Conrad Smith
One local organist’s love of music is bridging the gap between area religious organizations.
Conrad Smith plays the organ for three congregations with different faith traditions: Temple Ohev Sholom, Presbyterian Church of Middletown and Saint Catherine Laboure Catholic Parish.
People joke that he’s “crazy” for taking on so much, he said, but he sees the importance of gathering as a community to sing and find connection in each sphere.
“We see someone’s spirit and body connected in an unbelievably vulnerable and meaningful way when they sing a song that means something to them. It’s one of the most important ways we can see people,” Smith said.
A graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, Smith has been playing the organ for over 20 years.
When Smith moved to Harrisburg, he began playing the organ at the Presbyterian Church and got involved with the Harrisburg Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Through this, he became friends with the Temple’s organist, who asked Smith to fill in during Friday evening services while he was away on vacation. When his friend moved on from the position, the congregation hired Smith.
The organist noted that each congregation faces its own challenges, pointing to attacks targeting synagogues and churches in the United States in recent years. He said the biggest difference between playing at the different venues are the words, as Catholics and Protestants in America sing mostly in English, while music at the synagogue is primarily in Hebrew.
Smith added that synagogue music was traditionally passed down orally until the 1920s, limiting opportunities for harmonized vocal arrangements. Meanwhile, Catholic and Protestant church music in the 19th century was written down, allowing for a four-part hymn, with soprano, alto, tenor and bass each singing vocal lines simultaneously.
No matter the congregation, he feels it’s important to tune into the meaning behind the instrumentals.
“You can’t just play the notes when the page tells you to,” Smith said. “You need to truly care about the music. When you do that, the more your capacity for caring grows elsewhere.”
Smith began playing the organ at 16 after initial thoughts about becoming a singer.
At first, he practiced piano so that he could accompany himself and improve as a vocalist. But when he listened back on the recordings, he wasn’t satisfied with his voice. Nevertheless, he’d discovered a passion for playing an instrument. Smith subsequently applied for, and won, a scholarship from the local Guild of Organists. This provided him with the free organ lessons that launched his musical career.
“As a teenager, it helped a lot when I could make more money in an hour playing for a church service than in a week working at Wendy’s,” Smith said.
His current weekly schedule consists of playing at Temple on Friday nights, St. Catherine’s on Saturday and Sunday nights, Presbyterian Church on Sunday mornings, and The Silver Corral on Monday nights.
Smith encourages individuals to attend a service for the experience, adding that you don’t have to be a member of the church to appreciate the pieces.
“Good music set with good lyrics can change the way you see the world,” he said.
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