Organ Recital Series

Organ Recital - Wyatt Smith

YOU ARE INVITED!

The 39th Season of the Second Sunday Evensong/Organ Recital Series at St. Mark’s, Berkeley continues on Sunday, December 8, 2024.

A congregational Evensong will be offered at 4:00pm followed by a program performed by Wyatt Smith at approximately 4:40pm.

Mr. Smith’s program will include:

Brenda Portman:  Psalm-Sonata No. 1
III. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song…” (Psalm 98:4)

Margaret Sandresky:  Salem Seasons
I. Spring: April Blossoms and Imaginary Bird
II. Summer: Communion
III. Autumn: Jubilate
IV. Winter: Stars and Angels, Angels and Stars

Georg Böhm:  Freu dich sehr, O meine Seele
    12 Variations

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. Wyatt has performed in 28 states of the USA, along with Germany, France, and England. He 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 for the organ, 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.

Wyatt performs with Tracelyn Gesteland, mezzo-soprano, as the Gesteland-Smith Duo. Together they have commissioned, premiered, and recorded new works for this ensemble, as well as promoting a historical breadth of existing repertoire. Their first program and set of commissions can be heard on the compact disc Make a Joyful Noise (RAVEN OAR 989), recorded on the 1925 E. M. Skinner organ at the University of South Dakota.

Wyatt Smith holds degrees in organ performance from the University of Washington (DMA), Yale University (MM), and the University of South Dakota (BM). His primary mentors include Dr. Carole Terry, Dr. Martin Jean, and Dr. Larry Schou.  Wyatt Smith is represented by Seven Eight Artists.

A festive reception will follow the program.
Parking is available in the parish lot at 2315 Ellsworth.

Tax-deductible contributions, at the following levels, are most welcome to help support the series.  Thank you for your support.

To support the series, visit: https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/St_Marks_Choir_Association

$1-74 Supporter
$75-124 Friend
$125-249 Sponsor
$250-499 Patron
$500-999 Sustainer
$1000+ Benefactor

Michael Unger from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music will offer the next recital on Sunday, January 12, 2025.