn Mason died on April 4, 2019, at the age of 93. She retired in 2014 after serving a record-breaking 67 years, the longest-serving faculty member ever in the history of The University of Michigan.
On March 2, 2018, our Chapter marked our 60th Anniversary as a Chapter with a recital by the renowned organist and composer, Dr. Charles W. Ore. This special event was also held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw. The next day, March 3, 2018, Dr. Ore led a workshop on improvisation at Bethlehem Church.
Past Deans List
Years Elected
1958 Dr. Herbert Goetsch 1990 Eric Moehring
1958-1959 Frank V. Serresseque 1991 August F. Laesch
1960-1961 Dr. Kent S. Dennis 1992-1993 Gregory H. Largent
1962 Danford Byrens 1994 Vicki Mahoney
1963-1964 Dr. Martha G. Arnold 1995-1996 Jane Bloom-Johnson
1965-1967 George Davey 1996-1997 Gregory H. Largent
1968 Dr. Frank T. Meisel 1998-1999 Patricia M. Bowen &
1969-1970 Robert E. Rice Dr. Steven L. Egler, Co-Deans
1971-1973 August F. Laesch
1974 George Davey 2000-2001 Marcile E. Cunningham
1975-1977 Dr. Kent S. Dennis & David Hammond, Co-Deans
1978 Thomas Wegener
1980-1981 Dr. Frank T. Meisel 2002 Dr. Tim Hendrickson
1982-1983 Yvonne N. Becker 2003-2005 Nicholas E. Schmelter
1984-1985 Patricia M. Johnston 2006-2007 Gregory H. Largent
1986 Dr. Kent S. Dennis 2008-2009 Robert C. Sabourin
1987-1988 Dr. Steven L. Egler 2010-2011 Thomas Wegener
1989 Dr. Edward J. Soehnlen 2012-2015 Nicholas E. Schmelter
2016- Dr. Steven L. Egler
Charter members of the Saginaw Valley Chapter of the A.G.O. are as follows:
Dr. Martha Arnold Dorothy McIntyre
George Davey Dr. Ted Meisel
Dr. Kent Dennis Eugene Rolf
Frances Kroll Frank Serresseque
Dorina Lovay
The first meeting of the Saginaw Valley Chapter was held on September 30, 1957, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw. The group received its charter in January of 1958.
Dr. Herbert Goetsch was the first Dean of our Chapter in 1958.
The SVAGO Chapter celebrated its 30th Anniversary in January 1988, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw, the site of its first meeting. A festival service featured a massed choir of area singers which premiered an anthem by Dr. Moonyeen Albrecht, Professor Emerita of Music (Theory and Composition), Central Michigan University. Commissioned by the SVAGO Chapter, the music for the anthem was based upon Psalm 92, “It Is Good to Give Thanks to the Lord.”
In December 1996, our Chapter, under the leadership of Dean Jane Johnson, established the Kent Dennis Memorial Scholarship. The first competition for the scholarship was held on May 10, 1997, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Saginaw.
Dr. Kent Dennis was Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, and after his death in 2007, the Executive Committee decided to name the scholarship in his memory.
We marked our 50th Anniversary on May 13, 2007, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw, with a recital by Dr. Marilyn Mason, Professor of Organ and University
Organist at The University of Michigan. The recital was followed by a dinner, after which Dr. Mason shared her memories as a teacher and performer. Marilyn Mason died on April 4, 2019, at the age of 93. She retired in 2014 after serving a record-breaking 67 years, the longest-serving faculty member ever in the history of The University of Michigan.
On March 2, 2018, our Chapter marked our 60th Anniversary as a Chapter with a recital by the renowned organist and composer, Dr. Charles W. Ore. This special event was also held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Saginaw. The next day, March 3, 2018, Dr. Ore led a workshop on improvisation at Bethlehem Church.
Past Deans List
Years Elected
1958 Dr. Herbert Goetsch 1990 Eric Moehring
1958-1959 Frank V. Serresseque 1991 August F. Laesch
1960-1961 Dr. Kent S. Dennis 1992-1993 Gregory H. Largent
1962 Danford Byrens 1994 Vicki Mahoney
1963-1964 Dr. Martha G. Arnold 1995-1996 Jane Bloom-Johnson
1965-1967 George Davey 1996-1997 Gregory H. Largent
1968 Dr. Frank T. Meisel 1998-1999 Patricia M. Bowen &
1969-1970 Robert E. Rice Dr. Steven L. Egler, Co-Deans
1971-1973 August F. Laesch
1974 George Davey 2000-2001 Marcile E. Cunningham
1975-1977 Dr. Kent S. Dennis & David Hammond, Co-Deans
1978 Thomas Wegener
1980-1981 Dr. Frank T. Meisel 2002 Dr. Tim Hendrickson
1982-1983 Yvonne N. Becker 2003-2005 Nicholas E. Schmelter
1984-1985 Patricia M. Johnston 2006-2007 Gregory H. Largent
1986 Dr. Kent S. Dennis 2008-2009 Robert C. Sabourin
1987-1988 Dr. Steven L. Egler 2010-2011 Thomas Wegener
1989 Dr. Edward J. Soehnlen 2012-2015 Nicholas E. Schmelter
2016- Dr. Steven L. Egler
