2026 American Guild of Organists National Convention
St. Louis, Missouri
Henry takes a selfie at Gateway Arch National Park.
June 6-9, 2026: Henry attended the 2026 American Guild of Organists National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri. This article is reprinted from Tidings, the monthly newsletter of House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Escondido California.
Our House of Prayer resident organist, Henry Doktorski, recently attended the American Guild of Organists National Convention in St. Louis from July 6th through July 10th, 2026. The AGO is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the United States, with hundreds of chapters in the United States and a few chapters in Finland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Taiwan. Henry is a member of the Palomar AGO Chapter for the last ten years, and served as Dean of that chapter for two years. He currently serves as the Palomar Chapter Newsletter Editor. Henry explained:
I ALWAYS enjoy attending the organ recitals and concerts at the AGO conventions; such great music! great performers! great instruments and acoustics! I enjoy hearing the new recently-commissioned works, but I especially love hearing the works of the great masters.
During this convention I got to meet Michael Barone, the host of Pipe Dreams, the weekly public radio show about the organ and organ music. I was extremely impressed with Gospel organist Dr. Eurydice Osterman, who played a sensitive Gospel-style rendition of “Amazing Grace,” with a striking augmented chord in measure two, which I will attempt to replicate at House of Prayer Lutheran Church the next time I play that hymn.
Also noteworthy to me was carillonist Carlo Van Ulft’s recital at the Chapel Carillon at Principia College, Elsah, Illinois. You can hear part of his recital on YouTube.
Henry concluded, “I am grateful to House of Prayer for helping to fund my educational journey to St. Louis. Thanks so much! For more about the convention, go to 2026 AGO Convention. And here’s some photos from my trip.”
Henry at the base of the south pillar of Gateway Arch.
The setting sun turns the arch from silver to gold.
With Michael Barone, host of the weekly public radio show, Pipe Dreams, at Grace United Methodist Church, St. Louis, Missouri.
With organists David Ball and Emma Whitten after their duet recital at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Belleville, Illinois.
Dr. Eurydice Osterman at the console of the 1930 M. P. Moller III/37 organ at Eighth Church of Christ, Scientist, St. Louis, Missouri.
The Chapel at Principia College, Elsah, Illinois.
Carilloneur Carlo Van Ulft at the Chapel of Principia College, Elsah, Illinois.
The Jean L. Rainwater Carillon console at the Chapel of Principia College, Elsah, Illinois. It’s a 39-bell instrument with framework by Meeks, Watson and Company, and bells cast by Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in Asten, Netherlands.
Henry makes a joyful noise on a digitally-sampled studio carillon at the McShane Bell Foundry vendor’s exhibit booth at the Hyatt Regency Hotel convention center. However, no one can hear him play unless they wear headphones (fortunately).
Henry and Tom Mueller ride a chartered bus to attend an organ recital. Dr. Tom Mueller serves as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Music at Concordia University Irvine in California. Tom noted in a Facebook comment, “It was great to see you again! Always a pleasure.”