Applications are now available for the Longwood Organ Academy, a week-long, residential summer intensive program for college students pursuing degrees in Organ Performance. The Academy will be held July 23–28 at Longwood Gardens and will include a combination of instruction, lectures, and performances. Interested individuals should visit longwoodgardens.org/organ-academy for more information.
Longwood Gardens’ Organ Academy provides college students the unique opportunity to study organ transcriptions on one of the world’s largest symphonic organs, the 10,010-pipe Longwood Organ. Throughout the week, students will participate in workshops and have private organ lessons with esteemed instructors Peter Richard Conte and Alan Morrison. Conte is the Principal Organist at Longwood Gardens, and is the long-time organist at the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ at Macy’s in Philadelphia. Since 1991, he has served as Choirmaster and Organist of Saint Clement’s Church, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ, where he teaches Organ Improvisation. Conte is highly regarded as a skillful performer and arranger of organ transcriptions. Morrison is recognized as one of America’s premier concert organists, performing in prestigious venues across the United States and in Canada, as well as in international festivals. He is the head of the Organ Department at the Curtis Institute of Music, Associate Professor of Organ at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, and College Organist at Ursinus College.
In addition, guest instructors Ken Cowan and John Schwandt will share their expertise in special masterclasses. Cowan is an Associate Professor and head of the organ program for the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, while Schwandt is a professor of organ and director of the American Organ Institute (AOI) at the University of Oklahoma School of Music.
Also during the week, students will have the opportunity to visit some of the region’s well-known organs. At the conclusion of the Academy, students will showcase their talent on the Longwood Organ in a special recital.
Applications are available online, and the deadline for submission is March 5. The Academy will take place July 23–28 and is open to global musicians who are in the process of obtaining a degree in organ performance. For more information about the program visit longwoodgardens.org/organ-academy.
