Organ Study

OCU ANNOUNCES FIRST WANDA L. BASS CHAIR OF ORGAN

Oklahoma City University has held a place of honor for organ study throughout its 101-year history. Dr. Antone Godding, who retired in the spring after 35 years as University Organist, succeeded the legendary Wilma Jensen. Dr. Timothy Olsen, OCU’s first Wanda L. Bass Chair of Organ, continues this commitment to excellence, providing outstanding instruction and opportunities for organ students to develop the skills and experience required to become accomplished church musicians, performers, and/or teachers.

Dr. Olsen brings to OCU not only an excellent educational background, but also the experience of a seasoned performer and competitor. As the winner of the 2002 American Guild of Organists’ National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance, he has concertized across the United States, performing over 30 concerts in two years. He also released a compact disc on the NAXOS laureate series (available at www.amazon.com or www.arkivmusic.com). He has also maintained an active career as a church musician serving a variety of denominations including playing for Cornell University’s weekly chapel services.

ABOUT ORGAN STUDY @ OCU

OCU students have a variety of opportunities to gain invaluable experience at performing in a variety of facets: playing the organ for weekly University chapel services in the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel; accompanying the four choirs in concert, during chapel services, or off-campus performances; degree and other public recitals (AGO, local churches, etc.); and serving as organist and/or choir director at a local church.

We are also fortunate to be able to offer tuition scholarships to our organ students. For more information on scholarships, contact Associate Dean, Mark Belcik.

OCU has arranged agreements with several nearby churches to utilize a variety of instruments for teaching and performing. Though organ study is centered around the 70 rank Holtkamp organ in the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel on OCU’s campus, other instruments available for practice and lessons are by Möller, Bigelow, Aeolian-Skinner, and Reuter. [See "Organ Specifications" to the left]

OCU ORGAN STUDY ALUMNI

We celebrate our past and are excited about the future of the profession. AGO-member alumni of OCU’s organ program include Steven Lawson, organist at Manhattan’s Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest; Vicki Bartel, the Denver-based organist and choir director who won the silver medal at Cannes; Louise Bass, soloist for St. John Cathedral in Albuquerque and recording artist for the Neil A. Kjos Music Company; Carmen Leerstang, solo artist and organist for Loyola University’s School of Music and for Most Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans; and Ansley Fleming, organist at Hendrix College and music director at First United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Fleming has performed at the Spoleto festivals and was the only American selected to appear at the Third Anton Bruckner International Competition in Linz.