Inside Trinity’s Organ Studio: A Conversation With Elijah Morris ’28

Elina Khindova ’27

Contributing Writer

On Thursday, Oct. 6, the Chapel was filled with organ music performed by students from Trinity College’s Organ Studio, joined by Philip Tummescheit, second-place and audience prize winner of the 28th annual Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival. The recital was part of the Trinity Organ Series’ Lunchtime Thursdays, a monthly 30-minute concert held on the first Thursday of each month during the lunch hour. Before the organ recital, guests could enjoy a light lunch and a 30-minute performance by Trinity College carillonist Ellen Dickinson.

The Trinity College Organ Studio is supported by the bequest of Marjorie Van Eenam Butcher H’09, professor of mathematics, emeritus. The program allows students to enroll in personal organ lessons with the artist-in-residence, John Rose Distinguished College Organist and Director of Chapel Music Christopher Houlihan ’09, and provides all necessary textbooks, sheet music and even organ shoes without additional fees. Students also receive 24/7 access to the Chapel’s Austin organ, a mechanical-action Nicholson & Co. practice organ, and a Hauptwerk digital instrument in the Austin Arts Center. The program offers the opportunity to pursue an experiential certificate in organ performance, which includes an organ scholar internship at a local church or the Trinity Chapel. Each year, one advanced student is also awarded the prestigious John Rose Organ Scholarship. No formal audition is required — students of any previous keyboard skill level can apply for a trial lesson and begin lessons. The program is one of the few of its kind at a liberal arts college, designed to give students access to both world-class instruction and the resources needed to pursue organ study seriously while maintaining the flexibility of a broad academic education.

This season, the Organ Studio includes Elijah Morris ’28, Beck Smith ’29, Chris Yi ’26, Tommy Carty ’28, Will Bannon ’28 and Angelina Kekhia ’27. Students receive academic credit for their lessons and must also enroll in a weekly studio class, Organists’ Lab, where they perform for one another, share feedback and discuss technical and interpretive aspects of their repertoire. The program welcomes students with any level of prior keyboard experience, creating an environment where beginners and seasoned musicians can learn side by side. After the recital, the Tripod sat down with Elijah Morris ’28, a music and medieval studies double major, assistant chapel organist and member of the Chapel Singers and the Organ Studio, to talk about his experience.

With nearly a decade of organ experience, Morris has been playing Trinity’s Austin organ, built in Hartford in 1971, since high school, when he traveled to campus for private lessons with Houlihan. He was later recruited by Trinity and offered a special scholarship to continue studying and performing on the Chapel’s organ. Reflecting on what drew him to the program, he said, “I already knew Professor Houlihan pretty well, and Trinity is really unique in that it’s a liberal arts college with an organ program. Most organ schools are conservatories like Juilliard or Eastman, but here I can study organ and still double major in medieval studies. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Morris is also particularly fond of the instrument itself. “It’s a beautiful instrument,” he says. “It’s voiced perfectly for the space, really versatile, and can handle everything from Bach to French symphonic works.” This versatility, he explains, makes the Organ Studio both diverse and adaptable, allowing students to explore and perform a wide range of musical styles.

A typical week for Morris is packed with practice, rehearsals,and recitals, in addition to his academic commitments and his job as an organist at St. John’s Episcopal Church in West Hartford. On free days, he practices up to four hours, and Saturdays are reserved almost entirely for homework. “I’m at the Chapel every Sunday performing for all of the Chapel Singers’ events,” he explains. “That means rehearsals twice a week, weekly meetings with Professor Houlihan, and preparing for concerts, Sunday services and Lessons and Carols. Somehow, I manage to do the organ, two majors and have a life,” he laughed. “It takes structure, but I love it.”

Looking ahead, Morris plans to continue his studies at the postgraduate level, with Yale University at the top of his list. “They have a wonderful sacred music program for organists and choral scholars, with so many choirs and conductors,” he said. “James O’Donnell, who was the music director at Westminster Abbey and for the Queen’s funeral, teaches there. I studied with him over the summer at an organ intensive program. He’s amazing. I would consider him the best in the world.” After graduate school, he hopes to work at a large church and tour with his music, performing across the country and abroad.

When asked what he wishes people at Trinity knew about the Organ Studio, Morris said, “Everyone who hears the organ thinks it’s cool, but most people have never actually heard one in person. I wish more people would just come to listen. It’s such a powerful, beautiful sound.”

Morris is especially looking forward to one of the chapel’s most anticipated traditions: the 66th annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols, taking place on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at 4 and 7 p.m. The event, which blends music and scripture in a candlelit setting, has long been a highlight of the College’s winter season. “Lessons and Carols is my favorite,” Morris says. “It’s part of why I came here. I went to Lessons and Carols at Trinity and wanted to be a part of that. It’s incredibly nerve-wracking before it because you just play so much. It’s a lot of music. But when it’s over, it feels amazing. It’s nerve-wracking, but really fun.”

For Morris, the Organ Studio is more than just a place to practice — it’s a community, a creative space and a second home on campus. “It’s like an instant community,” he says. “We’re all organists, so we can nerd out about our respective stuff, and I’ve made some really good friends here.” Between rehearsals, lessons, and services, he and his fellow students spend countless hours together in the chapel, preparing for recitals and supporting one another’s musical growth.

With upcoming events like Lessons and Carols and the Chapel Singers’ choral evensong on Nov. 12 at 5:15 p.m., Morris and his peers continue to bring the chapel to life with music that inspires both the Trinity community and the wider Hartford audience. For those curious about the Organ Studio, Morris offers a simple invitation: “Talk to Professor Houlihan. It’s a welcoming, fun community, and you’ll learn a lot.”