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Below is a brief review of the focus for each day of the 2026 ATOS Convention, followed with a list for each day’s activities.

With the decisions made that the 2026 ATOS Convention would be “shorter” by many year’s schedules, five days would have pre and post glow events as well as the body of the event.  Given that one whole day would be dedicated to the Buffalo area, that was placed in the middle of the five days.

During the planning, the desire to visit two new locations was discussed and these formed the basis of a Day After-glow.  That day was designed to conclude the week with the ability for some to depart directly home, saving one day’s hotel stay.  That left four days within which to fit all other events.

The Pre-Glow and Convention Opening Day was schedule to permit a return visit to the Clemens Center.  This two hour trip mandated the including of a meal, made a visit to the Corning Glass Museum and lunch not possible in 2019 and early return to Rochester formed the basis for the day’s schedule, with an opening concert at the West Herr Auditorium Theatre to open the 2026 Convention.

One of several well understood needs for ATOS and RTOS is the development of new performers on the theatre organ.  Thus, Day of Youth formed the second day’s theme.  This along with the goal of having the Young Organists Competition early in the week, having an emerging artist perform that day, set the goals for the day.  Also planned for that day were some of the time needed for none concert activities.

As indicated above, Buffalo Day then formed the center of the week to attend one of the finest remaining Wurlitzer installations at Shea’s Buffalo as well as visit the improved facilities of the Riviera Theatre.  Conceived to allow for two programs at the Shea’s, the exceeding high cost for an afternoon program would not permit that happening.  Being gone all day, it was also necessary to plan on two meal events for all attendees.

Closing Day was conceived in 2021 was to allow for a premiere visit to a new theatre organ installation at the Rochester Institute of Technology where the 4/21 Hollywood Barton organ is being installed.  However, a year’s delay in the buildings completion and subsequent organ installation, mandated afternoon and evening performances on the RTOS 4/23 instrument.

Below are the specifics for each days activities. the heading of each days list is active and if clicked, will take to a review of that days happenings.

Monday, July 6 – Pre-glow + Convention Opening

Optional Daytime-Pre-glow: Southern Tier Visitation
Morning: Brett Valliant, Clemens Center, Elmira, NY (4/32 Marr & Colton/Wurlitzer)
Afternoon: Lunch-Visit, Corning Glass Museum, Corning, NY
Return to Hotel, Dinner on your own (Area Eateries)
Evening: Convention Opening Concert: Nathan Avakian, West Herr Auditorium Theatre (4/23 Wurlitzer)
Late Night: Allen Lounge (Hotel)

Tuesday, July 7 – Day for Youth

ATOS Annual Membership Meeting, Hotel Ballroom
Lunch: On Your Own (Area Eateries)
Afternoon: Ben Forsthoffer, West Herr Auditorium Theatre (4/23 Wurlitzer)
ATOS Members Forum: Hotel Ballroom
Dinner on your own (Area Eateries)
Evening: Young Artists and Declan Poole, Rochester Museum Science Center, (3/12 Wurlitzer)
Late Night: Allen Lounge (Hotel)

Wednesday, July 8 – Buffalo Day

Morning: Dave Wickerham, Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda (3/16 Wurlitzer)
Lunch: Wurlitzer Factory, Lunch
Afternoon: Aaron Hawthorne, Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda (3/16 Wurlitzer)
Dinner/Awards Banquet: Classics V, Amherst, NY
Evening: Richard Hills, Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, Buffalo (4/28 Wurlitzer)
Late Night: Allen Lounge (Hotel)

Thursday, July 9 – Closing Day

Technical Workshop Panel, UNIFLEX Q & A, Hotel Ballroom
Lunch: On you own (Area Eateries)
Afternoon Concert: Mark Herman, West Herr Auditorium Theatre, (4/23 Wurlitzer)
Dinner: On your own (Area Eateries)
Evening: Donnie Rankin, West Herr Auditorium Theatre, (4/23 Wurlitzer)
Late Night: Allen Lounge (Hotel)

Friday, July 10 – Daytime After-glow

Optional – After-glow

Morning: “That’s My Daddy” (1928) David Peckham, Capitol Theatre, Rome NY, (3/7 Moller)
Lunch: Barbagallo’s, Syracuse, NY
Afternoon: David Marsh, ESMIM, State Fair Ground, Syracuse, NY (3/11 Wurlitzer)
Late Night: Allen Lounge (Hotel)