The chapter now known as the Saint Louis Chapter #633 of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) was originally chartered as the Missouri Chapter on October 23, 1911.  In February of 1955, we officially became the Saint Louis Chapter.  Saint Louis was privileged to host the 1948 AGO National Convention.  The 1948 Convention was the first post-war convention and was organized largely by Dr. Howard Kelsey, former Washington University professor in the Department of Music in Arts and Sciences.  

Dr. Kelsey served as the University organist at Washington University for more than 30 years.  During that time he established one of the naation’s first programs in historical performance practice as well as a nationally acclaimed program in organ.  He supervised two-dozen PH.D. students, over a dozen Fulbright scholars, and scores of master’s degree students.  He helped many of his students secure positions at major churches and universities across the United States and abroad.  

Mid-Winter conclaves were held in Saint Louis in 1956 and 1975.  In 1985, and in 2015 Saint Louis was the site for an AGO Regional Convention.  Saint Louis has also hosted three Pipe Organ Encounters (2006 and 2010, and 2019)

Past Deans

1922-23Edgar McFadden
1926-28Walter Wismar
1931-33Alfred Lee Booth
1934-35Hugo Hagen
1935-37C. Albert Scholin
1946-47Howard B. Kelsey
1955-56Mary Friess
1957-59Gordon Williamson
1958-59Robert M. McGill
1959-61Charles H. Heaton
1961-63Fern O. Kelly
1963-65Bill Davidson
1965-67Aline Perkins
1967-69Richard H. Strand
1969-71Elizabeth Buck
1971-72Frank Perkins
1972-74E. Alan Wood
1974-76Marie Kremer
1976-78Kathleen A. Thomerson
1978-79Earl Naylor
1979-81Thomas R. Pearce
1981-83Fern S. Black
1983-85David Porkola
1985-86Fern Heib
1988-90Robert J. Hutcheson, Jr.
1990-92Yvonne Lafser (Sullivan)
1992-94Barbara Radeke
1994-96Mary Hitchcock-Reinhart
1996-98William (Pat) Partridge
1998-2000Henry Glass
2000-02Kathleen Bolduan
2004-06Stephen Mager
2006-08Martha Shaffer
2008-10Charles Peery
2010-12Henry Evans
2012-14Bill Wade
2014-16Dawn Riske
2016-18Mark Scholtz
2018-20Burnell Hackman
2020Rick Burk