Purpose: Founded in 1983, the purpose of The Dayton Organ Academy is to encourage interest in the organ and church music in promising high-school-age students.
Admission: Students are admitted to the Academy based on successful completion of an audition, and upon the recommendation of the Academy Chair. The scholarship grants students one year of tuition-free study. The scholarship is renewable for an additional year, pending regular attendance and preparation at lessons, and successful performance at the May Academy recital.
The Academy is open to students in grades 9 through 12 (or home-school equivalent). The Academy may consider a younger student who demonstrates readiness of organ study, as determined by the audition requirements.
To apply, submit the online application form to by April 1st. Prospective students must prepare a piece by Bach (preferably a two part invention, or other piece by Bach which demonstrates independence of hands), at least one movement of a sonata, and a four part hymn. Applicants will also be expected to sight-read.
Students will receive lessons from one of the Academy teachers. Academy teachers donate their teaching time. The lessons run during the school year, but may include summer lessons at the teacher’s discretion. The Academy also offers one or two studio classes during the school year. At these classes, the students play for one another, including hymns and anthem accompaniments. Music history or theory topics related to the organ will be discussed.
Expectations: Students accepted into the academy will:
- Provide their own shoes (approx. $60) and music. Some scores may be available from the Dayton Organ Library at little or no cost.
- Demonstrate regular practice and consistent improvement.
- Be punctual in their attendance of weekly lessons. Academy teachers must be notified in advance of missed lessons. Lessons typically run during the academic year and may continue over the summer by arrangement with the Academy teacher.
- Attend Academy classes and events and perform at the year-end recital. For students in their first year of study, the year-end recital will serve as the audition for a second year of scholarship.
Academy Teachers
Rachel Spry Lammi holds a Bachelor of Music in organ performance with a voice minor from Ball State University, a Masters of Music in Sacred Music from Duquesne University, and 20 credits in theological studies through Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Select Online. Rachel has studied organ with Phyllis Warner, Kirby Koriath, Ann Labounsky, David Craighead, and David Crean. She is a Deacon in the ELCA, under call with the Southern Ohio Synod. Rachel is a Colleague of the American Guild of Organists, active in the Dayton Chapter American Guild of Organists (Organ Academy Chair), and a performing member of the Dayton Music Club. Rachel is a published composer, teacher, and serves as organist at Kettering Seventh Day Adventist Church.
A native of Pocatello Idaho, Terry Donat completed his Bachelors of Music and Masters of Music degrees at Bringham Young University, Provo UT. Dr. John Longhurst was his teacher for both degrees. Mr. Donat did post-graduate work at Indiana University in Bloomington IN with Dr Oswald Ragatz.
Danielle Guibault serves as the Worship Director at Christ Church United Methodist. She is also an active piano teacher, serving on the faculty at the Cincinnati School of Music in addition to maintaining her own private studio.
Danielle received her Master’s of Music in Organ Performance at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati where she studied with Dr. Michael Unger. She began her musical studies at the age of six and received her Bachelor’s of Music in Piano Performance from The Hartt School, University of Hartford where she studied with Dr. Paul Rutman. While completing her degree at Hartt, Danielle first began her self-proclaimed career as an organist under the direction of Dr. Patricia Snyder.
In the short time she has played the organ, Danielle has had the opportunity to perform in a variety of venues. She has played for the Midday Music Recitals at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Dayton OH, Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington KY and Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati OH, and she has given recitals at Christ Church United Methodist, Lakeside Presbyterian Church, Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church, First Church of Christ, West Hartford and Oakham Congregation Church. Danielle was also a soloist with the College-Conservatory of Music Concert Orchestra in their performance of Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani.
Danielle has played in masterclasses with James David Christie, Roland Dopfer and Matthew Dirst. In the summer of 2015, Danielle received a grant from the Tangeman Sacred Music Center that allowed her to attend the McGill Summer Organ Academy, where faculty included Hans Ola-Ericsson, James David Christie, John Grew, Olivier Latry, William Porter, and Sietze de Vries.
Effie Sue Kemerley holds a Masters of Music Education and Service Playing Certificate from the American Guild of Organists. Her organ teachers include James Francis, Dr. Ritter Werner, and Dr. Yun Kim. Ms. Kemerley is a Past Dean of the American Guild of Organists Dayton chapter. After serving thirty years as a church organist, Effie Sue Kemerley is now the Organists Emeritus at Grace United Methodist Church. A retired English teacher, Effie Sue remains musically active as a piano teacher and member of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus.
R. Alan Kimbrough, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Dayton, earned his B.A. from Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin, majoring in music (organ performance) and English. His teachers there included William P. Roth and Paul Karvonen. He is currently one of two co-organists at The First Baptist Church of Dayton and an adjunct studio organ teacher at the University of Dayton. He has held organist, associate organist, organist-choirmaster, or associate organist-choirmaster positions at Concordia Lutheran Church, Warsaw, Illinois; Trinity Lutheran Church, Carthage, Illinois; S. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Providence, Rhode Island; The Episcopal College Church, Providence, Rhode Island; Corinth Presbyterian Church, Dayton, Ohio; Christ Episcopal Church, Dayton, Ohio; and Trinity Episcopal Church, Troy, Ohio. He is the long-time accompanist for the Bach Society of Dayton (formerly the Dayton Bach Society), an occasional keyboard player with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and a long-time member of both the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Anglican Musicians.