2023 Cassel Competition

The Harrisburg Chapter of the American Guild of Organists hosted a Quimby Regional Competition for Young Organists (RCYO) on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at First United Methodist Church, Hershey, PA. This local competition is named for Violette Cassel, a former chapter member who established a prize fund in order to provide for future local competitions. The first-place winners of the five local competitions in the North East and Mid-Atlantic Regions will go on to compete in the Regional RCYO at the combined Regional Convention which will be held in White Plains, NY the first week of July.

 We are pleased to announce that the first-place winner of the Harrisburg local competition is Jacob Gruss, a sophomore at The Juilliard School studying in the studio of Paul Jacobs. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Jacob developed his musical interest through generous teachers and church positions. In high school, Jacob was the Director of Music at Otterbein United Methodist Church and Student Organist at St. Michael the Archangel Parish. Currently, Jacob serves as Organ Scholar at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church. Jacob is grateful to be the recipient of the American Guild of Organists’ Pogorzelski-Yankee Memorial Scholarship, as well as the guild’s 2022-23 Student Commissioning Project.

We also are pleased to announce that the second-place winner of the Harrisburg local competition is Ethan Draper, an organist and pianist studying Music Education and Sacred Music/Organ at Lebanon Valley College. Ethan has studied organ under Brenda Day, and currently studies under Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman. Ethan is currently a Choral Scholar at Market Square Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has performed both in recital and church settings. Ethan is currently a member of the American Guild of Organists and has received the Service Playing Certification from the American Guild of Organists..

 The judges for the competition were Ross Ellison, Ellen Hunt, and Hannah Koby. Shawn Gingrich served as the competition coordinator.