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LIST OF WorcAGO ORGAN TEACHERS
Celebrating 26 years, the WorcAGO Scholarship Program is one of the hallmarks of our chapter. It’s an important part of our Mission, to not only provide educational programming throughout the year, but also financial support for training of member organists who are taking lessons from member teachers. Our program has had over 100 recipients, and has featured a recital by scholarship recipients to demonstrate their progress.
WE INVITE YOU TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND (including an option for monthly recurring contributions)
2018-2019 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Mark Baleno has been taking piano lessons for 9 years and singing lessons for 5 years. He sings in his church choir and has performed in a community theater group for 4 years. He loves playing a variety of music, from classical to blues to video game music. He enjoys playing the organ and looks forward to playing in church. Mark studies organ with Marjorie Ness.
Christian Copeley, 19, has been studying piano from age eleven to the present, and he started studying organ freshman year of high school. Throughout his four years of high school, he studied organ with Edgar Kuklowsky. As the organ scholar at Assumption College, he began studying with Dr. Michelle Graveline. He is currently studying organ with Brett Maguire as he continues his studies at Assumption. His experience as a musician includes participating in piano competitions and accompanying for Masses and other services at various churches in New Hampshire. Just last year, Christian won first place in the AGO/Quimby Regional Competition for Young Organists in Boston, on February 18th. Christian would like to thank his friends, family, and teachers for their support and encouragement in helping him get this far.
Abigail Kelley-Lanser, 17, studies piano and organ as her two main instruments. She has been playing piano for 12 years, and discovered her love for the organ during a Pipe Organ Encounter at Smith College two years ago. Abbey has played pieces for numerous worship services, and recently had her first experience as a substitute organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Worcester, splitting the service with another organ student.
In addition to taking weekly lessons with Mark Mummert, Abbey is currently enrolled in AP Music Theory at Hopkinton High School. She enjoys participating in the school chorus and occasionally serving as an accompanist on piano. Abbey sang with both the Central District chorus and the Massachusetts All State chorus this year; her high school chorus performed in the MICCA gold medal showcase at Mechanics Hall this spring.
To continue nurturing her passion for music and faith, Abbey will be attending her second year of Lutheran Summer Music at Valparaiso University in Indiana this summer. There, she will continue her organ and voice studies. She plans to pursue an organ major in college.
Gavin Klein, 14, of Bolton, Massachusetts is an eight-grader at the Florence Sawyer School where he plays in his school’s Jazz band, and Middle School band on the clarinet and saxophone. Gavin enjoys playing the fife in two historical reenactments groups both recreating historical events from the Revolutionary War. He has studied piano for over ten years and is currently a student of Judit Ernst at the Indian Hill Music School of Littleton, MA. Gavin has been studying organ with William Ness for about a year and a half and frequently has his lessons at the College Church of Seventh-day Adventists in Lancaster on their J.W. Walker pipe organ. Gavin hopes to become an organ teacher some day and teach the organ to the next generation as well as becoming an organist at a large church.
2017-2018 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Abigail Kelley-Lanser
Abigail Kelley-Lanser, 16, is a pianist and beginning organist. At the
suggestion of Pastor Kathryn Baines and Music Director Bess Sproul at her
church, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Westborough, she attended a Pipe Organ Encounter run by the AGO at Smith College in the summer of 2016. After that intensive and transformative week, Abbey played the pieces she had learned at the POE at her home church. Under Mrs. Sproul’s guidance and teaching, Abbey continues to learn new organ pieces and play them for services, including Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and First Communion Sunday.
In addition to piano and organ, Abbey is an accomplished stage artist, performing in numerous plays and musicals in the Hopkinton, MA, schools and also at Enter Stage Left, the resident theater company of the Hopkinton Arts Center. She is currently an organ student of Mark Mummert.
