

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.

















EVENTS
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
May 31, 2023, 7:30 PM
Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Rapid City, South Dakota
Featuring music by J. S. Bach, Margaret Sandresky, and Charles-Marie Widor
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: BACH’S LUNCH
June 7, 2023, 12:15 PM
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Casper, Wyoming
Featuring music by Margaret Sandresky
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: MIDWEEK RECITAL
July 5, 2023, 6:26 PM
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Gig Harbor, Washington
Featuring music by Craig Phillips, Margaret Sandresky, Connor Chee, and Florence Price
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: LISTEN LIVE AT LUNCH
July 12, 2023, 12:00 PM
First Lutheran Church
Tacoma, Washington
Featuring music by Hina Sakamoto, Kris Rizzotto, Florence Price, Connor Chee, and Margaret Sandresky
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: TACOMA BACH FESTIVAL - CHORALES THROUGH THE AGES
July 28, 2023, 7:30 PM
Christ Church Episcopal
Tacoma, Washington
Featuring music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Brenda Portman, Kristina Langlois, Christa Rakich, Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra, and others
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: LUNCHTIME RECITAL
August 4, 2023, 12:30 PM
St. Margaret’s Church
Ilkley, United Kingdom
Featuring music by Bach, Carson Cooman, Craig Phillips, and Margaret Sandresky
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: SUNDAY EVENING RECITAL
August 6, 2023, 6:30 PM
Leeds Minster
Leeds, United Kingdom
Featuring music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Craig Phillips, and Margaret Sandresky
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL: MAYFAIR ORGAN SERIES
August 15, 2023, 1:10 PM
St. George’s, Hanover Sq
London, United Kingdom
Featuring music by Bach, Craig Phillips, Connor Chee, and Margaret Sandresky
DUO CONCERT: GESTELAND-SMITH DUO
October 5, 2023, 7:30 PM
Aalfs Auditorium, University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota
Featuring music by Craig Phillips, Carson Cooman, Margaret Sandresky, and others. Dr. Tracelyn Gesteland, mezzo-soprano
DUO CONCERT: GESTELAND-SMITH DUO
October 7, 2023, 4:00 PM
United Church of Christ, Congregational
Yankton, South Dakota
Featuring music by Craig Phillips, Carson Cooman, Margaret Sandresky, and others. Dr. Tracelyn Gesteland, mezzo-soprano
DUO CONCERT: GESTELAND-SMITH DUO
October 8, 2023, 2:00 PM
First Presbyterian Church
Sioux City, Iowa
Featuring music by Craig Phillips, Carson Cooman, Margaret Sandresky, and others. Dr. Tracelyn Gesteland, mezzo-soprano
SOLO ORGAN RECITAL
March 10, 2024, 3:00 PM
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Olympia, Washington
Featuring music by Bach, Margaret Sandresky, Pamela Decker, and others