Chapter Election 2022
Below are those individuals running for positions on the Executive Committee for the Worcester Chapter AGO in Spring 2022. Voting will commence by May 10 and will close on May 31.
CANDIDATE FOR DEAN (2-year term):
Ronna Davis is the Minister of Music at the First Church in Sterling, MA, working with Rev. Robin Bartlett, Senior Pastor, and plays percussion in the Assumption University Band under the direction of Bruce Hopkins. From 2008-2010, Ronna served as Dean of the Worcester Chapter AGO and transitioned the chapter communications from US Postal service to predominantly e-mail. Her background is in sales and marketing in the field of electronic publishing and database development and is employed part time as Finance and Sales Support/North America for TDNET, a company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Ronna has an undergraduate minor in music and has studied with the Royal Conservatory of Music based in Toronto.
CANDIDATE FOR SUB-DEAN (2-year term):
Marjorie Ness, DMA, has held positions as Member-At-Large, member of the Program Committee, and Dean (2002-2004) of the Worcester Chapter. She retired from Fitchburg State University in 2015. Her recent church positions include Wesley United Methodist, Worcester (1995-2003), and Memorial Congregational of Sudbury (2003-2008). Since 2012 she has done interim work for several churches. Educated at Oberlin Conservatory, Northwestern University, and the University of Iowa, she loves teaching and mentoring people of all ages, whether in schools, universities or church. She is committed to strengthening the AGO through the continuation of effective programming and collegial opportunities.
CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY (2-year term):
Robert Potterton III has been an active keyboardist, composer/arranger, and church musician in New England for over twenty years. He holds degrees from Houghton College (B.Mus. Composition & Organ Performance) and Boston University (M.S.M. Organ Performance; S.T.M. Liturgics), where he studied with Peter Sykes and Karen Westerfield-Tucker. Robert previously served five years as Dean and Webmaster for the Northeastern Connecticut Chapter and the last four as Member-At-Large and Webmaster for the Worcester Chapter, and has additional experience in administration and marketing. Since 2015, he has been Minister of Music & the Arts at Christ Church (Episcopal) in Fitchburg. Robert resides in Spencer with his wife, Carissa, and children, Adam and Kimberly.
CANDIDATE FOR TREASURER (2-year term):
Juan Mesa, a native of Puerto Montt, Chile, holds a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance and composition from Western Connecticut State University, and both a Master of Music degree in organ performance and a PhD in Music Theory from Indiana University. His teachers include Stephen Roberts and Christopher Young (organ), Elisabeth Wright (harpsichord/continuo), and Todd Wilson and Jeffrey Smith (improvisation). Juan has performed solo recitals across the US, Canada, Chile, and Argentina, and has collaborated with numerous ensembles. He is an AGO Regional Competition for Young Organists’ first prize winner, and has performed organ concerts at regional and national AGO conventions and competitions. He is currently Director of Music at Roslindale Congregational Church in Boston, organist for The College Church SDA in Lancaster, MA, and Director of Music and Organist at St Leonard’s Church in Boston’s North End. Juan is completing his second term as Treasurer.
CANDIDATE FOR REGISTRAR (2-year term):
Leonardo Ciampa is Mechanics Hall Composer-in-Residence 2021-2022, Director of Music at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Worcester (since 2019), and Maestro di Cappella Onorario of the Basilica in Gubbio, Italy (since 2015). He was artistic director of organ concerts at MIT (2009-2016) and founding director of Arts MetroWest (2012-2019). As an organ recitalist, Ciampa has made a dozen European tours encompassing Italy, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. He has given solo organ recitals at cathedrals in Vienna, New York City, Boston, Altenberg, Brandenburg, Tortona and Biella, and at basilicas in Rome, Turin, Loreto, Rieti and Gubbio. As a composer, Ciampa’s compositions have been performed in prestigious venues such as Sanders Theatre (Harvard), Kresge Auditorium (MIT), Mechanics Hall, and the Mormon Tabernacle (Salt Lake City). He recently compiled and edited the Worcester Organ Book and is completing his third term as Registrar.
