Houston Christian University

Performing Artists

The Smith Organ inaugural concert was presented on September 27, 2009, by Dr. Joby Bell, organ professor at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University. The inaugural program included Psalm Prelude No. 6 by Herbert Howells, Sketches for Pedal-Piano, Op. 58, by Robert Schumann, Toccata by Théodore Dubois, Symphony No. 6, II and III, by Widor, Free Fantasia on “O Zion Haste” and “How Firm a Foundation” by William Bolcom, and Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 532, by Bach.  Dr. Bell received the Audience Choice Award and Second Prize in the 2000 American Guild of Organists’ National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance. He maintains an active schedule of solo performances and various collaborative projects. He has played numerous times at the invitation of the Victoria Bach Festival, Houston Masterworks Chorus, and individual chapters of the American Guild of Organists (AGO). He has performed at AGO conventions in Atlanta (National Pedagogy Conference, 1992), Seattle (National Competition, 2000) and Houston (Region VII, 2001). Please visit Dr. Joby Bell’s website at  jobybell.org.

HCU University professor Dr. Rhonda Furr offered the Opening Faculty Recital November 17, 2009, which included Buxtehude’s Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne, BuxWV 137, Bach’s “ST. ANNE” Fugue in Bb Major, BWV 552,  and the Final of Symphony No. 1, Op. 14, by Vierne.  Dr. Furr also performed the American Premier of Respighi’s Suite in G Major for Organ and Strings with the Houston Civic Symphony on January 22, 2010.

The First Anniversary Concert was presented by Dr. Crista Miller, Associate Director of Music and Cathedral Organist, Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Houston, on September 24, 2010.  The recital included Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 532, Duruflé’s Fugue sur le nom d’Alain, Op. 7 and Carillon-Sortie by Henri Mulet.

Monthly afternoon recitals sponsored by the School of Music have included numerous outstanding area organists:

2023-24 Recital Series

  • John Kirk, University Organist; Director of Music & Organist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
  • Christopher Betts, Director of Music, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
  • Riveting Rhapsodies: Orchestral Transcriptions for Two—Yuri McCoy, organist & Yvonne Chen, pianist
  • Bryan Anderson, Director of Music, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church & School
  • Victoria Shorokhova, Organ Scholar, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church
  • Matthew Dion, Associate Director of Music, St. Anne Catholic Church

2022-23 Recital Series

  • Heeyeon Cha, Organist, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
  • Music in Honor of Veteran’s Day: John Kirk, University Organist; Director of Music & Organist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
  • Yuri McCoy, Organist, South Main Baptist Church
  • Joel Trekell, Associate Organist, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
  • Hymn Arrangements for Organ & Piano: Ben Sieben, piano & Marvin Gaspard, organ

2021-22 Recital Series

  • John Kirk, University Organist; Director of Music & Organist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
  • James Roman, Associate Organist, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church; Dean of the Houston Chapter of the American Guild of Organists
  • Gavin Craig, Choirmaster & Organist, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, McKinney, TX
  • Mary Jean Sargent, Organist, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Galveston
  • Renne Rybolt, soprano; Director of Music, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Bellaire, TX & John Kirk, University Organist

2018-2019 Smith Organ Series

  • Jeong-Suk Bae, organ Professor of Organ, University of St. Thomas; Assistant Organist, Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
  • Rick Erikson, organ, Director, Bach Society, Houston; Cantor, Christ the King Lutheran Church
  • Rhonda Furr, organ, Professor of Organ and Musicology, HCU; Organist, First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • Oliver Brett, organ, Doctoral candidate, Eastman School of Music; Former organ scholar, King’s College, Cambridge
  • Derek Nickels, organ, Director of Music, Church of the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, Kenilworth, IL
  • David Henning, organ, Director of Music and Parish Organist, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Houston.

2017-2018 Smith Organ Series

  • Kirk Michael Rich, organ, Associate Director of Music, St. John Vianney Catholic Church
  • Jonathan Gregoire, organ, Organist/Associate Director of Music, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Plano
  • Rhonda Furr, organ, Professor of Organ and Musicology, HCU; Organist at First Presbyterian Church, Houston;
  • Summer Song, Instructor in Voice, HCU
  • Keith Weber, organ,Director of Music and Organist, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Michael Rowlands, Jr., organ,Organ Performance Major, graduating senior, HCU
  • James Roman, organ, Organist & Coordinator, Worship Ministries, Grace Presbyterian Church

