Described by Fanfare magazine as a “complete musician, totally adept and utterly stylish in everything she plays,” Anne Laver is active as concert organist, scholar, and pedagogue. She has performed in the United States, Europe, Scandinavia, and Africa and has been a featured recitalist at conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Göteborg International Organ Academy (Sweden). In 2010, she was awarded second prize in the AGO National Young Artist Competition in Organ Performance. Anne’s debut recording, “Reflections of Light” (Loft, 2019) has been aired on nationally syndicated radio programs, including WXXI FM’s With Heart and Voice and American Public Media’s Pipedreams. She will release a new album of solo and chamber music for organ by composer Natalie Draper on the Acis label in early 2026.

Anne is passionate about advocacy for the organ and the encouragement of young organists. In her appointment as Associate Professor of Organ and University Organist at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music, she helps educate the next generation of organists and church musicians. She has been able to involve students in many facets of her current projects, such as workshops for composers who want to write for the organ, scholarship around organ music at the nineteenth and twentieth century world’s fairs, and a new documentary film about organ culture in the United States.

Program

“Heroes and Saints”

Pièce Héroïque, from Trois Pièces César Franck (1822—1890)

Three Preludes and Fugues, Op. 16 Clara Schumann (1819—1896), arr. Laver

I. Prelude and Fugue in G Minor

II. Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major

Three Meditations for Organ (2020) Natalie Draper (b. 1985)

I. Alleluia

II. Prayer

III. Amen

Improvisation on “We Shall Overcome” (2011) Carl Haywood (b. 1949)

“America, the Beautiful” from Eleven Organ Solos Calvin Hampton (1938—1984)

Fugue in E-flat Major “St. Anne,” BWV 552/ii Johann Sebastian Bach (1685—1750)

Hózhó (2022) Connor Chee (b. 1987)

Étude Héroïque, Op. 38 (2012) Rachel Laurin (1961—2023)

Notes on the program

Who comes to mind at the mention of the word hero? Superman, the Avengers? Renowned warriors or leaders? Perhaps someone who shows great courage in the face of adversity?

Today’s program explores the concept of heroism through music. The following pieces connect to this theme in various ways, some of them overt, some more subtle. I hope this concert allows you to enjoy the stories of heroes and saints of old, and contemplate what it means to be a hero in our own time.

Cesar Franck premiered his Pièce héroïque at the 1878 Paris Exhibition Universelle on the large organ in the Palais du Trocadéro built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. The Trocadéro site was named for a battle in Spain that the French had won in the 1820s. Franck’s piece seems to tell a story of struggle. The opening theme in B minor is brooding and sinister. Halfway through the piece a new theme in B major is introduced in a lyrical, sweet texture. The two battle it out to a thrilling climax.

Clara Schumann is one of my heroes. A virtuoso pianist and a brilliant musician and composer, she found a way to forge a musical career in a time when women were discouraged from any kind of professional pursuits. After an intense childhood under a manipulative father, Clara married the composer Robert Schumann, who encouraged her to continue performing and composing. In 1845, in Robert had suffered a mental breakdown and was looking for a steady routine and purpose to get back on his feet, so he and Clara moved to Dresden, bought a pedal piano, and committed themselves to the study of counterpoint. Clara composed her Three Preludes and Fugues, op. 16 for piano in this period while Robert worked on his six canons and six fugues on the name of B-A-C-H. Although Clara published her set for piano, they are remarkably well-suited to the organ, and I will play them in my own organ arrangement tonight.

When I think of heroes for our own time, I am reminded of the countless health care workers who gave of their expertise and courage in the early, scary days of the pandemic. I offer Natalie Draper’s Three Meditations for Organ in gratitude for those that tended the sick and dying each day. Natalie wrote this piece in summer of 2020 as part of our joint project on composing for the organ. About this piece, Natalie remarked, “I am exhausted by the news cycle, by so much that I am seeing in the world that is frustrating. I’ve been needing my music to be a space for introspection, for healing, and for beauty.” Her Three Meditations represent this need. She told me she thinks of the movements as “abstract memories of a church service—someone perhaps searching for the solace that one might find from a florid alleluia, a passionate prayer, and a slow, simple Amen.”

Carl Haywood’s commanding arrangement of the civil rights hymn, “We Shall Overcome” reminds us of recent heroes and saints who fought for equality and decency for every human being. Haywood titles the piece an “improvisation,” as it was born out of his own experience playing and creating music at the organ, but it falls loosely into a theme and variations structure. Haywood first presents the unadorned tune accompanied by a sparkling ostinato, then moves to a toccata texture with the theme in the pedal, then a chordal presentation of the tune, and concludes with a coda of exciting flourishes.