CANDIDATES FOR MEMBER-AT-LARGE (4-year terms; four to be elected for a total of six)
Kristjon Imperio began formal organ training under the tutatege of William Ness while earning his Bachelor’s degree in music education. With the generous support of Worcester AGO scholarships for lessons, he has been able to serve continuously as an organist and ensemble director for nearly twenty years; past positions include the College Church of Seventh-day Adventists, South Lancaster, the First Parish of Bolton, and the First Congregational Church of West Boylston. He is currently interim organist and handbell choir director at Wellesley Village Church. During the day, he is director of programs and community engagement (outreach) for Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester, which includes managing the student body and teaching faculty, building and developing programs, and coordinating after-school music classes at local schools and service organizations. He continues to perform as a collaborative pianist and organ recitalist throughout New England.
Dan Moriarty is Organist and Director of Choral Music at Groton School, where he came in 2014 from positions at St. Stephen’s Church in Richmond, VA, and Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr, PA. In both settings Dan founded and directed choirs for young people. Previously, he was the Associate Organist at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City where he was founding Director of the Boy and Girl Choristers. In addition to his choral work, Dan recently completed a Master’s degree in Organ with Peter Sykes at Boston University and was an organ student of John Weaver at the Curtis Institute of Music. Dan graduated from Villanova University with a B.A. in English. He and his wife live with their two daughters on the campus at Groton.
Kevin Neel enjoys a versatile career as organist, collaborative pianist, conductor, and singer. Originally from the Charlotte, NC area, he made his way to New England for graduate school at Boston University (Choral Conducting) after earning a BM at Indiana University (Organ Performance). Having previously served as Organist and Chapel Choir Director at Emmanuel Church in Boston from 2015-2021, he now is Director of Music and Organist at All Saints Episcopal Church in Worcester. As an AGO member, he has served in multiple capacities, most recently having served on the National Nominating Committee and as the first Convener for AGOYO (AGO Young Organists). He has been heard at the organ in numerous venues including Symphony Hall (Boston), Old South Church, Emmanuel Church, Old West Church, Methuen Memorial Music Hall, as well as numerous venues in the southeast. He looks forward to meeting more Worcester music colleagues!
Deborah Page has been a member of the Worcester Chapter for over 23 years. She is a past recipient of a chapter scholarship, going on to earn the Service Playing Certificate and participate in a number of local workshops. Deborah currently serves as the organist for the Barre Congregational Church, a position she has held for 18 years.
Elizabeth (Becky) Noone received a Master of Music degree from the Hartt School of Music. She has been Director of Music at Blessed Sacrament Church in Worcester for twenty years. From 2016-2019 she had the privilege of overseeing the complete historical restoration of the church’s opus 736 E. M. Skinner by the A Thompson-Allen Company. To showcase the restored instrument a recital series is ongoing. Prior to Blessed Sacrament she was Director of Music at Sacred Heart Church in Worcester. For many years she taught in the music department at Anna Maria College, teaching piano, organ, theory, music history as well as performing and accompanying. Currently she maintains a private studio and teaches at Pakachoag Community Music School.
Johnna (Renée) Ross received early instruction from Malcolm Halliday (piano), Peggy Kelley Reinburg (organ) and Frank Corbin (organ). At seventeen, she won the AGO Region I Young Organists Competition, going on to perform at the National Conventions in Dallas (1994) and NYC (1996). She was organist at First Baptist Church in Holden for three years prior to enrolling at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, majoring in organ and church music (specializing in early music) under the instruction of Christopher Young. She served as one of multiple organists at Whitelick Presbyterian Church in Brownsburg, IN, and assisted in developing a music program at her home church and maintained a private teaching studio in Indianapolis. From 2009-2013, Johnna studied Music Therapy and was a research assistant focused on music in healthcare. Moving back to New England in 2016, the Nashua Community Music School welcomed her as an instructor. Johnna plays regularly with the worship team at One Church (Bedford, NH) and has performed twice in the First Church Music series (Nashua) as a solo organist and was interim organist at First Baptist Church in Worcester (February-August 2020). Johnna lives in Hollis, NH, with her husband, Mark, and their three spoiled cats.