• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Richard Wayne Dirksen Centenary

Richard Wayne Dirksen Centenary

  • Performing Artist
    • Conductor
    • Accompanist
    • Organist
    • Pianist
  • Composer
    • Catalogue
    • Theater Works
    • Published Works
    • Commissioned Works
    • The Composer’s Workshop
  • Teacher
    • StA / NCS Glee Clubs
    • Operettas
    • Choirs & Choristers
    • Memories & Reminiscences
  • Cathedral Impresario
    • Major Liturgies
    • Broadcasting & Telecasts
    • Guest Artists & Commissions
    • Summer Festivals & Open Houses
  • Life & Times
    • Timeline
    • Family
    • Washington DC
    • Sound Engineer / Producer
    • The Dirksen Portative Organ
    • Writings & Scholarship
  • Audio / Video Index

Timeline

High school graduate.

1921

  • Richard Wayne Dirksen born February 8 to Richard Watson and Maude Logemann Dirksen.

1930

  • Boy soprano at Grace Episcopal Church, Freeport, Ill.

1937

  • First place solo bassoon in National Music School Competition, Columbus, Ohio.

1938

  • First place solo bassoon in National Music School Competition, Elkhart, Ind.
  • Graduates Freeport High School, National Honor Society, Drum Major for 100-piece HS band.

1938-40

  • Declines scholarship to Hobart College in ministry; prepares with Hugh Price for scholarship auditions in organ at Curtis Institute (Alexander McCurdy)

1940

  • Awarded full scholarship to Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, Md.; studies with Virgil Fox.

1942

  • January – hired as assistant to Paul Callaway at Washington National Cathedral
  • June – graduates Peabody magna cum laude, enlists in US Army at Walter Reed Hospital; Serves as signalman & chapel organist and develops the in-hospital radio station.
Joan Milton Shaw c. 1937

1943

  • January 9 – Marries Joan Milton Shaw; Richard Shaw born October 12.
  • Letters to Freeport – vivid accounts of those days in DC, including his first Easter at WNC.

1944

  • October – transferred to US Infantry; Jo and Rick move back to Freeport.

1945

  • May – shipped to Europe; war with Germany ends while crossing the Atlantic.
  • June – August – Creates a traveling six-man show for troop entertainment throughout European Theatre of Operations.
  • November – Returns to Cathedral to assist Ellis Varley

1946

  • March – Callaway returns to Cathedral beginning 22 year collaboration in Cathedral Music Department.
  • RWD appointed Assistant Director and Accompanist of Cathedral Choral Society.

1947

  • Appointed Associate Organist Choirmaster, first compositions Psalm 67 & Psalm 98

1948

  • Easter Day, March 28 – Christ Our Passover premieres at 11 am service; Chorale Prelude on Urbs Beata
  • Geoffrey Paul born July 23.

1949

  • Hired by National Cathedral School for Girls and St. Albans School for Boys to direct joint Glee Clubs; Director of Department of Agriculture Chorus.

1950

  • Composed and directed Faith of Our Fathers for DC sesquicentennial; Instructor in Organ, American University.
  • Christmas – Chanticleer written for NBC telecast.

1951

  • February 23 – Laura Gail born; Family moves to Bethesda, Md.

1952

  • Recording engineer for Haydn Society recording of complete Bach Clavier-Űbung; Director of Baltimore & Ohio Women’s Glee Club.
That’s a Picasso on the cover. I was never quite sure *what* was going on otherwise.

1953

  • As pianist recorded complete Beethoven flute works with Wallace Mann plus Bagatelles for piano, Opus 107, 105 and 126.

1954

  • Canons on Psalm 101; first commissioned work, For this Cause; Operetta #1 The Flamingo Hat.

1955

  • A Child my choice, Twelve Proverbial Canons.

1956-57

  • Performance of all Mozart Violin Sonatas with Werner Lywyn at Philips Collection.

1957

  • 50th anniversary of the laying of WC Foundation Stone; Welcome all Wonders & Yet even now saith the Lord ; Operetta #2, The Houseboat on the Styx; A Child my choice first published work. See also 1957 Report to Chapter.

1957-58

  • Performance of all Haydn Trios with Werner Lywyn and John Martin at Philips Collection.

1958

  • Great Organ console installed; Jonah; Mark Christopher born August 27.

