Christopher Young
Chair, Department of Organ
Organ Department
Janette Fishell
jfishell@indiana.edu
For 80 years, Jacobs Organ Department graduates have been consistently recognized as some of the world’s most celebrated performers, teachers, scholars, and church musicians.
We are committed to creating an environment in which each student is encouraged to explore new territory while also pursuing special areas of interest with faculty who bring world-renowned expertise in the fields of performance, scholarship, teaching, and sacred music.
Our broad curriculum includes a thorough grounding in performance studies—including an emphasis on improvisation—as well as courses in organ literature, design, construction, and pedagogy, and applied, historical, and philosophical courses in sacred music.
Most students take advantage of one or more affiliated areas of applied study, such as carillon, harpsichord, piano, choral conducting, and voice, and all benefit from practice, study, and performance on exceptional mechanical-action pipe organs.
Our internationally recognized faculty have a passionate commitment to teaching and bring a wealth of experience, talent, and wisdom to the department. In addition to their work at the Jacobs School, they are active on the national and international stages as recitalists, teachers, lecturers, and recording artists.
Chair, Department of Organ
Professor of Music (Organ)
Curator of Organs and Carillons; Academic Specialist (Organ)
Professor of Practice (Organ: Sacred Music)
Organ students have many opportunities to hone their performance skills both on and off campus.
From monthly “Concerts at the Crossroads” on the Webb-Ehrlich Great Organ of IU’s Alumni Hall, to regional, national, and international concert series, competitions, and radio broadcasts, Jacobs organists earn their spot on the world stage by presenting exciting, informed, and communicative performances.
Moreover, our superb C. B. Fisk organs, Opuses 91 and 135, draw the best international artists to campus for recitals, master classes, and lectures.
I’m indebted to my faculty mentors and colleagues here at Jacobs for a plethora of opportunities to pursue all my varied musical interests—playing the organ, singing, directing, teaching, and composing. I’m confident these experiences will help prepare me for a multifaceted career that reflects the musical diversity of my upbringing.
Katie Burk, D.M. Organ Performance
Our Sacred Music Intensive Course provides continuing education enrichment to church musicians, ages 18 and older, who seek a supportive and stimulating environment in which to sharpen skills and engage new concepts and repertoire. The week combines group choral rehearsals with more specialized classes and individualized study with artist-faculty.
The Jacobs Organ Academy is designed for inquisitive and motivated pre-college and collegiate organists and/or keyboardists who seek a week of engagement with artist-faculty, the stimulation of encountering new ideas, opportunities to perform on outstanding instruments, and the camaraderie of others interested in the King of Instruments.