2016-2017 Smith Organ Series

  • Paul Butt, organ, Organist/Choirmaster, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
  • Jan Jouett, organ,Organist/Music Associate, Clear Lake United Methodist Church
  • Rhonda Furr, organ, Professor of Organ and Musicology, HCU; Organist at First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • Laurie Lester, soprano, Adjunct Voice Professor, HCU
  • Paolo Bordignon, organ,Director of Music/Organist, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
  • Giles Brightwell, organ, Organist/Choral Director/Musicologist, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
  • Rob Landes, organ, Organist, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church

2015-2016 Organ Recital Series

  • Stephen Distad, organ, Organist, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church
  • Justin Langham, trumpet, Freelance teacher, composer and performer
  • Joseph Painter, organ, Choirmaster/organist, The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany
  • Joanna Whitsett, harp, Freelance harpist; and Organist, Moody Methodist Church, Galveston
  • Rhonda Furr, organ, Professor of Organ and Musicology, HCU; Organist at First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • David Kirkwood, tenor,  Assistant Professor of Voice, HCU
  • Thomas Gaynor, Doctoral Candidate, Eastman School of Music; Assistant/Director of Music, Christ Episcopal Church, Pittsford, NY; Freelance musician
  • Heechae Helen Choo, Organ Studio of Dr. Rhonda Furr; Former Organist, Seoul Baptist Church, Houston; Director of Innisfree Chorale
  • Christopher Holman, Master of Music in Organ Performance Candidate, University of Houston

2014-2015 Smith Organ Recital Series

  • Yoon-Mi Lim, Associate Professor of Organ, Albert L. Travis Chair of Organ, and Chair of the Organ Department, Southwestern Theological Seminary
  • Patrick Parker, Associate Organist, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church; Doctoral candidate, University of Houston
  • Paul Butt, Organist/Choirmaster at St. Timothy’s Episcopal, Lake Jackson and accompanist for the United Nations Association International Choir
  • Joanna Whitsett, Organist, Moody Methodist Church, Galveston
  • Dan Fenn, Director of Music, Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston

2013-2014 Smith Organ Recital Series

  • Joby Bell, Associate Professor of Organ; Director of the Sacred Music Program, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.
  • Benjamin Kolodziej, Chapel Organist, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
  • Rhonda Furr, Professor of Music, HCU; Organist, First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • Jim Connors, Organist, Christ Church United Methodist, The Woodlands
  • Steven Newberry, Director of Music Ministries, St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Houston
  • Steve Godowns, Organist/Choirmaster, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Fort Bend

2012-2013 Smith Organ Recital Series

  • Dr. Joyce Jones, Joyce Oliver Bowden Professor of Music, Baylor University
  • Sigurd Ogaard, Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, Houston
  • Rhonda Furr,  Professor of Music, HCU; Organist, First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • Jackson Hearn, Choirmaster/Organist, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Kingwood
  • Stephen Distad, Organist, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, Houston
  • Joseph Painter, Organist/Choirmaster, Episcopal Church

2011-2012 Smith Organ Recital Series

  • Alexander Rusakov, Ph.D. candidate, physics, Rice University; doctoral candidate, physics/math, Yaroslavl State University, Russia. Alex avocation is organ performance.
  • Lois Gurney, Organist and Director of Children’s Choirs, New Hope Lutheran Church, Missouri City
  • Rhonda Furr,  Professor of Music, HCU; Organist, First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • Ann Frohbieter, Organist, Cypress Creek Christian Church; Organist/Choirmaster, Congregation Emanu El
  • Brian Granquist, Organist, First United Methodist Church, Sugar Land; Temple Beth Yeshurun
  • Kathryn Sparks White, Coordinating Music Director/Organist, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

2010-2011 Smith Organ Recital Series

  • Dr. Crista Miller, Associate Director of Music and Cathedral Organist, Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart,
  • Dr. David Henning, Director of Music and Parish Organist, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Houston
  • Mr. Daryl Robinson, Organist/Music Associate, South Main Baptist Church, Houston
  • Mr. Rob Landes, Organist/Artist-in-Residence, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Houston
  • Dr. Rhonda Furr, Professor of Music, HCU; Organist, First Presbyterian Church, Houston
  • Mr. John Meier, Assistant Director of Music, The Church of St. John the Divine, Houston
  • Ms. Carol Nave, HCU Organ Performance Alumni, ’98; IU Doctoral Candidate, Organ Performance
  • Mr. Clayton Roberts, Organist, Zion Lutheran Church, Houston