1959

  • Three songs of Prayer and Praise; Operetta #3 The Rose and The Ring.

1960

  • Hilariter, Jubilate Deo and Psalm for Christmas Day published by HW Gray.

1961

  • Operetta #4 Tularosa; Music Director, Little Mary Sunshine at Olney Theater.
The South Transept completed in 1962
1962

  • College of Church Musicians opens ; Dedication of the South Transept – The Fiery Furnace.
  • Operetta #5 Houseboat.

1963

  • Named Chair of Tower Dedication Committee and Business Manager for the Choral Society.
  • And there was light address at St. Albans.

1964

  • Dedication of the Gloria in Excelsis Tower; Appointed Director of Advance Program with brief to dramatically expand the Cathedral’s offerings in all the arts.

1965

  • First Summer Festival (concerts and plays outside on South Transept steps); Play of Daniel ; production of Menotti’s The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore; Unicorn Fanfares and Sarabande

1966

  • Washington Cathedral Choir at Westminster Abbey, recordings of E Major Mass Gloria and Jubilate Deo

1967

  • First Cathedral Open House; First hymn tune CAMPAIGN; production of Britten’s Noyes Fludde; Glee Clubs Lessons & Carols on WTTG wins Emmy Award.
Dave & Wayne became good freinds.

1969

  • Appointed the first lay Precentor in the Anglican Communion; conducts broadcast of Dave Brubeck’s Light in the Wilderness; Ravi Shankar plays at Ghandi Centennial Celebration.

1970

  • Summer Festivals move inside Cathedral.

1971

  • Plays pit organ for Bernstein Mass, opening of the Kennedy Center, sons Rick and Mark participate as well. First liturgical drama, The Conversion of Saul.

1972

  • Incidental music for Berthold Brecht’s Galileo.

1973

  • Years of liturgical change and innovation produce The Annunciation Story. WNC decides to complete the Nave for 1976, planning for year-long celebration commences. RWD Steps down as Precentor; renovation of Great Organ begins.

1974

  • 50th anniversary of parents Maudie and Dugan; Dedication of Dirksen Thanksgiving Stone in North Transept; Installation of Presiding Bishop John Maury Allin, Vineyard Haven.

1975

  • Music for The American Adventure, multi-media installation for US Bicentennial.

1976

  • Dedication of the Nave – Festival 76; Ballad of Doctor Faustus; The Raising of Lazarus.

1977

  • Named Fourth Organist / Choirmaster and re-appointed Precentor; Cathedral in extreme financial peril.

1978

  • Psalm Settings; Cathedral operating on skeleton crew, see 1978 Report to Chapter.

1980

  • Honorary Doctorate from GWU; Te Deum “Grosse Pointe”

1982

  • Six hymns and two chants accepted into The Hymnal 1982; Three Songs of Isaiah.

1983

  • Installed as Canon of the Cathedral.

1984

  • Interim Director of Cathedral Choral Society, conducts Brahms Requiem; Six Choral Exercises.

1987

  • Residency at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, writes own paraphrase of the Gloria GIBBS HALL.

1988

  • Steps down as Organist / Choirmaster, begins planning for completion and consecration of WNC.

1990

  • September 28-30, Consecration of the Cathedral, Four services / concerts across 48 hours.

1991

  • April 1 – Retirement concert & Service and Reunion of Glee Club members to perform operetta selections. Mag & Nunc in F# minor.

1992

  • BARLEY written for American Guild of Organists National Convention, Atlanta, Ga.

1993

  • Guest at Evergreen Music Festival; When Jesus died to save us.
Jo & Wayne in Vancouver

1994

  • Publishes Annotated Catalog

1995

  • January 27 – Joan Shaw Dirksen dies. Sing ye faithful

1996

  • Te Deum “Lexington”, Humbly, I adore thee for the Evergreen music conference. Both pieces are memorials to Jo.

2002

  • The Hymn Tunes of Richard Wayne Dirksen appears in the journal of the Hymn Society

2003

  • July 26 – dies at home surrounded by family and friends. Memorial Service August 26.

2006

  • Cathedral Choral Society announces Dirksen Endowment Fund to sponsor Third Millennium Christmas Carol Commissions

Footer

Search the Website

Explore Wayne Dirksen’s Works

Support the Project

Donate

Copyright © 2023 Richard Wayne Dirksen Centenary · site by ThirdSide