Biography
Originally from Rapid City, South Dakota, Wyatt Smith is an American concert organist, appearing in both solo and collaborative performances throughout the United States and Europe. Hailed as a performer with “nuance, polish, and personality” (Michael Barone, APM Pipedreams), he performs repertoire spanning from old masters to major works by living composers.
Beginning his performance career while in undergraduate studies, Dr. Wyatt Smith 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 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.
Wyatt is represented by Seven Eight Artists, https://www.seveneightartists.com/.