The United States has a fair number of patriotic songs, but my all-time favorite is “America, the Beautiful,” penned by Katherine Bates in 1893 and later set to Samuel Ward’s tune MATERNA. I have always loved the imagery of this country’s varied landscapes in Bates’ text. As someone who is working on visiting all the country’s national parks, I feel like this text captures the awe-inspiring geography in this country. I have to admit, on these trips, I am always reminded of the people who were displaced and marginalized as a result of the U.S.’s westward expansion. Our nation’s history is one that is both inspiring and complicated. It is full of heroes in history books as well as everyday heroes whose small acts of kindness and courage make up the fabric of this country. It is in this recognition that I offer Calvin Hampton’s setting of “America” this evening. For me, this setting seems to speak to both the beauty and the messiness of our history.

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his monumental Fugue in E-flat Major as the closing piece in his Clavier-Übung, Part III in 1739, one of the few works he published in his lifetime. At the heart of the collection are a series of chorale settings representing the foundation of Orthodox Lutheran faith. The Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Major serve as bookends to the whole work and are among the most lengthy and skillful of all Bach's preludes and fugues for organ. The three-part fugue builds in intensity and rhythmic drive in each section. Upon its rediscovery in the early 1800s, the piece attracted the nickname “St. Anne,” because the piece’s fugue subject bears a striking resemblance to the opening of the English hymn tune by the same name, often set to the text “O God, our help in ages past” in modern hymnals.

Connor Chee’s first organ piece, Hózhó, seeks to capture the essence of the traditional Diné (Navajo) concept of balance and beauty. Chee writes that he learned of this concept from one of his personal heroes, his grandmother. He writes, “As a child, my grandmother taught me that keeping balance and harmony in my life started with the simplest things. I was taught to always keep my necklaces hung neatly so they would not tangle, to keep my belongings in order, and even to make sure my shoes were untied when I took them off. The idea was that if I could keep balance in those fundamental things, it would permeate my spirit and inspire my life as a whole. Although I still struggle to keep the space where I live and work in perfect order, I know that when I feel overwhelmed or out of sorts, I can start by organizing the simple things to welcome balance back into my life.”

Chee says his work “presents a musical search for balance and beauty.” The opening melodic material returns at the end of the piece in retrograde, suggesting that the melody (and the listener) have been changed by the experience. Hózhó was commissioned by Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra and premiered by her at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Seattle in July 2022.

Rachel Laurin’s Étude Héroïque is a thrilling compliment to Franck’s iconic Pièce hérïoque. It opens with an arresting introduction that gives way to a virtuosic pedal solo before introducing two central themes, one jaunty, the other mysterious. Rachel Laurin was a joyful force in the North American scene until her untimely death in August 2023. Her compositions are shaped by her formidable organ technique, her deep knowledge of the French/Canadian symphonic organ tradition, and her wonderful sense of humor. Her presence is sorely missed, but her wonderful personality lives on in her music.

--Anne Laver, 2026

In life there are many talented individuals whose musical gifting and expressionism appears effortless to audiences. Some are born with these gifts while others train to become great minstrels and psalmists. However, there are rarely those who are exceptionally blessed to marry their natural gifting with their learned skills to become known as “masters” of their craft! Having been compared to Oscar Peterson, Dianne Warren, Thomas Whitfield and Richard Smallwood, Isaac Cates is an artist possessing astonishing musical knowledge, skill and unparalleled creativity that places second, only to his passion for encouraging people.

Be prepared for a wonderful evening of uplifting and spiritual gospel music including percussion and a Hammond Organ. We have also been told that Village’s Richard, Fowkes & Co. Organ will make an appearance in the concert.

This concert is co-sponsored with the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and Village Presbyterian Church.

The concert is free and open to the general public.

This event was postponed due to weather.

The new date is Monday, February 2, 2026 at 6:30 pm

If you had reservations for the previous date, they will automatically be transferred. You can still make reservations for the new date by clicking here.

“We mustn’t let the devil have all the good tunes” has been attributed to Luther and Wesley. Let’s do some research and find the Chorales that share familiar melodic lines with drinking songs. There are many to find.

We will sing with gusto and support the local pub.

Bach certainly enjoyed some beer.

Did you know that part of Bach’s income was based on beer tax remissions? From the Bach Reader, p. 127. “A Receipt. That I have received from Mr. Johann Paul Latzer, a regularly appointed Assessment and Liquor Tax Collector. . .the tax amount for three barrels of beer.”

Join us for an evening of comradery and gusto!

