The bold, powerful sound of a pipe organ calls to mind important events and holy spaces. They’re often the central instrument in weddings, cathedrals and historical music. They were also crucial to the advent of silent film, and the “Mighty Wurlitzer” line of organs were produced between 1914-1943 to simulate the sounds of a full orchestra and provide sound effects. On Wednesday and Thursday, May 21 and 22, 2025, Cameron Carpenter, the first organist to be nominated for a solo album GRAMMY award, will showcase his rare talent and skill at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts on their historic and original 1924 Wurlitzer Organ.
Since he was a child, Carpenter has reimagined the established stereotypes of classical music. Through recordings and global tours, he keeps this magnificent instrument vibrant and vital. Don’t miss out on one if his few North American stops when he takes the stage in downtown Olympia.
Cameron Carpenter’s Long Musical History of Study, Performance and Global Tours
Carpenter started piano and organ lessons at the age of five. Also a talented vocalist, he spent many years at the keyboard before enrolling in New York’s Julliard School. During his time there, he earned both a Bachelor’s degree and Master of Music in Organ Performance. Not long after graduation, Carpenter’s debut album was released and it earned him the first GRAMMY award nomination for an organist’s solo album.
In 2009, Carpenter moved from New York to Berlin where he has continued writing, touring and performing. He has played in Australia, the United States, Europe, Russia and China and recorded more than a dozen albums, singles and concerts along the way. He even designed and debuted George W. Mergens Memorial Organ at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Beyond Olympia, his current calendar of tour stops includes shows in Luxembourg, Nuremberg, California, the Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington DC and Emory University in Atlanta.
Choose A Behind the Scenes Chance to See the Maestro at Work or the Full Stage Experience
Unlike more standard Washington Center performances, there will be both formal and informal chances to see Carpenter at work. On Wednesday, May 21 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. come to an open rehearsal downtown. He’ll be preparing the Center’s stately 100-year-old Wurlitzer and learning both its unique characteristics and layout. The session concludes with a short question and answer session to discuss the rehearsal and his creative process.
The main show takes place on Thursday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. You can get a taste by listening to a Spotify playlist or watching earlier concerts on YouTube. Then come ready to lose yourself in the sounds of Bach preludes and Fugues, Franck Chorales, and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” (arr. Carpenter).
If you’re a die-hard music lover of all instruments and genres, check out the Masterworks Choral Ensemble’s Women Rock! show on June 14, Beatles vs Stones musical showdown in July, Broadway’s Book of Mormon in August and Abba tribute Abra Cadabra in September. The Washington Center also offers silent films with a live organist as well as a full events listing all year round.
Tickets to Cameron Carpenter’s show are on sale now. You can purchase them online, by calling 360.753.8586 or stopping by the Box Office from noon to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or two hours before any ticketed event. Email boxoffice@washingtoncenter.org with questions.
Most of us can tie the majestic sounds of the organ to a special memory. Thanks to Cameron Carpenter’s rare visit, you can build new memories with family and friends that’ll surely last a lifetime.
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