Meet the Artist: Emma Whitten

The Reyes Organ and Choral Hall will come alive as the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center welcomes Emma Whitten back to Notre Dame. A celebrated alumna of the University’s Program in Sacred Music, Emma is known for her remarkable ability to bring centuries-old compositions to life alongside works by living composers. Her program, A Spotless Rose: Marian Works for Organ, thoughtfully honors the Blessed Virgin Mary through a diverse selection of music, including Dietrich Buxtehude’s Magnificat and Margaretha Christina de Jong’s fantasia on the Salve Regina. With her deep connection to Notre Dame and passion for sacred music, Emma promises an inspiring evening of reflection and beauty.

Discover more about Emma and her unique ability to blend tradition and innovation in sacred music below.

What inspired you to focus on early Baroque and contemporary repertoire in your organ performances, and what draws you to these particular styles?

I’ve been fortunate to study with a series of teachers who all encouraged me to study early organ repertoire, and I’m especially drawn to the intricate counterpoint in Baroque music. There are many subtle changes that we can make while performing this music—in our touch, our breath, and our underlying vision of the music—to bring it to life in a modern context! I also love music of the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly that of Maurice Duruflé, and performing the work of living composers today. 

Can you tell us about the significance of the program title, A Spotless Rose: Marian Works for Organ, and how you chose the pieces for this recital?

I thought it would be especially appropriate to return to Notre Dame with a program of music celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary. A Spotless Rose is another title for the carol “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” which connects the image of the blooming rose with Mary and the birth of Christ. I’m especially drawn to the winter imagery in the carol’s text: “It came, a flower bright, amid the cold of winter, when half spent was the night.” I’m playing a beautiful meditation on this carol by a living composer, Margaretha Christina de Jong, paired with one of the earliest pieces published for organ based on the German devotional hymn Maria zart (“Gentle and noble Mary, a rose without any thorns.”)

How does your background as an alumna of Notre Dame’s Program in Sacred Music influence your approach to performing sacred works?

As a student at Notre Dame, I was fortunate to receive a strong foundation in the performance of chant and Renaissance polyphony. Throughout the centuries, we see many melodies from Gregorian chant incorporated into organ repertoire. In fact, many works from Sunday’s program are based on chant melodies! I’m including works based on two different German chant tones for the Magnificat canticle, Mary’s song in the Gospel of Luke. One is a fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach, arguably the greatest composer for organ, and the other is a larger-scale work by Bach’s predecessor Dieterich Buxtehude.

What are some of the unique challenges and rewards of interpreting music that spans such a broad historical range, from the early Baroque to contemporary compositions?

The biggest challenge is that each period of music requires different techniques and styles of playing. A 17th-century Italian organ is very different from a 20th-century French Romantic organ, and many American instruments are an eclectic design intended to perform a wide variety of repertoire but are not ideal for any particular style. Performing contemporary music on historically inspired instruments can be tricky…we often encounter different spacing for the pedalboard or run out of keys in the higher range. However, there are great rewards! In my programs, I love to draw connections between musical works from diverse time periods, crafting programs showcasing a variety of styles and bringing early music to life for audiences today. In the right context, early music can sound very modern to our ears!

Dietrich Buxtehude’s Magnificat and Margaretha Christina de Jong’s fantasia on the Salve Regina are highlights of your program. What can you tell us about these works and why they are special to you?

I first heard Buxtehude’s setting of the Magnificat at Notre Dame on the DeBartolo Fritts organ, during a national conference centered around Buxtehude’s music. It’s a dramatic, engaging work and a natural choice to include in a program of Marian music. De Jong’s Salve Regina is a piece I first performed as part of the rededication of the Hazel Wright Organ at Christ Cathedral, and it’s one of my favorite contemporary works based on a chant melody! I love how De Jong conceives of the work as a series of variations showcasing the different phrases of the Salve Regina text, from images of exile and mourning to sweetness and mercy. It’s an ingenious piece with many different colors and textures, and it uses the full tonal range of the organ.

As an accomplished organist, how do you prepare for a recital, both technically and mentally, especially with such a diverse program?

Beyond learning the notes, it’s helpful to have experience playing the music in other venues and practicing on different organs, especially similar ones to the Fritts! In San Diego, we have an early Fritts organ at All Saints Episcopal Church, Point Loma, and I’ve been fortunate to have some practice sessions there in preparation. I also like to record my practice so that I can return later to listen with a clear mind. As for mental preparation, I find that if I’m truly prepared technically, that gives me the greatest confidence! I often eat a banana shortly before performing (perhaps just a placebo effect but helpful nonetheless!), and during the concert, I try to envision a musical connection with the audience.

What role do you see sacred music playing in today’s world, and how do you hope your performances contribute to this tradition?

We often hear from naysayers that sacred music is dying, but sacred music is very much alive and present in the music we make today. I hope that I can continue the tradition, both in performing sacred repertoire and educating the next generation of organists and church musicians. And particularly in the concert setting, we see that church music can bring people together regardless of faith tradition, a shared experience hearing sacred music outside of a liturgical context.

What has been the most memorable or impactful experience in your career as an organist so far?

It’s difficult to choose a single moment! I had an exceptionally memorable day on an organ study tour around Leipzig, Germany, visiting the historic Hildebrandt organ in Naumburg. J.S. Bach was closely involved in designing the instrument, and it is one of the finest examples of Central German organ building. Unbeknownst to us, we happened to visit on a day celebrating the anniversary of Kyrie settings, held in the Naumburg archives and used by J.S. Bach in a collection called Clavier-Übung III, colloquially known as the German organ mass. We heard the original melodies sung in the Sunday Divine Service alongside a performance of the Bach chorales. We then had the opportunity to play the instrument, playing the same keys and pulling out the same stop knobs that Bach himself would have touched!

Looking forward, what are your aspirations for the future, both in terms of your performance career and your contributions to the field of sacred music?

As musicians, I think our greatest hope is to convey meaning through our performance, bringing together performer and audience in a shared musical experience. I especially hope to introduce new audiences (and future organists!) to the pipe organ, and engage audiences with repertoire that they might not otherwise hear. As a professor of both organ and sacred music, I hope that my students are inspired to be the next generation of organists and church musicians, extending our rich musical traditions well into the future!

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with aspiring musicians?

I’ve found immense value in building strong friendships with fellow musicians—not just networking, but cultivating genuine relationships, which have helped to sustain me both personally and professionally. Also, if you are seeking a particular performance opportunity or collaboration, simply try asking—often requests go unanswered, but it’s amazing how many will say yes!

Emma Whitten’s return to the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center is more than a recital; it’s a celebration of the enduring tradition and innovation of sacred music. Through A Spotless Rose: Marian Works for Organ, she weaves a rich narrative that bridges centuries of musical heritage, offering audiences both a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary and a fresh perspective on the organ’s timeless appeal. With her dedication to connecting with audiences and her commitment to educating the next generation of organists, Emma exemplifies the transformative power of music. 

Join us on January 26 to experience her artistry and be part of a shared journey through sacred sounds.