Welcome to Organ Academy 2025!
We are excited to get to know you and share the fun of making organ music with you.
Surge iuvenes organistae!
What
The American Guild of Organists – Spokane Chapter presents an opportunity for piano students, ages 10 to 20, to receive instruction in organ playing for only $10 per lesson (10 lessons, total $100). The program engages young musicians and sparks musical imaginations through experiencing the joy of playing fine music on the King of Instruments.
Where
The program takes place at various regional church locations. It culminates in a public recital on the instrument at Central Lutheran Church/City Covenant. Organ specification.
When
Saturday, January 25, 9:00 a.m. through a public recital Sunday, April 27, 3:00 p.m. See full Schedule below.
Details
Text
First Organ Book, ed. by Wayne Leupold. This book is loaned to scholars by the American Guild of Organists – Spokane Chapter. At the end of the ten lessons, if scholars decide to continue studying, the book may be purchased at a reduced price. Otherwise, it is returned to the chapter for use by future students.
Organ Shoes
Organ shoes are advisable, but not required. Plan to wear a light-weight shoe with a smooth sole. Organ shoes are not meant to be worn outside where they can pick up dirt and gravel; the smooth sole facilitates pedal technique and prevents pedalboard damage. A temporary alternative is stocking feet, although shoes provide more support.Organ shoes are basically ballroom “Jazz” shoes. One can find them locally – and actually try them on, which is a good idea – or order online:
- South side – Empire Dance Shop
- North side – Spokane Dance Boutique
- Online – Organmaster Shoes
Women: shoes with wide, normal heels are best. Stylish, shaped, spiked heels will give you problems. Note heels pictured on the Organmaster website.
Lessons & Fee
Each scholar receives ten lessons from an assigned teacher. Also, scholars may participate in optional Saturday practice sessions at different churches. Academy fee of $100.00 is payable in advance to American Guild of Organists – Spokane Chapter when registering online or by check at the January 25 orientation meeting.
Practice
Scholars practice at home on piano or keyboard. Personal practice time on an organ can be arranged at a local church. Added value, optional Saturday practice sessions are held throughout the term at different churches. These sessions give scholars experience on different types of organs, and provide opportunities for students to know each other.
Schedule
All Saturdays except April 27 public recital.
- January 25: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. – Orientation, Central Lutheran Church/City Covenant, Spokane
- February 1: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Saturday practice, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Spokane
- February 8: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Saturday practice, St. Augustine Catholic Church, Spokane
- February 15: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Saturday practice, Whitworth Church, Spokane
- February 22: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Saturday practice, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Spokane
- March 1: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Saturday practice, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Spokane
- March 8: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Saturday practice, Manito Presbyterian Church, Spokane
- March 15: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Saturday practice, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Spokane
- March 22: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Saturday practice, St. Augustine Catholic Church, Spokane
- March 29: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Saturday practice, St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Spokane
- April 12: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Saturday practice, Central Lutheran Church/City Covenant, Spokane
- April 26: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. – Recital run through in concert order, Central Lutheran Church/City Covenant, Spokane
- January 25: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. – Orientation, Central Lutheran Church/City Covenant, Spokane
- Sunday, April 27: 3:00 p.m. – Recital, Central Lutheran Church/City Covenant, Spokane
Surge iuvenes organistae!
Important Notes
- Parent/guardian, please remain on-site during lessons and practice sessions if student is under 16 years of age.
- Academy fee of $100.00 is payable in advance to American Guild of Organists – Spokane Chapter when registering online or by check at January 25 orientation meeting.
___________________________________
2024 Recital Program
For your interest, download and view the 2024 recital program!
___________________________________
Academy Directors
Janet Ahrend, DMA, academy teacher and chair, holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Organ from the University of Idaho, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees in Organ from the University of Washington. She received further training at the Royal School of Church Music in England.
Dr. Ahrend has served as guest instructor for the Royal School of Church Music Summer School held in Perth, Western Australia. She is on the faculties of Gonzaga University, Whitworth University, and Eastern Washington University as Adjunct Instructor of Organ. Dr. Ahrend has served as co-dean of the American Guild of Organists-Spokane Chapter. She is a member of the PEO Sisterhood.
From 1990 to 1993, Dr. Ahrend served on the hymnal committee for the United Church of Christ, helping to produce the New Century Hymnal. She has spent her life working in churches, serving as organist for Methodist, Congregational, Roman Catholic, and Episcopal congregations. From 1997 to 2014, she was organist-choirmaster for the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Spokane, Washington, where she also directed the handbell choir. She maintains a private piano and organ studio in her home.
Dr. Ahrend was ordained pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church in Spokane, Wash., in May, 2019.
