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WYATT

SMITH

Organist

Biography

Photo and Video Gallery

Events

CV

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BIOGRAPHY

Hailed as a performer with "nuance, polish, and personality" (Michael Barone, APM Pipedreams), WYATT SMITH is an American concert organist appearing in both solo and collaborative performances throughout the United States and Europe, performing repertoire spanning from old masters to major works by living composers. Originally from Rapid City, South Dakota, Dr. Wyatt Smith began his performance career while in undergraduate studies, and has performed in 28 states of the USA, along with Germany, France, and England. Notable performances include the Spreckels Organ Pavilion (San Diego), Grace Cathedral (San Francisco), Trinity Cathedral (Portland), USAFA Protestant Cadet Chapel (Colorado Springs), Overture Hall (Madison), St. Mark’s Cathedral (Seattle), St. Thomas Church (New York City), Marktkirche (Wiesbaden), St. Thomas Church (Strasbourg), The Queen’s College (Oxford), St. George’s, Hanover Sq (London), and Coventry Cathedral (Coventry). He has been a featured performer at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists (Des Moines, 2011; Nashville, 2012; Iowa City, 2017). Wyatt can also be heard on ten episodes of American Public Media’s Pipedreams, performing works from J. S. Bach to Margaret Sandresky. 


An advocate of new music, Wyatt has commissioned and premiered works by Emma Lou Diemer, Margaret Sandresky, Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra, Carson Cooman, Craig Phillips, Kurt Knecht, and more. These commissions include works based on chants and chorales, programmatic pieces, and chamber music. The largest project in Wyatt’s commission portfolio is Liturgy LIVE!, which consists of six solo organ works composed by Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra between 2012-2015. 

Each movement is inspired by a different season of the liturgical year. Building on his studies at Yale University’s Institute of Sacred Music, this project was expanded to include the commission of six related paintings by Jon Seals and poems by Bethany Carlson. This project was further enlarged in 2018, using the commissioned poems in a series of songs for solo mezzo-soprano and organ, composed by Craig Phillips. 


As a collaborative musician, Wyatt performs with various choral ensembles in the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, he has performed Rex Isenberg’s Messiahs: False and True (PNW Premiere) with The Esoterics and Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb with the Tacoma Bach Festival. In addition to choral collaborations, Wyatt performs in a variety of chamber settings. Since 2015, he has performed with Dr. Tracelyn Gesteland, mezzo-soprano, as the Gesteland-Smith Duo. Together they have commissioned, premiered, and recorded new works for this ensemble, along with promoting existing repertoire both old and new. Their first program and set of commissions can be heard on the compact disc Make a Joyful Noise (RAVEN OAR 989), recorded on the E.M. Skinner organ in Aalfs Auditorium at the University of South Dakota. As a liturgical organist, Wyatt accompanied much of the Anglican choral repertoire while serving as the Associate Director of Music at Epiphany Parish of Seattle, a position he held from 2018-2022.


Wyatt has served as the Affiliate Artist in Organ & Harpsichord at the University of Puget Sound since 2018. He is also on the faculty of the Epiphany Music Academy, which he founded in 2019. He enjoys teaching students of all ages.


Wyatt Smith holds degrees in organ performance from the University of Washington (DMA), Yale University (MM), and the University of South Dakota (BM). His doctoral dissertation, Max Reger’s Adaptations of Bach Keyboard Works for the Organ, provides a resource for organists interested in exploring works by J. S. Bach through a romantic and orchestral lens. His primary mentors include Dr. Carole Terry, Dr. Martin Jean, and Dr. Larry Schou.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: ORGAN BY NIGHT

Sunday, July 20, 2025 | 10:00 PM

St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral

Seattle, Washington

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Featuring Music by Craig Phillips, Brenda Portman, and Margaret Sandresky

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: KALEIDOSCOPIC BACH

Friday, July 25, 2025 | 7:30 PM
University of Puget Sound, Kilworth Chapel
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations on organ for the fourth annual Tacoma Bach Festival

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: POST-EVENSONG RECITAL

Sunday, September 14, 2025 | 5:15 PM
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by T. Tertius Noble, Francis Jackson, and Gerre Hancock

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: ORGAN AT NOON

Friday, September 26, 2025 | 12:05 PM
University of Puget Sound, Kilworth Chapel
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by Charles-Marie Widor, Marcel Dupré, Jeanne Demessieux, Louis Vierne, and Charles Tournemire

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: PIPES SPOOKTACULAR

Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 7:30 PM
University of Puget Sound, Kilworth Chapel
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by J. S. Bach, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Louis Vierne, and more 

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: ANNUAL BETHEL SCHNEEBECK ORGAN RECITAL

Sunday, November 16, 2025 | 2:00 PM
University of Puget Sound, Kilworth Chapel
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by British Composers Including John Stanley, Charles Villiers Stanford, Herbert Howells, Sarah MacDonald, and more 

LITURGY: ORGAN VESPERS FOR THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 | 7:00 PM
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by Kristina Arakelyan, Samuel Scheidt, and Ludwig Lenel

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: ORGAN AT NOON

Friday, January 30, 2026 | 12:05 PM
University of Puget Sound, Kilworth Chapel
Tacoma, Washington

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The First of Four Concerts Celebrating 250 Years of Organ Music in America - Works by William Selby, George Washbourne Morgan, and Dudley Buck

SOLO HARPSICHORD RECITAL: POST-EVENSONG RECITAL

Sunday, February 8, 2026 | 5:15 PM
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by William Byrd and Herbert Howells

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL

Friday, February 13, 2026 | 7:00 PM
St. Marcus Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Featuring Music by Craig Phillips, Margaret Sandresky, J. S. Bach, and more