Christopher Lobo – withdrawn midyear
Gavin Klein
Gavin Klein, 13, of Bolton, Massachusetts is a seventh grader at the Florence Sawyer School where he plays in the band and is on the United Nations debate team. Gaven also participates in historical reenactment marches playing the fyfe. He has studied piano for over nine years and is currently a student of Judit Ernst at the Indian Hill Music School of Littleton, MA. He is called upon occasion to play as one of two organists at his parish church. Gavin began organ lessons with William Ness in the summer of 2016 with lessons at the College Church of Seventh-day Adventists in Lancaster. His parents have purchased a Rodgers organ for home practice. “At some point in my life, I would like to become an organist and choir director at a larger parish church and also teach organ students.”
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Mark Baleno
Mark Baleno has been taking piano lessons for 8 years and singing lessons for 4 years. He sings in his church choir and has performed in a community theater group for 4 years. He loves playing a variety of music, from classical to blues to video game music. He enjoys playing the organ and looks forward to playing in church. He studies organ with Marjorie Ness.
Theresa Baleno
Theresa Baleno has been taking piano lessons for almost 10 years with local teachers, including 8 years at the Boston Conservatory Autism Program. She has taken voice lessons for 4 years and sings in her church choir, where she sometimes helps with cantoring, and also with the Greater Gardner Community Choir, where she recently sang a solo in the Messiah. She enjoys improvising on and transposing the pieces she learns. She loves to sing and play and looks forward to playing for church, in a theater, or an orchestra. Theresa studies the organ with Marjorie Ness, recently retired from Fitchburg State University and freelance organist and teacher.
Isabelle Zhao
Isabelle is 10 years old and is a 5th grader at the Sherwood Middle School in Shrewsbury MA. She has studied the piano and organ with Mr. Malcolm Halliday. Isabelle also started cello lessons at school for orchestra class. Isabelle likes playing piano and organ at church services. She played several selections (such as Clementi Sonatina Op. 36 no. 5 Air Suisse on the piano and Partita in F duet by Joseph Haydn on the organ) for Sunday Services at the FCC in Shrewsbury. She would love to continue playing for services and singing in the Youth Choir. Isabelle will continue her organ studies in 2017-18 with Mr Brett Maguire.
2016-2017 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Isabelle Zhao
Isabelle is 9 years old and is a 4th grader at Floral Street School in Shrewsbury MA.
She is currently studying the piano with Mr. Malcolm Halliday. Isabelle enjoys listening to classical music and making her own little pieces of music. She played selections (such as “Andante from Sonata in C Major, K.545, W.A.Mozart”, “Allegro con spirito from Sonata Op.36, No 6, Muzio Clementi”,”Ave Maria, Burgmuller” and “Be Thou My Vision, Duet”) for Sunday Services at the FCC in Shrewsbury since 2014. She would love to continue playing for services more and more, and singing in the Training Choir from time to time at church. While listening and watching Mr. Halliday playing the pipe organ at Sunday Services, Isabelle was inspired to learn how to play the organ and even tried playing the organ after piano lessons with Mr. Halliday. She is looking forward to a new opportunity to learn the organ with Mr. Halliday.
Christopher Lobo
Christopher Lobo is a pianist and has been studying music for eight years. He is currently studying piano at Pakachoag Music School with Mr. Vladimir Odinokikh.
Christopher is actively involved in the Music Ministry and plays the piano at St. George Catholic Church in Worcester. He has been substituting for the church organist when required and also plays for special church events. In addition to studying the piano, Christopher is currently studying the Saxophone and plans on studying Jazz music.
He is studying organ with Mr. Malcolm Halliday and his long term plans are to study music during his high school and college years and to get a church musician position and teach music to younger children.
Mengyuan Tang – withdrawn
Lauren Engquist
Lauren Engquist has been taking organ lessons with William Ness for nearly two years, beginning when she was 11. She hopes to become a church organist. Lauren especially enjoys learning pieces by Bach and other Baroque composers. She has played piano for six years, and is currently a student of Inna Muravnik’s at the Pakachoag Music School. This year, Lauren was selected to serve as the keyboardist for the band at Forest Grove Middle School in Worcester. Still, the organ is her great passion, and she hopes to spend the rest of her life studying, playing, and later, teaching this majestic instrument.