We are requesting that you reserve your spot so we can keep a tally of how many to expect. There is no charge for a reservation. Food, and of course, many varieties of bier will be available for purchase.

We have the whole place to ourselves. This is a private event for all GKCAGO members and their friends. Bring as many as you like. We would love to meet you!

Chapter members will share favorite fall hymns.  The themes of All Saints and Thanksgiving fall in November before the winter rush.

Co-sponsored by The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Bienvenue!

Come join us at The 13th Annual French Organ Music Festival on Sunday, August 24, 2025, starting at 2:00 PM at The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, MO. Free admission. Suggested donation $10. Prepare to be mesmerized by the enchanting compositions of French organ music performed by talented musicians. Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of France as you listen to the beautiful sounds echoing through the cathedral, live video from the organ loft, and visual presentations about the composers and the music performed. Come and be captivated by the music's beauty, the Cathedral's ambiance, and the company of fellow music lovers. Our Festival's motto is: Venez quand vous pouvez, restez aussi longtemps que vous voulez, partez quand il vous le faut. Come when you can, stay as long as you want, and leave when you must. Most audience members stay for the entire three-hour festival. We look forward to seeing you at this very special annual event.

The Festival, started by AGO chapter member and Cathedral music director Dr. Mario Pearson, will feature local organists.

The Festival features a live video feed from the organ console, including program notes about the performers and composers. It is an event for organists, music enthusiasts, and those curious about the pipe organ.

PROGRAM

2:00 pm: Ann Pham

• "Litanies by Jehan Alain (1911-1940)

• Variations sur Lucis Creator, JA 27 by Jehan Alain

• Symphonie-Passion, op. 23: I. Le Monde dans l'attente du Sauveur (The World Awaiting a Savior) by Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

2:30 pm: Sherry Dou

• Cortège et Litanie, Op. 19, No. 2 by Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

• Naïades, Op. 55, No. 4

• Allegro Vivace from Première Symphonie en ré mineur, Op. 14 by Louis Vierne (1870-1937)

• VI. Les anges from La nativité du Seigneur by Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

3:00 pm: Ann Marie Rigler

• "Variations sur ""Lucis Creator,"" JA 27/AWV 29 by Jehan Alain (1911-1940)

• Postlude pour l'Office de Complies, JA 29/AWV 13 by Jehan Alain

• Symphonie gothique, Op. 70: IV. Moderato/Allegro by Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)

3:30 pm: Audrey Pickering

• "Symphonie No. 2, Op. 20 Louis Vierne (1870-1937)

  • I. Allegro

  • II. Choral

  • III. Scherzo

4:00 pm: Isabel Alsum

• Te Deum Op. 11 by Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968)

• Prélude et fugue sur le nom d'Alain Op. 7 by Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)

4:30 pm: Jan Kraybill

• Three Short Studies, Op. 68, by Rachel Laurin (1961-2023): 

  • I. Monologue (for pedal solo),

  • II. The Flight of the Hummingbird (moto perpetuo),

  • III. The Dialogue of the Mockingbirds (rondo)

• Choral paraphrase on ATTENDE DOMINE and Variations on O FILII ET FILIAE from Twelve Chorale Preludes on Gregorian Chant Themes, Op. 8, by Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968). 

• Finale, Op. 78, by Rachel Laurin

The Kansas City Theater Pipe Organ, Inc (KCTPO) and the Greater Kansas City Chapter of The American Guild of Organists are pleased to co-sponsor a silent movie played on the 1927 Loews Midland Robert Morton Theatre Pipe organ at the Music Hall. Other classical and theatre organ selections will be offered. This organ is a joy to listen to and a Kansas City treasure.

Organist: Dave Wickerham

Movie: Safety Last

This event is open to the public and has free admission.

Free-will donations will be collected at the door.

Join the Greater Kansas City American Guild of Organists chapter and Trinity Lutheran Church for a service of worship at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mission Kansas.  The Holden Evening Prayer Service by Marty Haugen will be featured.   This service is a simple Lutheran vespers service written in 1985-86 that follows traditional form while using contemporary and inclusive language.

We wanted to clarify the Marty Haugen will not be at this event. We are featuring his service.

A chapter dinner will follow this service for members and their guests. Click here for reservations.

This event is open to the public, with free admission.

Donations are gladly accepted and much appreciated.