Music and support for the arts has always been an important part of Carolyn Payne’s life. Her motto, “We can do this!” has resulted in some projects which have opened opportunities for significant things to happen. The Spokane AGO’s Organ Academy is just one. Responding in the 1960s to a Crusade for Strings project of the National Federation of Music Clubs, she worked to re-establish string instruction in the public schools in Caldwell, Idaho. After moving to Spokane, she was president of the Spokane Youth Symphony.
Payne has been a Lutheran church organist/choir director for over 70 years. She played cello in the College of Idaho-Community Orchestra for 25 years and taught piano and cello students. Musical organizations she belongs to include American Guild of Organists, Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and Friday Musical. She has served as chairman of Pipe Organ Encounter (POE), Regional AGO Convention co-chairman and three terms as dean of the AGO – Spokane Chapter.
In 1975, she and her husband Frank helped sponsor Vietnamese refugees who have become like family to them. This has led to involvement with Lutheran Community Service. She served as president of the National Kidney Foundation of Washington—one of her daughters has survived a kidney transplant for 54 years. She worked as office manager for Ernst and Payne, Inc., commercial construction company for 20 years, which she and her husband owned and operated. And they are loving parents of seven children.
___________________________________
Academy Teachers
Henry Bauer, DMA, is the director of music at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, Spokane, where he conducts the Schola Cantorum, Cathedral Choir, and Diocesan Choir as well as being artistic director of the Sacred Music Series. He has served as director of music and liturgy in parishes in the Archdiocese of Washington. He holds a doctorate in sacred music and choral conducting along with a masters degree in liturgical music and organ from The Catholic University of America. His doctoral dissertation is on choral literature for the liturgical year. Dr. Bauer has held several leadership positions for National Association of Pastoral Musicians.
Dr. Bauer is the current chair of the Director of Music Ministries Forum, was a member of the board of the Director of Music Ministries Division, and chair of the Partner Certification Review Committee for Ecclesial Lay Ministry. He continues to coordinate the Choral Anthem Project and leads choral music reading sessions. He has presented workshops for cantors and organists, lectures on the role of music and musicians in the liturgy, and choral rehearsal techniques. He has served as a Core Committee member for two national conventions and been chapter director and treasurer for the AGO Washington DC chapter. He has led several European choir tours. Dr. Bauer serves on the Board of Officers for the AGO Spokane chapter with focus in areas of program and professional concerns.
Edward Hurd holds a bachelor of music education degree from Central Washington University, Ellensburg, where he spent four years as organist and assistant music director at First Presbyterian Church. While teaching at East Valley High School in Spokane Valley, he served as director of music ministries for Opportunity Presbyterian Church. He was full-time director of music ministries (organist/choirmaster) for First Presbyterian Church in Mesa, Ariz. while completing his graduate studies in choral conducting at Arizona State University. For ten years, he served as associate director of music and organist for All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Phoenix. He has conducted choral ensembles twice at the St. Moritz Festival (Switzerland), and numerous tours and festivals throughout England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Russia. Hurd’s principal conducting teachers include the late B. Fred Hammack, G. Gordon Leavitt, and Douglas McEwen.
While in Nebraska, Hurd served as director of traditional worship (organist/ choirmaster) for the 2,500-member congregation of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, La Vista, for nine years. He was artistic director for the 200-voice community chorus, Voices of Omaha, for eight years. He was performance rentals director for Omaha Performing Arts which operates the Orpheum Theater and renowned Holland Performing Arts Center, joining the organization as general manager in 2003.
Since returning to Spokane, Hurd was organist/bellmaster for Opportunity Presbyterian Church in Spokane Valley before joining the staff of Central Lutheran Church. He is a busy substitute music teacher for Spokane Public Schools and maintains a private piano and voice teaching studio. Hurd is a frequent adjudicator for area solo/ensemble contests.
Hurd is a member of the National Association for Music Education and American Choral Directors Association. He serves on the Board of Officers for the AGO Spokane Chapter in the role of dean.
Joseph Schubert, PhD, retired from teaching in 2020, after 36 years of teaching choral music in public schools at the junior high, senior high, and university levels. From 2009 through 2023, Dr. Schubert also taught music theory, choral literature, and academic research and writing in the Three-Summer Master of Music in Choral Conducting program at California State University, Los Angeles.
Dr. Schubert’s dissertation dealt with twentieth-century French organist Jean-Jacques Grünewald, providing an extensive biography and a comprehensive analysis of Grünewald’s solo organ works in the context of the twentieth-century French organ school. He has been a church organist since he was 18 years old and is currently organist at Saint Augustine Catholic Church, Spokane. Dr. Schubert serves on the Board of Officers for the AGO Spokane chapter with focus in the area of program.
___________________________________
