Yale holds a successful Organ Academy

From June 24-28, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s organ department presented the 2024 Organ Academy, bringing together fifteen select undergraduate organ students with five internationally recognized experts in the craft of organ playing. The week included a series of masterclasses on a variety of subjects including improvisation, hymn playing, choral accompanying, conducting, historical performance practice, and group and individual lessons. The students had the opportunity to access the variety of important instruments located on the Yale campus, as well as those in the ISM’s partner churches on the New Haven Green: United Church, Center Church, and Trinity Episcopal.

Three recitals were presented in a “movable feast” fashion, starting at United Church and continuing on to Battell Chapel, and ending in Yale’s Woolsey Hall. This gave the students and audience an opportunity to hear not only a variety of musical styles but a showcase of these fine local instruments. The students were housed overnight at Benjamin Franklin College, giving them the opportunity to bond further over their shared love of the “King of Instruments”.

Student Elijah Morris commented that the week provided “A good community of young musicians united to a highly talented and experienced facility. Challenging, rewarding, and enjoyable!”

Though organ enrollments have at times faced challenges at many institutes of higher learning, the Organ Academy showed that the future of organ performance is promising in the hands of our bright visiting students. Learn more about becoming a graduate student at Yale.