For the most current information, use the link below and visit our Bachathon page:

Educated in the Netherlands and the United States, Robert August has an extensive background in keyboard performance, conducting, and teaching. He has served as Carillonneur at Brigham Young University, and as organist and conductor at several churches. He has performed in Europe and the United States as a solo artist and accompanist, has toured and recorded with the Harvard University Choir, the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra, the Texas Boys Choir, the Texas Camerata, and has made guest appearances with the Fort Worth and Irving Symphonies. While pursuing his doctoral degree at the New England Conservatory of Music, he served as Assistant University Organist and Choirmaster at The Memorial Church at Harvard University, and simultaneously served as Music Tutor at Harvard’s Dunster House. He served as Director of Music and Organist at First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Worth and most recently as Director of Music at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Austin. In 2010 his doctoral thesis, An Old Look at Schumann’s Organ Works, was published in the United States and Europe, celebrating the composer’s 200th birthday. Robert frequently serves as adjudicator for choral and organ competitions. He often concertizes with his wife, Dolores, performing a variety of music from early to modern, including organ, piano, harpsichord, flute, piccolo, and baroque flute.

A chapter dinner will precede this event for members and their guests. Reservations has closed for this event.

Join The Greater Kansas City American Guild of Organists chapter for an evening with Choral Evensong followed by a 30-minute organ concert.  A reception follows the evenings program.

The Greater Kansas City American Guild of Organists chapter is sponsoring a workshop:

Explore with us as we introduce area piano students to the "King of Instruments." We will share the unique capabilities of the pipe organ, compare that to the piano and let the piano students perform a prepared piano piece on the pipe organ. The students will get to explore both instruments, learn more about the pipe organ and enjoy some pizza.

Unfortunately, registration has closed for this event.

Members of the Greater Kansas City American Guild of Organists chapter will present a member’s recital on Monday, November 18, 2024.  Enjoy a night of beautiful music provided by members of our very own chapter.  The program will feature pieces from the church’s liturgical seasons and festivals.

This event is open to the public and has free admission.

A chapter dinner will precede this event for members and their guests. Reservations

The Greater Kansas City American Guild of Organists chapter is sponsoring a workshop: “Collaborative Colleagues: The Conductor/Organist Partnership” This workshop will be led by Ben Spalding and Jan Kraybill and will explore the crucial relationship between a conductor and organist to ensure musical collaborations and well-planned, efficient, and, above all, artistically satisfying for all parties involved.  All conductors and organists (plus choir members) are welcome to attend. 

A chapter dinner will precede this event for members and their guests.

The Greater Kansas City American Guild of Organists chapter is sponsoring a concert by Trevor Good. Trevor received first place in the 2023 AGO/Quimby North Central Regional Competition for Young Organists. This past July, he performed at the National AGO convention held in San Francisco, CA.   Trevor Good is an undergraduate organ student at the University of Kansas, where he studies with James Higdon. He is also the organist at Church of the Resurrection Brookside in Kansas City, Missouri.

For more information about Trevor, please visit his Facebook page.

Program

Symphony No. 1 - Rachel Laurin

i. Prelude

ii. Scherzo

iii. Aria

iv. Toccata

intermission

Symphony No. 6 - Charles-Marie Widor

i. Allegro

ii. Adagio

iii. Intermezzo

iv. Cantabile

v. Finale

The twelfth anniversary of the French Organ Music Festival will take place on Sunday, August 25, 2024, from 2 pm to 5 pm at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on 11th and Broadway in downtown Kansas City. The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the AGO and the Cathedral co-sponsor this annual event.

The Festival, started by AGO chapter member and Cathedral music director Dr. Mario Pearson, will present organists Trevor Good, Thomas Vozzella, Kurt Knecht, Fr. Brent Stull, Beth Elswick, and Andrew Morris.

The Festival features a live video feed from the organ console, including program notes about the performers and composers. It is an event for organists, music enthusiasts, and those curious about the pipe organ.

Limited parking is available at the Cathedral. Free parking is available on 12th and Broadway next to the Folly Theater. Click here for parking instructions and barcode.

For detailed program notes and the most current information click on the link below:

Food and fun exploring the 34 rank house organ at Burkfarm. Performance and organ crawl, social time, and time for people to try the instrument.

Christ on our lips - The Music of Corpus Christi

This one feast day has inspired an amazing collection of religious texts and a variety of musical settings.

Please join us for a concert featuring Antanina Kalechyts, organ, Matthew Christopher Shepard, conductor and The Te Deum Chamber Choir. A pre-concert lecture at 6:30 pm will be given by Fr. Paul Turner.

Please download this flyer for more information about the program.

This program is co-sponsored by Te Deum and the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

This program is open to public with free admission and no ticket required.

With our many thanks to Te Deum, Matthew Christopher Shepard, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Mario Pearson and all of our chapter members that have coordinated for this program. It promises to be outstanding.

