Our History

The Potomac Organ Institute (POI) is a teaching scholarship supported by the Trichapter Committee of the three Washington, DC metro area chapters of the American Guild of Organists (AGO): Potomac, MD; Washington, DC;  and Northern Virginia. It is staffed by local teachers and coordinators who volunteer their time and talents to encourage pianists to begin studying the organ and to increase awareness for the need for well trained organists in the field today. Students are selected by an audition and interview that takes place in May of each year. Pianists in the seventh grade to adults are encouraged to apply.

The Potomac Organ Institute was founded in 1988 by Elizabeth de Ayala, DMA with the help of Maureen Jais-Mick and other members of the Potomac AGO Chapter. Their vision, to interest young people in the field of church music through instruction on the pipe organ, has been faithfully transformed by the POI into one of the most productive means for increasing the ranks of church organists in our area.

Most of the talented young pianists and beginning organists who enter the POI make remarkable progress during the year of free instruction they receive from local artists. Many continue organ study after the end of their scholarship and go on to conservatories and universities across the country to make the field of church music their lifelong career.

The success of the POI can indeed be attributed to the quality of organ teachers we have in the National Capital Region and the generous amount of time they devote to their students. In addition, the Chapters provide membership in AGO to the students.

The current POI Coordinator is Jeffrey Pannebaker.