Joanne Peterson Retirement

Sunday, November 16, 2025

First Congregational, Oshkosh

    In her own words “I am a musician because I cannot not be one. I didn’t set out to become one. I was born that way. Life has been the unfolding of that great experience—and its great curse. The curse is simple: music in its complexities, in its opportunities is the only complete focus of my life.”
    After early piano lessons she studied organ as a high school student in Green Bay with Murial Davis and also played the oboe. She furthered her studies as a music major at Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. Her teacher there was Dr. Paul Neve.
    After a series of church jobs in Delavan and Madison she began her first church job in Oshkosh at Christ Lutheran Church in 1966. She auditioned for the organist position at First Congregational Church of Oshkosh and began serving there in 1968, adding the responsibilities of choir director in 1985. In total Joanne served the congregation 57 years as organist, including 39 years as choir director, playing her final service in May of this year.
    In the midst of her organ jobs, she also opened a piano studio and entered the Master of Teaching program at UW-Oshkosh. She later also taught organ and other music courses at UW-O from1970-2002. One of her own students from25 years ago, Bridget Duffy-Ulrich, now succeeds her on the organ bench.
    Other notable milestones from Joanne’s career include overseeing the renovation of the sanctuary’s Model D Steinway, and like a mother, overseeing the care and maintenance of the 1911 Casavant organ, voiced in the French romantic style. Thank you, Joanne, for your part in preserving this treasure of a pipe organ in our region.
    Joanne’s other accomplishments include leading dozens of major choral works with her church choir, directing music series at the church, and along with her husband Thatcher founding the Oshkosh Chamber Singers, now in their 40^thyear. She also served on the boards of the Green Lake Festival and the Oshkosh Symphony.
    As a faithful member of our AGO chapter, she served as dean in 1988-90 and in2013-16. She also helped administrate the teaching mission of our chapter (formerly OROCO, now SCO) and continues to participate in our outreach programs to young organists through her leadership of the upcoming Pedals, Pipes and Pizza in January. She and Thatcher have always been the most reliable attendees of our chapter sponsored events. 

Pedal, Pipes, and Pizza

Saturday, January 17, 2026

Oshkosh Area Churches

More information to come when available.

Gail Archer Workshop

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Ascension Lutheran, Green Bay

More information to come when available.

Organ Pipe Pizza Excursion

Saturday, March 7, 2026

Milwaukee

More information to come when available.

Spring Banquet

Friday, May 8, 2026

More information to come when available.

Halloween at the Cathedral

10/31/25

We enjoyed an inspired accompaniment by Jelani Eddington to the classic silent movie “The Phantom of the Opera” at St. Paul Cathedral in Fond du Lac.

Annual Banquet

Saturday, May 10, 2024

NEWAGO Members gathered for dinner at Van Abel’s in Hollandtown to elect chapter leaders for 2024-2025, modernize the chapter bylaws, and to hear the guest speaker for the evening.  Stanton Peters provided his perspective on the history of the organ building profession and his outlook on the future for organ technicians.

Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza

Saturday, February 10, 2024
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

18 youth participated in a morning of exploration on a 1981 Schlicker pipe organ.  Participants took turns playing the instrument and engaging in other hands-on demonstration activities.  The morning concluded with a pizza lunch in the church basement.

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Grace Lutheran Church, 321 South Madison Street, Green Bay