Organist

The college organist is primarily responsible for playing the Chapel organ during services, but they often also play music for major college events like Matriculation, Convocation, Commencement, and reunions. They also have a role in both mentoring and teaching students.

Prior to 1930, the role of organists was filled by students and the occasional professor/staff member. In 1930, Trinity hired their first official college organist, Arthur Tillman Merritt. Alongside his organist duties, Merritt also taught two elective courses on music theory. He worked at Trinity for two years, and was succeeded by Clarence Everett Watters in 1932, one of “the country’s foremost organists”. Watters held the position until 1969, and though he played services and put on a series of organ recitals, he also taught freshmen English when interest in music “fell by the wayside” at the school.

Watters also was a consultant for the building of Trinity’s newest pipe organ, installed in 1971. The instrument was a gift from Newton C. Brainard in memory of her husband who was a Trustee of the college for 41 years and a former mayor of Hartford. The organ was built by Austin Organs, Inc. in Hartford, and consists of more than 4,700 pipes. It was designed specifically for Trinity’s chapel and is consistently updated with new technology.

In 1977, the school hired notable organist John Rose. Rose has played concerts at concert halls around the world and has recorded 16 LP and CD albums over the course of his career. In 2016, a position titled “John Rose College Organist-and-Directorship Distinguished Chair of Chapel Music” was endowed in his honor by the estate of Trinity professor Marjorie Van Eenam Butcher. Rose retired not long after in 2017, after 40 years of service to the College. He was succeeded by his student Christopher Houlihan, who has held the John Rose College Organist-and-Directorship Distinguished Chair of Chapel Music since 2017.

Houlihan graduated from Trinity in 2009. Throughout his time at the school, he performed with the Hartford Symphony, played at President James F. Jones, Jr. ’s daughter's wedding, and studied abroad in Paris as the assistant musician at the American Cathedral located in the city. After graduating, he obtained a master's degree from The Julliard School. After becoming Trinity’s organist in 2017, he has continued his prolific concert series, is teaching a class for student organists, and become the director of the Chapel Singers.