Theresa Baleno
Theresa has taken piano lessons for 8 years, with local teachers and at the
Boston Conservatory’s Autism Higher Education program. She has also taken voice lessons for 4 years, and is a member of her church choir and the Greater Gardner Community Choir. She has perfect pitch and loves to improvise on songs and transpose them. She really enjoys learning all about music.
Theresa studies organ with Marjorie Ness, recently retired from Fitchburg State University and freelance organist and teacher.
2015-16 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Deborah J Colageo is currently employed as collaborative pianist for the choir at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, under the direction of Mr. Desh Hindle. She is also substitute organist &/or choral director for several area churches, including her own. Over the years Mt. Wachusett Community College has been served in various areas, such as piano accompanist and musical director for children’s theatre camp. She enjoys singing with her church choir, as well as the Greater Gardner Community Choir. For two years she has been accompanist for their Chamber Choir.Colleges attended were Evangel University and Central Bible College, both in Springfield, Missouri.Deborah’s goals are to obtain a position as church musician, continue as collaborative pianist, and expand her vocal talents. She is enjoying lessons with William Ness.
2014-15 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Deborah J Colageo is currently employed as collaborative pianist for the choir at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, under the direction of Mr. Desh Hindle. She is also substitute organist &/or choral director for several area churches, including her own. Over the years Mt. Wachusett Community College has been served in various areas, such as piano accompanist and musical director for children’s theatre camp. She enjoys singing with her church choir, as well as the Greater Gardner Community Choir. For two years she has been accompanist for their Chamber Choir.Her dad started teaching her piano at age five. She continued studying through college. Elementary music teacher Mr. Ronald Brough apprenticed her as piano accompanist at nine-years-old. A solo piano recital was performed her junior year of high school, under the tutelage of Mrs. Gail Williams-Sheehy. There she won the Frederic Chopin award. At the same time she began voice lessons, having studied with Ms. Marilyn Schmiege, Mrs. Diane Cushing, and Mrs. Margarita Chandler.
With her pastor’s encouragement, Deborah began playing organ in the late 1980?s. Overall, she has spent many years as church musician, whether on piano or organ. In later years she would complete an “Organ Primer I” course at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Colleges attended were Evangel University and Central Bible College, both in Springfield, Missouri.
Deborah’s goals are to obtain a position as church musician, continue as collaborative pianist, and expand her vocal talents. She is enjoying lessons with William Ness.
2013-14 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Anthony Chan (Student of Malcolm Halliday)Anthony has just begun organ lessons this summer, and is already playing selections in occasional services. His official internship will start in September 2012, when he will continue playing for services from time to time, ringing in the Youth Ringers and singing in the Senior Choir as his schedule permits.
Anthony is an upcoming Senior at Shrewsbury High School and a lover of music. He began playing classical piano at the age of seven, and later on learned to play jazz on piano and mallet instruments like the vibraphone. He participated in the Junior Central Districts Band and Senior Central Districts Jazz Band, both on mallet percussion. Just a few months ago, while listening and watching Malcolm Halliday play the pipe organ at a community organ workshop, Anthony was inspired to learn how to play the organ, and is looking forward to interning with Mr. Halliday.
Sanghee Kim (Student of Malcolm Halliday)Sanghee Kim is currently organist and pianist for the First Parish Church of Stow and Actpn, MA. Previously she served as the pianist/organist for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Winchendon from 2005 – 2011. In addition to her work in Winchendon, Sanghee has accompanied for the Wesley United Methodist Church (Medford, MA) and played for voice master classes both in the United States and abroad.
Sanghee maintains an active performance calendar, having given recitals in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Winchendon, and her native South Korea. She is also a successful teacher, giving private lessons as well as working with the Joy of Music School in Worcester since 2003. Sanghee received the Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Music Education from Pusan National University in South Korea and the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Boston Conservatory. She has also received a Performance Diploma in both Piano and Collaborative Piano from the Longy School of Music (Cambridge, MA), where she studied with Sally Pinkas and Brian Moll. Other teachers include David Deveau and Irwin Gelber. Currently she studies organ with Malcolm Halliday.
