Three graduate students from the American Organ Institute at the University of Oklahoma recently participated in the final round of the Arthur Poister Competition in Syracuse, New York. Chris Ganza, Julie Huang and Adam Pajan joined three other young organists in the final competition on April 9th on the Quimby organ at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Syracuse. We are happy to report that Adam Pajan was awarded First Prize.

Arthur Poister (1890-1980) was one of the most revered and legendary of American organ professors, and was a personal friend of Mildred Andrews Boggess, the legendary professor of organ at OU. Poister taught for ten years at Oberlin Conservatory before his appointment as University Organist, Professor of Music and Director of Music at Hendricks Chapel of Syracuse University in 1948, where he remained until his retirement in 1967. Established in his memory, the Poister Competition is one of the most prestigious in the nation. Mr. Pajan received a cash prize and will be presented in concert during the annual convention of the American Institute of Organbuilders on the seminal Holtkamp organ installed in Crouse Auditorium on the campus of Syracuse University.

The faculty, staff and students of the American Organ Institute congratulate Mr. Ganza, Ms. Huang and Mr. Pajan for their excellent representation of the University of Oklahoma.