Yale University has selected Patrick Harms, a freshman at Wichita State University, to participate in Yale Organ Week. The event will feature private lessons from renowned organists and workshops on topics related to organ literature and church music. Students also get to take field trips around Connecticut while improving their organ skills.

As a participant, Harms will practice and learn by day while performing at night. The week allows students to learn from different faculty from around the United States in addition to giving them the opportunity to meet their organ peers from across the country.

“It’s definitely going to be a learning experience,” Harms said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Harms was homeschooled and has played the organ since he was in seventh grade. He is a double major in piano and organ performance. He’d like to minor in French, and plans on studying organ in France or getting his master’s degree in composition.

Harms is a student of Davis’ in the organ program at Wichita State.

About 20 students were selected for the weeklong program. Harms is the only participant from Wichita State. He will perform with distinguished students on well-recognized organs.

“There are fantastic organs there at Yale,” Davis said. “They’ll (students) really have an opportunity to explore the sounds that go with the music they’re playing.”

Building a program
Davis has been conducting an organ program at Wichita State that rivals any from across the nation, according to Russ Widener, director of the School of Music.

Wiedemann Hall and the Marcussen Organ, built for one another in 1986 after a gracious donation by philanthropist Gladys Wiedemann, are vital recruiting tools that enable students to attend Wichita State while learning the sounds and intricacies of the world-renowned organ.

Davis, a well-known, well-respected organist, has created Wednesdays in Wiedemann, an organ recital on the first Wednesday of every month that features performances by Davis who sometimes collaborates with other professionals.

“It’s a very popular series; it’s very attaching,” Davis said. “It’s service to the community, it’s a supreme recruiting tool, and it’s a pedagogical tool because I speak about the pieces that we’re playing.”

Davis came to Wichita State in 2006. Since then, she’s added several innovations to performances. In addition to Wednesdays in Wiedemann, Davis has placed a video screen next to the artists from the Bloomfield Recital Series so that the audience can see up close when organists are playing.

She’s also added an onstage interview with the Bloomfield artist post-performance. As part of helping the audience get to know the artist, Davis encourages artists and members of the audience to interact after the performances in the lounge area of Wiedemann Hall.

The program at WSU is growing under the guidance of Davis and with help from students like Harms.

“It’s great,” Harms said. “It’s a high quality program.”

Harms has been impressed with the faculty in the School of Music.

“Every single one of my professors has really known and loved their subject,” he said.

Harms has three years left at WSU. His plans for the future are flexible, but he knows he wants to play the organ and piano.

“I’m just really looking forward to competing in competitions throughout the United States during these next three years,” he said.

In the meantime, he’s preparing for Yale Organ Week while enjoying his time at Wichita State.

“Musically I’ve grown,” he said. “There’s a ton of different things about music that I’ve learned.”

Yale Organ Week takes place this year from June 12-18 in New Haven, Conn. For more information on Yale Organ Week, visit http://www.yale.edu/ism/events/organweek2011.html.

For more information about the organ program or the School of Music, contact Lynne Davis at (316) 978-6218 or lynne.davis@wichita.edu.