News
John Schwandt
ORGAN REDEDICATION CONCERT SERIES 2024-25
Sunday November 17, 2024 at 4:00pm
Dr. John D. Schwandt is one of the most multi-faceted organ professionals today. At
home in many genres of music, he can be encountered in concert across America, on many episodes of American Public Media’s syndicated program Pipedreams, accompanying silent films in churches, concert halls, and theaters, on a CD by the rock band Shiny Toy Guns, as leader of hymn festivals, consultant on organ projects, as a voicer and tonal finisher, and as judge and clinician in many settings. He is well known for his ability as improvisateur and for engaging and exciting audiences of every kind.
Hymn Festival of Thanksgiving
Admission free and open to all.
Donations benefit The Ann Stookey Fund for Music at St. Paul’s.
The Hymn Festival of Thanksgiving presented at St. Paul’s Church celebrates the inaugural year of the newly rebuilt organ by Stephen J. Russell & Co. and features the instrument in its most important role in the life of St. Paul’s congregation, inspiring spirited congregational singing! Join us as Dr. John Schwandt makes the words of beloved hymns leap off the page with extended introductions, creative accompaniments, as well as opportunities for a cappella singing.
The power of hymnody has been well understood by many liturgical traditions. Singing allows us to experience communally that which we cannot experience by ourselves through words alone. Music coupled with sacred poetry gives life to the often inexpressible thoughts of our hearts and sounds forth the gospel in our ears and on our lips.
A hymn festival gives opportunity for extraordinary musical treatment of the church’s song intertwined with the spoken word. Traditional Lutheran practices of hymn singing are employed, including alternation between voice parts, elaborate extended introductions, a cappella and harmony singing, etc. The musical settings that join with the singing are intended to musically interpret the text. In all things, the words lead the sounds of the music.
Dr. John D. Schwandt is among the most versatile and multi-faceted artists in the organ world today.
Equally at home on a classical or theatrical organ, Schwandt is known for exciting audiences across
America with engaging repertoire and electrifying improvisations. His performances can be heard on American Public Media’s Pipedreams, in theaters, concert halls, churches, accompanying silent films, on a CD by the rock band Shiny Toy Guns, and as a leader of hymn festivals. He has worked as an organ consultant, voicer, and tonal finisher, and is in demand as a teacher, clinician, and competition judge. Dr. Schwandt has been a featured performer for the American Guild of Organists (AGO), the Organ Historical Society (OHS), the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS), and the American Institute of Organbuilders (AIO).
Schwandt began his formal organ study with George Damp through the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music and completed his undergraduate studies at St. Olaf College under John Ferguson. His graduate degrees, as well as the prestigious Performer’s Certificate, were earned at Indiana University, having studied organ with Larry Smith. By a unanimous jury decision, he won first prize in the 1998 AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation.
From 2006 to 2020, Dr. Schwandt was professor of music and chair of the organ department at the University of Oklahoma (OU) School of Music. Prior to his OU appointment, he was assistant professor of organ and curator of organs at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His creative and passionate approaches to teaching led him to establish the American Organ Institute (AOI) upon his arrival at OU. This groundbreaking interdisciplinary program not only included the study of established classical organ repertoire, but emphasized broad stylistic ability in improvisation, liturgical organ playing, silent film accompaniment, as well as jazz and popular music. The AOI was also the only academic program in America with a fully functioning pipe organ workshop capable of building, maintaining, and restoring instruments, allowing for students to earn degrees in pipe organ technology and for performers to learn more about their instruments. Dr. Schwandt’s students are prizewinners in numerous premier organ competitions and hold positions in churches, cathedrals, educational institutions, and organ building firms across the country.
After 25 years of teaching in university settings, Dr. Schwandt established the American Organ Academy (AOA) in 2021, a private and cooperative educational venture offering training in all aspects of organ building and playing. This highly individualized educational program makes organ training available to a wide array of students at any stage of career, without the limitations of more formal avenues of study. With the cooperation of three major pipe organ builders and a visionary leadership team, the AOA is poised to meet the emerging needs of a rapidly changing organ landscape, and in so doing, is determined to keep the future of the American pipe organ bright.
John walks on life’s journey with his spouse Kirstin and their beloved miniature Schnauzer, Einstein.
He is under management with OrganoGenesis Artists.
Remaining Concerts in the Series
Click on each panel below to view concert details and ticket links.
