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Keyboard · 175 verified programs with a organ pathway

Organ: degrees, diplomas and programs

Organ study joins keyboard performance with the worlds of church music, liturgy and historic instruments, and is offered at a smaller set of schools than most instruments.

Also called: Pipe organ, Orgel, Orgue, Organo, Órgano.

What the listings below mean

A program is listed for organ only where its official page names the instrument in the title, as a major, or as a formal principal-study pathway. These are formal degree, diploma or certificate pathways; the page says which. An instrument taught in private lessons, or a teacher on the faculty, does not create a listing.

90 Bachelor’s · 66 Master’s · 12 Practice doctorate · 5 Diploma · 2 Certificate · 115 named major, 40 named in the program title, 20 formal principal-study pathway

175 programs

How results are ordered: alphabetically by institution, or by most recently checked when you choose that sort. There is no price ranking, because tuition in different currencies, fee categories and bases (per year, per credit, whole program) is not comparable. A program appears under a subject only through a verified link (dedicated degree, major, concentration or documented pathway). A value we could not verify is shown as “not published”, never as “no”. Items marked Sponsored are paid placements; they never change verification or order. Online programs are not counted as physically located in a state or city, and an institution’s location does not tell you whether it enrols students from your country.

Published organ audition repertoire

Copied from each program’s own admissions page. Requirements are specific to the program and intake: follow the link and check the current year.

  • University of Iowa: Bachelor of Music (BM)
    • 2-4 contrasting pieces that can be performed on piano or organ. | Memory is not required. | Email Dr. Hand if you have any questions about suitable repertoire.
  • University of Iowa: Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
    • Graduate audition requirements involve a performance of representative organ literature of contrasting styles of approximately 30-45 minutes in length. | Audio/Video recording in lieu of a personal audition may be submitted only with the approval of the organ faculty. | Email Dr. Hand if you have any questions.
  • Lawrence University: Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.)
    • Two works from the standard organ repertoire and an accompaniment: | A work of J.S. Bach, either a prelude, toccata, or fantasy and fugue, a chorale prelude, or trio sonata movement | A work from either the Romantic or Contemporary periods | Accompaniment of a hymn (religious or secular) intended to be sung by a large assembly. Provide an introduction and two stanzas as if leading a large group. | Sight-reading may be requested during live auditions | An introductory video is required for recorded auditions | Repertoire should demonstrate the applicant’s technical skills and musical abilities, and the accompaniment should demonstrate registrational, improvisational, and collaborative abilities.
  • Cleveland Institute of Music: Bachelor of Music
    • Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
  • Cleveland Institute of Music: Master of Music
    • Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
  • Cleveland Institute of Music: Graduate Diploma
    • Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
  • Cleveland Institute of Music: Artist Diploma
    • Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
  • Cleveland Institute of Music: Artist Certificate
    • Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
  • Cleveland Institute of Music: Doctor of Musical Arts
    • Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities: Bachelor of Music (BMus)
    • Three compositions for organ, at least one by J. S. Bach; a repertoire list is submitted as a separate attachment.
  • University of Oklahoma: Bachelor of Music
    • Organ: 2 or 3 pieces in contrasting styles from the following: A movement by J.S. Bach A 19th century French or German movement A 20th century work Percussion
  • Rice University: Bachelor of Music
    • Audition Dates are January 24-25 OR February 11-12, 2027* Please use the link at the bottom of this page to create your audition profile information. Organ applicants are also reminded to be aware of the high school requirements for admission to Rice University. If you are under the age of 18 at the time of your audition, we will need this form filled out. Required audition repertoire A major work by J.S. Bach (excluding BWV 553-560) Two contrasting works composed since 1750 Tests in sightreading Applicants may request substitutions of one or more works from the BMus Piano Audition requirements. *Please plan on spending 2 days with us. A practice session on the organ is scheduled the first day and your audition is scheduled on the second day.

About organ study

Organ is a keyboard instrument, but studying it is quite unlike studying piano. Players coordinate two or more manuals and a pedalboard played with the feet, and must learn to control stops, registration and the way sound behaves in a particular room. Because organs are built into buildings, every instrument is different, and students learn to adapt quickly to unfamiliar consoles, actions and acoustics.

Degree programs usually pair lessons on the instrument with study of repertoire from the Renaissance and Baroque through the Romantic and modern periods, with particular attention to traditions such as north German and French organ music. Improvisation, continuo playing and hymn and service playing are common components, and many programs link organ with sacred and church music, including liturgy, choral accompaniment and choir direction.

Typical contexts include the Bachelor of Music in organ performance, the Master of Music, and practice doctorates such as the Doctor of Musical Arts. Because suitable instruments are costly and fixed in place, schools differ widely in what they can offer: some have several teaching organs of different types, others only one. Students who want a particular tradition, such as historic temperaments or tracker action, should look closely at the instruments each school holds.

What study typically involves

  • Organ technique including pedal playing and manual coordination
  • Registration and the use of stops on different types of instrument
  • Repertoire from several historical schools and national traditions
  • Improvisation and hymn or service playing
  • Continuo and accompaniment of choirs and soloists
  • Liturgy, sacred music history and choral conducting in some programs
  • Organ history, design and basic maintenance awareness
  • Theory, harmony, aural skills and keyboard skills

Award titles. Organ study may lead to a Bachelor of Music or BMus, a Master of Music or MMus, and in some countries a church music qualification or national diploma. Some institutions offer an Artist Diploma or a graduate or postgraduate diploma, which are diploma-level awards and not master's degrees. The Doctor of Musical Arts is a practice doctorate focused on performance. Organ qualifications sometimes sit within sacred music degrees, so award names can differ. This directory makes no equivalence claims between systems.

A program is listed under organ in this directory only when its official page names the instrument in the title, as a major, or as a formal principal-study option. Having an organ in the school's chapel, or a faculty member who teaches it, is not enough. Many schools do not offer organ as a degree specialization at all.

Auditions and admissions guidance

General orientation only. Each program publishes its own repertoire, format and deadlines; this directory cannot guarantee acceptance.

Organ auditions are commonly held on a school's own instrument, since applicants cannot bring theirs. Some programs accept a recording first, and may ask for evidence of pedal technique and registration choices. Applicants who have studied mainly piano are sometimes admitted on the strength of keyboard ability, and schools differ in how much prior organ experience they expect.

Panels often ask for contrasting works from different periods, and some add a hymn-playing, improvisation or sight-reading element. Written or aural tests in theory and harmony are common, and applicants to church-music tracks may be asked about liturgical experience.

Every program publishes its own repertoire, audition format and deadlines, and these change by year. Candidates should consult the current-year audition page for each school and confirm which instruments are available for auditions and practice. Nothing here guarantees admission.

See also preparing for auditions and prescreening vs final auditions.

Costs and funding

Some programs offer scholarships for organ students, and in a few settings a student may take a paid or stipended post as an organist or choir accompanist at a local church. Such roles depend on location, denomination and the relationship between the school and nearby congregations.

Assistantships and awards vary widely and are not offered everywhere. Contact each program about the funding it makes available to organists specifically.

Costs beyond tuition. Organists may need organ shoes, scores and registration notes, and sometimes pay for practice time on organs in churches or halls if school instruments are limited. Travel to play different instruments, and recording or lesson fees for masterclasses, are other possibilities. Most students do not own a pipe organ, so access arrangements matter.