Michael Farris, ESM professor, dies at 41

Farris

M ichael Farris, associate professor oforgan at the Eastman School since 1994 and co-chair of the Keyboard Department, died on Saturday, March 27. He was 41.

Farris completed his bachelor's degree at Southern Methodist University; he earned his master of music degree and performer's certificate at Indiana University. He also received a doctor of musical arts degree, performer's certificate, and artist's diploma from Eastman, studying with the late Russell Saunders.

Cited by The New York Times as "an organist of unusual brilliance and versatility," he was invited to give a recital for Vienna Musik Sommer in 1991, and in 1992 was invited to play a solo recital of American organ literature for Austrian National Radio. In addition to lectures and master classes, Farris also gave annual concert tours in North America since 1986, and performed in recitals for regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists in 1987, 1989, 1993, and 1996. Two commercial compact disc recordings of his work have been released.

Farris was a faculty member and chairman of organ at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1989 until 1994. While at Illinois, he received the University Scholar Award for distinction as a faculty member in 1993. He first came to Eastman as a visiting associate professor in 1993, and became a permanent member of the faculty the following year.

He is survived by family and by his many friends and students. A service for Farris was scheduled for Thursday, April 1, at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word. His family has asked that memorials be made to the Michael Farris Organ Scholarship at the Eastman School.