Timeline

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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