Extracurricular Activities & Programs


Conferences

Over the years, KU has hosted many conference on organ and church music. In 2017, KU hosted the AGO National Pedagogy Conference entitled “Organ and Improvisation Study in the French Conservatory System.”

The Bales Artist Series

The Bales artist series is a regular series of guest artist recitals featuring American university colleagues, international artists, and international com petition winners. The professors on the series play and present both a lecture and a masterclass. Some of the artists who have played on this series in the past include: Guy Bovet, Susan Landale, Kimberly Marshall, Craig Cramer, Lynne Davis, Janette Fishell, Martin Jean, Hans Davidsson, Roberta Gary, John Grew, Jack Mitchener, Catherine Rodland, Robert Bates, Daniel Zaretsky, Carole Terry, Emanuele Cardi, Rachel Lauren, Richard Elliott, Charles Tomkins, Yuan Shen, Guy Bovet, David Baskeyfield, Alina Nikitina

Jack Mitchener teaching a master class
Jack Mitchener teaching a master class

North American Round of the Tariverdiev International Organ Competition

Since 2011, KU has hosted the North American round of the Tariverdiev International Organ Competition every two years at the Bales Organ Recital Hall. The winners advance to Kaliningrad, Russia where they compete in the semi-finals and finals of the international competition.

Vera Tariverdiev with competitors and judges of the North American round of the Tariverdiev International Organ Competition.
Vera Tariverdiev with competitors and judges of the North
American round of the Tariverdiev International Organ Competition.

The STAR Series (Student Artist Recitals)

Each year, KU arranges for students to play recitals on fine organs throughout the Great Pains States. Locally they play in groups, recitals that are further away feature two students who split the recital

KU students at the Richards & Fowkes organ at Village Presbyterian church in Kansas City.
KU students at the Richards & Fowkes organ at Village Presbyterian church in Kansas City.


KU students at the Richards & Fowkes organ at Village Presbyterian church in Kansas City.

KU students at the Martin Pasi organ at Hope Lutheran Church in Kansas City
KU students at the Martin Pasi organ at Hope Lutheran Church in Kansas City


KU students at the Martin Pasi organ at Hope Lutheran Church in Kansas City

Church Music Colloquium

Periodically, KU sponsors church music colloquia, which feature other KU faculty and full - time church musicians in the region who present lectures and workshops on topics of interest to church music professionals

A church music colloquium on West African Drumming, led by Dylan Bassett, the Director of KU’s international award-winning West African Drum Ensemble
A church music colloquium on West African Drumming, led by Dylan Bassett, the Director of KU’s international award-winning West African Drum Ensemble

A church music colloquium on West African Drumming, led by Dylan Bassett,
the Director of KU’s international award-winning West African Drum Ensemble

KU: The First Haarlem Festival School

The Haarlem International Summer Academy for Organists was founded in 1955 and is therefore the oldest of its kind in the world . During the last 70 years the Academy grew from 4 teachers and 10 students to the largest summer school in the world. Now around 100 - 120 students from all over the world travel to Haarlem each two years to attend masterclasses and study with the most distinguished organists of our time. In 2018 KU Became the first Haarlem festival school in the world, establishing an institutional connection that involves KU helping our students attend the summer academy and festival and Haarlem offering benefits to our students in return.

Grote of St. Bavokerk HaarlemGrote of St. Bavokerk Haarlem with chairs set up in rowsGrote of St. Bavokerk Haarlem churchA person setting at an organ with someone standing behind them