Upcoming Events
05
AUG
Noon Recital with Michael Olson at
First Lutheran Church
12:45 PM -
1:15 PM
619 Broadway N.
Fargo, ND 58102
Join the RRVAGO members for the weekly noon recital at First Lutheran. The pews are open with social distancing measures in place, and we ask that you wear a mask if you will be physically present. If you would like to watch virtually, a Facebook Livestream will also be available and archived to our Facebook page.
RRVAGO Chapter Officers, Committees, and Appointed Positions
Our chapter officers consist of a Dean, Sub-Dean, Secretary, and Treasurer, who make up the Executive Committee. These officers and other committees and appointed positions are strictly volunteer-filled by the membership as the RRVAGO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All terms of office begin on July 1st and expire on June 30th of the following year.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (OFFICERS) July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027
Dr. Jean Hellner, Dean
email: dean@rrvago.org
Dr. Jean Hellner holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of North Texas and a master‛s degree in musicology from The Florida State University. Her scholarly interests include narratology, nineteenth-century German symphonic literature, and opera. She has presented papers on elements of narratology in Robert Schumann's D-Minor Symphony and in Fryderyk Chopin's Fantaisie in F Minor, Op. 49 for a variety of international conferences, including the International Congress on Musical Signification.
Among numerous publications, her paper entitled "Elements of Enlightenment in Osmin's Rage: Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail" was published in the proceedings for an international conference titled Mozart in Prague. She has been a panelist for several sessions held at the national meetings of the American Musicological Society, and she served on the Committee for the Status of Women for the Society for Music Theory.
Jean is active in a number of local organizations, most notably as cofounder of the Community Orchestra Academy and the Edvard Grieg Society of the Dakotas. Jean is also a very active member of the Red River Theatre Organ Society (RRTOS) where she serves as treasurer of the Capital Campaign Committee to restore the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ at the Fargo Theatre. She has also served as treasurer and historian/archivist of the RRTOS in addition to other positions and committees.
At Minnesota State University Moorhead Jean currently teaches music history and is the collaborative pianist for the choirs. In addition to research and teaching, Jean plays piano, organ, and euphonium.
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Jean joined the RRVAGO in 2016 and has served various positions and committees, including its Archivist-Historian and Webmaster.
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For nearly 10 years, Jean has served as organist of Peace Lutheran Church, Fargo, and was previously organist of Glyndon Lutheran Church, Glyndon, MN.
Elliot Sander, Sub-Dean
email: sub-dean@rrvago.org
Elliot is a native of Ellensburg, WA, where he was raised and attended school. He then lived in Tacoma, WA, serving as organist of several churches there, and he was active in the Tacoma Chapter of the AGO and Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society.
Elliot joined Red River River Valley Chapter of the AGO in 2024 upon moving to Moorhead, MN, and he is also editor of the chapter newsletter, the Pipeline, in addition to serving on various committees.​
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Elliot is organist of Glyndon Lutheran Church, Glyndon, MN, and has also served as organist of Nativity Catholic Church and First Presbyterian Church of Fargo. He is a pianist for Von Maur department store and Nova Supper Club, both Fargo.
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Elliot is also an active member of the Red River Theatre Organ Society in Fargo and serves as a house organist of the Fargo Theatre on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ there.
Terri Diers, Secretary
email: secretary@rrvago.org
Terri, an Ohio native, grew up in a musical family and tagged along to many high school band performances. At age six, she began piano lessons, and even though she would rather have been outside playing, she stuck with piano and soon came to realize that it is a special skill enjoyed by others. Terri took up flute for high school band, but more enjoyed the theory behind jazz band and the performance aspects of choir and musical theater, ensembles for which she wrote arrangements of popular 1980s songs.
Terri studied piano performance under Dr. Elizabeth Cobb at Bowling Green State University. Out of curiosity, she decided to begin organ lessons, to which Dr. Cobb told her that she could picture her as a church musician. Terri laughed at the thought of playing Amazing Grace for the rest of her life!
Terri was immersed in raising three children in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and while playing the piano one afternoon with the windows open, a neighbor stopped over and asked if she would consider an organist position. She enjoyed the Organist and Music Coordinator positions at First Lutheran Gladstone. She also had an active piano studio.
Terri and her family moved to Fargo in 2011, and shifted her time to serving in volunteer, committee and board member roles for her children's sports, music and theater activities. She also accompanied her children's solo performances and audition pieces.
Now with an empty nest, Terri is an active high school accompanist, organ substitute and private piano teacher. Her favorite song to play is Amazing Grace.
Terri joined the Red River Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists in early 2025 and has been an active performer in its programs. She serves on the program committee, budget/finance committee, and publicity committee. She is a substitute organist for First Lutheran Church of Fargo.
Alex Swanson, Treasurer
email: treasurer@rrvago.org
Alex Swanson was raised on a farm near Moorhead, Minnesota, graduated from Moorhead High School, attended Minnesota State University Moorhead and earned a B.A. in Communication Studies, and then attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and earned a B.S. in Mortuary Science.
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He studied organ under his grandmother Beth Buchholz, and past RRVAGO Deans Gaylord Fagerland, Lance Johnson, and Michael Olson.
He was an active member, organist, and historian of the Oak Mound Congregational Church until its closing and has since belonged to North Buffalo Lutheran Church in Kragnes Township, where he serves as church treasurer, substitute organist, historian, and choir director.
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Alex has served as a substitute organist for many Fargo-Moorhead area churches and as part-time organist at Peace Lutheran Church (Fargo), Glyndon Lutheran Church, First Congregational UCC of Moorhead, and St. John Lutheran Church (Arthur, ND).
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He is also member and treasurer of the Red River Theatre Organ Society where he has held various offices, and is also a house organist of the Fargo Theatre on the "Mighty Wurlitzer" theatre pipe organ there, beginning in 2012.
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He has belonged to the Red River Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists since November 2017 and has served as secretary, historian-archivist, and on various committees.
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He is employed as a mortician at West Funeral Home in West Fargo, ND.
COMMITTEES 2026-27
ARCHIVES-HISTORIAN
Alex Swanson, Chair; Dr. Jean Hellner, Dylan Thiele
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BUDGET/FINANCE
Terri Diers, Chair; Alex Swanson, Dylan Thiele​
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COMPETITION/CERTIFICATION
Dr. Jean Hellner, Chair
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GRANT-WRITING
Dr. Jean Hellner, Chair
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HOSPITALITY
[VACANT]
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MEMBERSHIP
Bradley Steen, Chair; Alex Swanson, Elliot Sander
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NOMINATING
Alex Swanson, Chair; Bradley Steen, Robyn Vinje
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OPERATING PROCEDURES
Dylan Thiele, Chair; Bradley Steen, Alex Swanson, Dr. Jean Hellner
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PIPELINE
Elliot Sander, Chair & Pipeline Newsletter Editor
Dr. Jean Hellner, Pipeline Proofreader
Alex Swanson, Pipeline Proofreader​
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PROGRAM
Elliot Sander, Chair; Bill Tweten, Dr. Jean Hellner, Alex Swanson, Terri Diers, Dylan Thiele
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PUBLICITY
Alpha Roeszler, Chair; Alex Swanson, Terri Diers, Dylan Thiele
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APPOINTED POSITIONS 2026-27
AUDITOR: Sally Harmon​​
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REGISTRAR: Alex Swanson
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REPORTER: Alex Swanson
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WEBMASTERS: Dr. Jean Hellner, Alex Swanson
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