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: ORGAN AT NOON

Friday, February 27, 2026 | 12:05 PM
University of Puget Sound, Kilworth Chapel
Tacoma, Washington

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The Second Concert in a Series Celebrating the First 250 Years of Organ Music in America - Program Features Music by The Boston Six

GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY: SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST

Friday, April 3, 2026 | 12:00 PM
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Pamela Decker’s “Seven Last Words of Christ”

ORGAN AND TRUMPET RECITAL

Sunday, May 3, 2026
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
Shoreline, Washington

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Featuring Music by Leo Sowerby, Craig Phillips, Herbert Howells, and more

Judson Scott, Trumpet

ORGAN AND TRUMPET RECITAL: POST-EVENSONG RECITAL

Sunday, May 10, 2026
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by Leo Sowerby, Craig Phillips, and more

Judson Scott, Trumpet

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL

Thursday, May 21, 2026
First United Methodist Church
Casper, Wyoming

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Featuring Music by Margaret Sandresky, Brenda Portman, Craig Phillips, and Carson Cooman

PAST EVENTS

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL

Saturday, May 17, 2025 | 7:30 PM
Blessed Sacrament Church
Seattle, Washington


Featuring Music by Fletcher, Sandresky, and Widor

GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY
SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST

Friday, April 18, 2025 | 12:00 PM
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington


Featuring Pamela Decker’s “Seven Last Words of Christ"

ORGAN AT NOON
AT THE MOVIES

Friday, April 11, 2025 | 12:05 PM
Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington


Featuring music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Rossini, Saint-Saens, and more

SOLO HARPSICHORD RECITAL
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

Friday, March 14, 2025 | 7:30 PM
St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church
Tacoma, Washington

ORGAN AT NOON
BACH FROM A TO G

Friday, March 7, 2025 | 12:05 PM
Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington


Featuring Seven Works by J. S. Bach

SOLO HARPSICHORD RECITAL

Sunday, February 2, 2025 | 2:00 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

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Featuring Music by Storace, Buxtehude, Howells, Bon, and Bach

EVENSONG RECITAL

Sunday, December 8, 2024 | 4:00 PM
St. Mark‘s Episcopal Church
Berkeley, California

ORGAN AT NOON
SOLSTICE LIGHT

Friday, December 6, 2024 | 12:05 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Arakelyan, Price, Sandresky, Bohm, and Vierne

ORGAN AND FLUTE RECITAL

Friday, November 15, 2024 | 7:30 PM

St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church

Tacoma, Washington

 

With Dr. Tracy Doyle, Flute

Featuring Music by Thomas, Miller, Neswick, Locklair, Phillips, and Cooman

HALLOWEEN ORGAN CONCERT

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 | 7:30 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Bach, Dinda, Schelat, Hindemith, Buxtehude, and Widor

ORGAN AT NOON
AN ORGAN OLYMPIAD

Friday, October 18, 2024 | 12:05 PM
Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington

Featuring Music by Fletcher, Schlick, Sandresky, Langlais, and Bach

34TH ANNUAL SCHNEEBECK ORGAN RECITAL

Sunday, September 15, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

 

Dr. Wyatt Smith, organ | Dr. Dawn Padula, mezzo-soprano | Jack Kuntz, piano

Featuring Music by Portman, Sandresky, Hutchinson, Shostakovich, Dussek, and Vierne

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
TACOMA BACH FESTIVAL - KEYBOARD KATECHISM

Friday, July 26, 2024 | 7:30 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington


Featuring J. S. Bach’s Clavierübung Dritter Teil

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
LISTEN LIVE AT LUNCH SERIES

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | 12:00 PM

First Lutheran Church

Tacoma, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Margaret Sandresky, Carson Cooman, Connor Chee, Charles Ore, and Rachel Laurin

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
626 SERIES

Wednesday, July 10, 2024 | 6:26 PM

St. John‘s Episcopal Church

Gig Harbor, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Margaret Sandresky

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL

Sunday, June 23, 2024 | 3:00 PM

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Anacortes, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Margaret Sandresky, Carson Cooman, Connor Chee, Charles Ore, and Rachel Laurin

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
ORGAN BY NIGHT

Sunday, May 19, 2024 | 10:00 PM

St. Mark’s Cathedral

Seattle, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Aaron David Miller and Margaret Sandresky

ORGAN AT NOON
THE FIERY FRENCH

Friday, April 12, 2024 | 12:05 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Saint-Saëns, Franck, Alain, and Boellmann

Joined by Dr. Tracy Doyle, flute

ORGAN AT NOON
ANNUAL ALL-BACH RECITAL

Friday, March 22, 2024 | 12:05 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Johann Sebastian Bach

Joined by Dr. Maria Sampen, violin, and Alistair MacRae, cello

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
LENTEN RECITAL SERIES

Friday, March 15, 2024 | 12:00 PM

St. Margaret’s in the Desert Episcopal Church

Palm Desert, California

 

Featuring Music by Margaret Sandresky and Carson Cooman

SOLO ORGAN RECITAL

Sunday, March 10, 2024 | 3:00 PM

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Olympia, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Bach, Margaret Sandresky, Pamela Decker, and others

SOLO HARPSICHORD RECITAL
THE GOLDBERG VARIATIONS
GALLERY CONCERTS (SEATTLE) - 35TH SEASON

Sunday, March 3, 2024 | 3:00 PM

Blessed Sacrament Church

Seattle, Washington

 

Featuring J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations 

33RD ANNUAL BETHEL SCHNEEBECK ORGAN RECITAL

Sunday, January 28, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

 

Featuring Music by Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra and Mathias Weckmann

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