Study With

Joel Bacon
Full Professor of Music; Keyboard Area Coordinator; Organ; Stewart and Sheron Golden Chair in Organ and Liturgical Studies
Overview
Organ students have an opportunity to perform on the world-famous Casavant organ. Since its installation in 1968, the Casavant organ has gained international fame as one of the 25 greatest organs in the world (Anton Heiller, 1968). Built in the North German tradition, the Colorado State University's Casavant is among the most beautifully balanced and well-voiced organs in the world. In addition to practice and lesson time on the Casavant, organ students, through an arrangement with local churches, have access to practice and lesson times on three other exemplary organs in Fort Collins: the Phelps organ at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the Marcussen & Son organ at First United Methodist Church, and the Allen Digital organ at the American Baptist Church. Harpsichord students practice and take lessons on a two-manual, three-choir instrument built by Dennis Brown (1982) to the specifications of Taskin, the great French harpsichord builder to the Louis' at Versailles.
Liturgical Studies is a course of study that compliments the degree program of an undergraduate or graduate music student interested in the field of church music. It is also designed to provide a continuing education to professional musicians in the community. The program seeks to offer theory and history of liturgical music together with applied music lessons and practical training for church music careers.
Audition Requirements
Undergraduate Audition (all degrees)
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Two pieces: one from the German Baroque (a prelude/fugue or chorale prelude by Bach, Buxtehude, Bruhns, etc.), and a contrasting piece from the Romantic or Contemporary repertoire (for example, a Mendelssohn sonata movement, Brahms chorale prelude, piece by Langlais, etc.)
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Sight reading: a hymn
Graduate Audition
Prospective graduate students should be prepared to play a work (or representative movements) from each of the following categories. Additionally, a chorale prelude from the Baroque period, as well as a short lyric work composed after 1800 should be prepared.
- Before 1750 (not Bach) — Examples: a Buxtehude free work; a set of variations by Sweelinck; a French Classic suite or Noël
- J.S. Bach — Examples: a large Prelude, Toccata, or Fantasy and Fugue (such as BWV 532, 542, 544, etc.); a trio sonata; Passacaglia; etc.
- Romantic — Examples: a Mendelssohn sonata; representative movements or chorale fantasies by Reger; representative movements of a French organ symphony (Guilmant, Widor, Vierne)
- Post-Romantic and Contemporary — Examples: large movements by Messiaen (from La Nativité, L’Ascension, etc.); a sonata by Hindemith; a partita by Distler; pieces or movements by contemporary composers such as Hakim, Guillou, Rorem, Paulus, Hambraeus, etc.
Organ Events
Organ News
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance COVID-19 Policies
All information and health protocols provided are based on information and CDC, local government, and CSU guidelines available at the time of posting. This website will be updated frequently to account for changes in CDC, local government, and CSU guidelines and protocols. Read the complete list of School of Music, Theatre, and Dance COVID-19 policies […]
Watch the Music in the Museum Concert Series Online
During this time, music is doing what it has always done — touching our hearts and lifting our spirits. In lieu of a live performance, Dr. Joel Bacon and Dr. Lynn Boland present this Music in the Museum concert/lecture as a video to enjoy from home. Musician: Dr. Joel Bacon, piano Art Historian: Dr. Lynn Boland […]
Organ Week celebrates Fort Collins as pipe organ mecca
By Tony Phifer Fort Collins is known as a haven for craft brewing, great weather and outdoor recreation. But a closer look reveals that the city is home to another, somewhat hidden bragging point: Great pipe organs. In addition to the outstanding Casavant pipe organ and Organ Recital Hall at CSU, several of the city’s […]
Guest Artists
Todd Wilson, head of the organ department at Cleveland Institute of Music, house organist at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, and organ curator of the Cleveland Orchestra.
- Michael Grill, Organ Director of music at the Erlöserkirche (Our Saviour’s Lutheran) in Munich, Germany
- Michael Unger, Harpsichordwith Adriana Contino, Cello
Vincent Warnier, resident organist at the Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris
Isabelle Demers, Baylor University in Texas
- Fred Teardo
- Ex-Mex Ensemble; Matthais Geuting, organ, Evelin Degen, flute, Michael Pattmann, percussion, Günfer Cölgecen, actress
Guest Artist and Poster Gallery
Phelps Collection
(1923-1999; bulk 1947-1999) Recognized for combining the historic art of organ building with modern mechanical design, Lawrence Phelps designed and supervised the construction of more than 800 organs, including organs at Colorado State University and at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Fort Collins. The Phelps Collection consists of articles, speeches, correspondence, design notes, tools and parts and biographical materials. The Phelps collection is held at the Morgan Library, please visit lib2.colostate.edu/archives