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Organ at OCU
We offer the Bachelor and Master of Music in Instrumental Performance in Organ, and we are proud to offer generous scholarships and graduate assistantships to our students. OCU is a liberal arts university in the heart of Oklahoma City; with about 1500 students (undergrad and graduate), about 400 of those are music majors. We also boast the #1 dance school in the country, with about 100 dance majors. As you can see, the arts are our forte at OCU!
We are a Methodist university, and as such, we hold weekly chapel services and offer a number of worship opportunities, faith-based fraternities, and ecumenical events on campus. The Angie W. Smith Chapel houses our 70-rank, 3-manual Holtkamp, which is the main instrument on campus for organ study. The specifications can be found here on the OHS database:.
Additionally, you can learn a bit more about the organ and hear me demonstrate the dynamic ranges of the organ in this short clip and article from the Oklahoman, our local newspaper.
The opportunities for our organists are myriad. All of my advanced organists hold church positions in the area, and in fact there are always more church openings than we are able to fill. I serve as the dean for our local chapter of the American Guild of Organists, which is an incredibly active chapter with recitals, parties, meetings, outings, organ crawls, etc. each month. On campus, organ students are expected to perform in chapel, play for chapel services, and participate in the chapel choir, which is a chamber ensemble under my direction. The chapel choir and chapel services give students opportunities to explore various functions within the church music sphere under supervision. Additionally, we often travel to local instruments for lessons, recitals, and concerts. The annual OCU Christmas Vespers concerts boast over 300 musicians (all choirs, orchestra, organists, chamber ensembles, etc.), and is attended by over 3000 people each year. The advanced organists provide prelude music for this prestigious event, which is held at First Presbyterian Church, a large neo-Gothic church within walking distance of campus. The specifications for that spectacular 4-manual Möller-Reuter organ can be found here.
OCU is proud to participate in El Sistema, a local instrumental music program for children, and we have a Performing Arts Academy to provide lessons for kids, a program in which many of our students participate. The arts community within Oklahoma City is vibrant, and OCU is a large part of that scene.
Organ auditions can take place at any point during the year, and we receive both online and on-campus auditions. Please find the degree and audition requirements here for undergraduate study, and here for graduate study.
We are very proud to provide scholarships to over 98% of our music students. The graduate assistantships can range from half-tution to full-tuition, and there are additional scholarships available for students who are interested in pursuing church music.