2012-13 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Students of Malcolm Halliday:
Simone Brown is 13 years old and goes to Bancroft School. She has been playing the piano for 7 years. She has been studying classical piano with Malcolm Halliday for the last year, and jazz with pianist Dick Odgren who has been teaching her for 3-4 years. She also sings in the Worcester Children’s Chorus and plays the clarinet in her school’s band. She has sung and played the clarinet for 3 years. She also likes to play Field Hockey and Lacross at school and in her free time, she listens to music and folds origami. She is also very interested in theatre and participates whenever she can. She is currently doing a Junior Church Music Internship at First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, where she accompanies the Training Choir, and sings in the Senior Choir.
Sanghee Kim is currently organist and pianist for the First Parish Church of Stow and Actpn, MA. Previously she served as the pianist/organist for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Winchendon from 2005 – 2011. In addition to her work in Winchendon, Sanghee has accompanied for the Wesley United Methodist Church (Medford, MA) and played for voice master classes both in the United States and abroad. Sanghee maintains an active performance calendar, having given recitals in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Winchendon, and her native South Korea. She is also a successful teacher, giving private lessons as well as working with the Joy of Music School in Worcester since 2003. Sanghee received the Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Music Education from Pusan National University in South Korea and the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Boston Conservatory. She has also received a Performance Diploma in both Piano and Collaborative Piano from the Longy School of Music (Cambridge, MA), where she studied with Sally Pinkas and Brian Moll. Other teachers include David Deveau and Irwin Gelber. Currently she studies organ with Malcolm Halliday.
Students of William Ness:
2011-12 SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS
WorcAGO is proud to announce the recipients of the 2011-12 scholarship awards: Karen Weilsma, Lydia Grek, and Justin Hernandez, all students of William Ness.
We appreciate the great work that our chapter teachers do to help improve the skills of these fine musicians, and we look forward to more successes in the future.
2010-11 SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS
The recipients for 2010-2011 are as follows, and their teachers will received a stipend of $400 per student for the year to assist in their hourly lesson fees:
Students of William Ness:
Students of Brett Maguire:
2009-2010 Scholarship Recipients
Scholarships are a good thing! Here are some of our previous recipients – congratulations to all!
- Renee Meadows – University of Indiana; 1996 Methuen Music Hall scholarship
- Gerald Senechal
- Samuel Schmitt
- Brett Maguire – a 1995 recipient, Brett is now himself teaching recent recipients. Brett had gone on to be an organ scholar at Holy Cross, and received his masters at Oberlin, and won first prize as well as audience prize in the 2006 Marchal International Organ Competition in France. He has held several organist/director positions in churches since, currently at Wesley Methodist/Worcester.
- Emily Raymond
- Krisjon Imperio – currently organist at Bolton Federated Church
- Jerry Bellows – currently assistant director at First Unitarian, Worcester
- Suzanne Reine
- David Cushing
- Karen Wilfrid
- Kyle Bertulli
- Barbara Paquette
- Michael Celularo
- David Anderson
- Wesley Hall – currently studying with Jim Christie at Oberlin
- Reginald Pineda
- Kevin Mathieu – currently organist-director at St. Joseph’s, Charlton, and has his own pipe organ technician business
- Andrew Hagberg – currently studying with Marilyn Mason at U of Mich/Ann Arbor
- David Rose
- Marcia Desilets
- Annecca Smith – studying under Grant Moss at Smith
- Clarence Chaisson
- Deborah Page
- Horacio Castro
- Marcel Sanders
- Lydia Grek
- Justin Hernandez
- Meredith Gibbons
- Isaac Bates
- Karen Wielsma
- Dominic Richards
AGO teachers have included:
Marjorie & William Ness, Malcolm Halliday, Barclay Wood, Patricia Snyder, Scott Lamlein, Debra LeBrun, Ian Watson, Will Sherwood, Deborah Page, Peter Berton
If you know of any we’ve missed (our records are sketchy in the 1990s), or any updates for their musical activities, please let us know!