Perkins Chapel Wedding Music

BENJAMIN A KOLODZIEJ, Organist 

Benjamin Kolodziej is Chapel Organist at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, where he has served as an adjunct lecturer in sacred music at Perkins School of Theology and where he has played for over 1400 weddings since Perkins Chapel reopened in 1999 after a modernization and renovation.  As part of his duties at SMU, he attends every wedding rehearsal not only to assist with the music, but also to serve as university representative, ensuring that rehearsals and weddings not only follow all policies, but that they receive all the services for which they contracted with the university.  He also serves as Organist and Director of Worship at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX, overseeing an active music ministry including several choirs and two concert series.

Graduating with an undergraduate degree in organ performance in 1998, Mr Kolodziej holds Master of Sacred Music and Master of Theological Studies degrees from Perkins School of Theology, SMU, where he studied organ with Robert Anderson, George Baker, and Larry Palmer.  He won first place in the Dallas AGO Young Organist Competition and was awarded the hymn playing prize at the William B Hall Organ Competition.  He is a frequent organist for hymn festivals and organ concerts, having performed many times in the UK, in Germany, throughout Texas and on the east coast including at the historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA, as well as at Washington National Cathedral.  In 2008 he will play in Vienna, Austria, also making his New York City debut in 2009 at St Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue.  In addition to serious organ performance, he enjoys performing for shows and accompanying plays on the Wurlitzer theatre organ recently installed at the McKinney Performing Arts Center in McKinney, TX.   

Mr Kolodziej has published articles related to church music, history and wedding music in The Chorister, Concordia Theological Quarterly, The Hymn, Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, The American Organist and Methodist History, and maintains a scholarly interest in Lutheran liturgical, hymnological, and theological history and practices.  For his concert diary, please click here.