Engage with us as our chapter presents Bachathon XLV. We will share some of the musical masteries of JS Bach for organ, choral ensemble and more during this beloved annual event sponsored by our chapter.

Click here to jump to this event page on our website for more information.

"The Kid" is a 1921 American silent comedy-drama film written, produced, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his foundling baby, adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first full-length film as a director. It was a huge success and was the second-highest-grossing film in 1921. Now considered one of the greatest films of the silent era, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2011.

Brett Valliant is an organist enjoying opportunities to play the music he loves on the instrument he loves. Whether at an organ in a concert hall, a majestic church organ, or a mighty Wurlitzer in a theatre, Brett is right at home.

This program is open to public with free admission and no ticket required.

Village Presbyterian Church - 75th Anniversary Celebration.

Make plans to join with us as Village Church celebrates this milestone anniversary. This concert will include pieces featured on organ recitals throughout Village Church’s history, as well as pieces written specifically to celebrate this current organ, and to honor the church’s 75th anniversary.

This recital will be performed by our amazing chapter member Dr. Elisa Williams Bickers, FAGO.. Elisa is the associate director of music and principal organist at Village Presbyterian Church. She directs the Alegría young adult choir and the Village Ringers handbell ensemble. Additionally, she is the keyboardist for the Bach Aria Soloists, a Kansas City chamber music ensemble devoted to performing the works of Bach and composers inspired by him. She has degrees in church music and organ performance from Texas Christian University and the University of Kansas. Read more about Elisa on the Village Church website.

Join with us for a recital performed by Dr. Katie (Katherine) Webb (nee Burk). A native of Lawrence, KS, she received a DMA in organ performance, with minor fields in choral conducting and music theory, at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she was a student of Christopher Young. She also was named to The Diapason’s “Twenty Under Thirty” Class of 2019 in recognition of outstanding achievement in the fields of church music and organ performance and currently serves as a board member of the Royal School of Church Music in America. She now serves as Canon for Cathedral Music at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, OR, successor there to Bruce Neswick.

Find more information about Katie on the Trinity and Diapason websites.

There will be a chapter dinner prior to this event starting at 6:15 pm.

Explore with us as we introduce area piano students to the ‘King of Instruments’. We will share the unique capabilities of the pipe organ, compare that to the piano and let the piano students perform a prepared piano piece on the pipe organ.

For this event we will start at Southminster Presbyterian Church and later arrive at Trinity Lutheran Church. The students will get to explore both instruments, learn more about the pipe organ and enjoy some pizza.

Check out the PPP page on this website for more information and to register for this event.

Practical improvising skills with Robert Nicholls, presenter.

Robert Nicholls is the 2012 winner of the AGO Improvisation Competition.  He is a former adjunct professor teaching improvisation for Indiana University and is the Music Director/Organist at First Presbyterian Church, Evansville, IN.

Find more information about Robert on Vox Humana, Facebook or First Presbyterian Church websites.

There will be a chapter dinner prior to this event starting at 6:15 pm.

Make plans to join us for a recital by James Kealey, First Prize and Audience Prize winner of the 2022 American Guild of Organists National Young Artist Competition in Organ Performance (NYACOP).

Our multi-talented chapter member, Dr. Jan Kraybill, FAGO, will share with us practical keyboard practice skills. Make plans to join with us for tips to improve your practice methods.

Tips for "E-E-E" Practice: All of us have lots of practicing to do and never enough time in which to do it. Jan will offer strategies to make your practice sessions more Effective and Efficient, so that you will more quickly achieve Excellence. This is a chance to renew or kickstart your best practice habits!

Learn more about Jan on her website.

There will be a chapter dinner prior to this event starting at 6:15 pm.

Plan to join us for the 11th annual French Festival. This has become a beloved standard for the GKCAGO chapter to present to the community. And be sure to check out our French Festival page on this website.

We will meet on May 22, at 6 pm at St. Luke's Episcopal Church at 5325 Nieman Rd. in Shawnee, KS.  It is just north of West Flanders park in Shawnee.  Our current Registrar is their organist and our Secretary was their previous organist. 

The meeting on May 22 will include a delicious dinner at 6, and we will then have the installation of our new board officers.  Afterward we will have a demonstration of the materials given to our chapter by the Reuter Organ Company.  Then we will proceed to the sanctuary for a demonstration of the organ, and some hymn singing!  This should be a very good chance to greet our chapter officers, meet our friends, and hopefully make some new ones!

Engage with us as our chapter presents Bachathon XLIV. We will share some of the musical masteries of JS Bach for organ, choral ensemble and more.

Click here to jump to this event page on our website for more information.