Dr. Craig Cramer
University of Notre Dame
Craig Cramer is Professor of Organ and Artist in Residence at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He also serves as organist at St. David of Wales Episcopal Church in Elkhart, Indiana. He holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and the Eastman School of Music where he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance.
Jeannine: Dr. Cramer, how long have you been at Notre Dame and what are the highlights of your career as a university professor?
Dr. Cramer: I am starting my 30th year at the University. It has been an amazing journey doing three things I love: working with students, performing great music on great organs, and doing research and scholarship in organ history and literature. Specifically though, one of the greatest highlights of my career was the Buxtehude Festival in 2005 held at Notre Dame in our new organ hall on the Paul Fritts organ!
Jeannine: What is the focus of the organ program at Notre Dame?
Dr. Cramer: We have a small number of undergraduate organ performance majors, but I have to say that the focus of our program at Notre Dame is the Master of Sacred Music degree. This is a relatively new degree program instituted by the University in 2005. The program prepares students for pastoral liturgical music ministry with either a choral or a vocal track in a two-year course of study. I am excited to say that the course work now includes classes with the renowned chant and liturgical music scholars, Peter Jeffrey and Margot Fassler, who have real vision for the program.
Jeannine: How large is the enrollment in the program and are scholarships/internships available?
Dr. Cramer: It is a very competitive program with only four students admitted each year. This year we had 18 applicants for those four spots. Once admitted, those students receive scholarships and/or internships. The University also pays for an organ tour to Germany or the Netherlands during their study. It is a great experience for the students and gives me time to hang out with them playing amazing organs.
Jeannine: You were instrumental in the building of a new organ hall, complete with an organ by Paul Fritts, on the Notre Dame campus. Please tell us more about this fantastic building and instrument.
Dr. Cramer: The new building is the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center which houses the Organ and Choral Hall—a hall which is primarily dedicated to the Sacred Music Program. The centerpiece of the Organ Hall is an amazing organ built by Paul Fritts of Tacoma, Washington.
One of the most satisfying things for me is to take a prospective student into the hall and leave them for an hour to play the Fritts. Organists are simply enthralled with the sound of this organ in this hall. The organ certainly helps in my recruiting and has become my pedagogical partner—students learn more from this organ than from me. One visitor aptly described the organ as "the oldest sounding new organ" he had ever heard! Every student has at least three hours a week (unless they are night owls) for practice, plus lessons and classes on the Fritts organ every week.
Jeannine: You told me an amazing statistic regarding those who have completed organ degree programs at Notre Dame. Would you elaborate?
Dr. Cramer: I did a survey of our graduates from the past 25 years, and found that 88% have stayed in music. I think that is amazing. Many have moved into Catholic cathedral or parish positions, some are in campus music ministry, others serve other denominations in music ministry--one is an administrator in the worship division of the ELCA. It shows that our programs are certainly preparing our graduates well to serve in the organ profession.
Jeannine: It sounds like your 30th year at Notre Dame is filled with anticipation.
Dr. Cramer: Yes, with the organ/choral room, the Fritts organ, my excellent students, and the Sacred Music degree, my vision for organ study at Notre Dame has come together. It was years in the making, but well worth the work and wait!
Learn more about this Master of Sacred Music degree byClicking Here
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University of Notre Dame
Craig Cramer is Professor of Organ and Artist in Residence at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He also serves as organist at St. David of Wales Episcopal Church in Elkhart, Indiana. He holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and the Eastman School of Music where he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance.
Jeannine: Dr. Cramer, how long have you been at Notre Dame and what are the highlights of your career as a university professor?
Dr. Cramer: I am starting my 30th year at the University. It has been an amazing journey doing three things I love: working with students, performing great music on great organs, and doing research and scholarship in organ history and literature. Specifically though, one of the greatest highlights of my career was the Buxtehude Festival in 2005 held at Notre Dame in our new organ hall on the Paul Fritts organ!
Jeannine: What is the focus of the organ program at Notre Dame?
Dr. Cramer: We have a small number of undergraduate organ performance majors, but I have to say that the focus of our program at Notre Dame is the Master of Sacred Music degree. This is a relatively new degree program instituted by the University in 2005. The program prepares students for pastoral liturgical music ministry with either a choral or a vocal track in a two-year course of study. I am excited to say that the course work now includes classes with the renowned chant and liturgical music scholars, Peter Jeffrey and Margot Fassler, who have real vision for the program.
Jeannine: How large is the enrollment in the program and are scholarships/internships available?
Dr. Cramer: It is a very competitive program with only four students admitted each year. This year we had 18 applicants for those four spots. Once admitted, those students receive scholarships and/or internships. The University also pays for an organ tour to Germany or the Netherlands during their study. It is a great experience for the students and gives me time to hang out with them playing amazing organs.
Jeannine: You were instrumental in the building of a new organ hall, complete with an organ by Paul Fritts, on the Notre Dame campus. Please tell us more about this fantastic building and instrument.
Dr. Cramer: The new building is the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center which houses the Organ and Choral Hall—a hall which is primarily dedicated to the Sacred Music Program. The centerpiece of the Organ Hall is an amazing organ built by Paul Fritts of Tacoma, Washington.
One of the most satisfying things for me is to take a prospective student into the hall and leave them for an hour to play the Fritts. Organists are simply enthralled with the sound of this organ in this hall. The organ certainly helps in my recruiting and has become my pedagogical partner—students learn more from this organ than from me. One visitor aptly described the organ as "the oldest sounding new organ" he had ever heard! Every student has at least three hours a week (unless they are night owls) for practice, plus lessons and classes on the Fritts organ every week.
Jeannine: You told me an amazing statistic regarding those who have completed organ degree programs at Notre Dame. Would you elaborate?
Dr. Cramer: I did a survey of our graduates from the past 25 years, and found that 88% have stayed in music. I think that is amazing. Many have moved into Catholic cathedral or parish positions, some are in campus music ministry, others serve other denominations in music ministry--one is an administrator in the worship division of the ELCA. It shows that our programs are certainly preparing our graduates well to serve in the organ profession.
Jeannine: It sounds like your 30th year at Notre Dame is filled with anticipation.
Dr. Cramer: Yes, with the organ/choral room, the Fritts organ, my excellent students, and the Sacred Music degree, my vision for organ study at Notre Dame has come together. It was years in the making, but well worth the work and wait!
Learn more about this Master of Sacred Music degree byClicking Here
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