Lars Gjerde's fingers and feet fled across the keys of the organ Saturday evening in the Green Center of the Performing Arts' Kresge Auditorium.
Gjerde , a Norwegian organist, began playing at the age of nine and never stopped. He earned a doctorate degree from Eastman School of Music.
After being welcomed on stage by professor Scott Perkins, Gjerde walked to the organ and began playing for the crowds of approximately 50 people. He began playing "Suite for Ascension Day" by Olivier Messiaen, which consists of four movements.
A camera was placed behind the organ with a live feed to the screen projector to allow the audience to see his hands grace his instrument up close.
Before performing his last two pieces Gjerde gave a lecture about "The Forbidden Organ Concert." In the lecture he spoke about the material for his doctoral thesis.
"I've shortened it for your benefit," Gjerde began.
He noted that the first piece may have sounded familiar to the audience but this wasn't the case when the music first became popular.
"At the beginning of the 21st century, these sounds were probably pretty shocking to most church goers," Gjerde said.
Each performance of a single song is unique because the organist has his own interpertation and the organ on which the music is played differs.
Gjerde also performed "Volumina" by Gyorgy Ligeti creating a machine-like noise. At the time of its compostition, the song was meant to represent the industrial revolution. Lastly, he performed "Elementa Pro Organo" by Egil Hovland.
The audience had the opportunity to ask Gjerde questions. One audience member asked about the movements needed to play the pieces, particularly "Volimina" and "Elementa Pro Organo." These pieces require not only multiple people, but the use of the organist's wrists and elbows.
"It's a very physical piece and can get a little crazy at times," Gjerde said.
Sophomore Stephen Shannon enjoyed the lecture recital for several reasons, namely because it is unusual for the School of Music to have lecture recitals.
"It was a bunch of atypical repertoire that you wouldn't ordinarily hear," Shannon said. "It's repertoire that requires three people who know what they're doing."
Senior Kate Harris had to attend the recital for a class, but she said she enjoyed the concert.
"I actually wasn't sure what it was going to be at all, but then it was really cool," Harris said.
Harris noted that what she learned from the recital lecture may not have necessarily been what Gjerde wanted the audience to take away.
"The things I will remember are more about pipe organ mechanics than the bold irreverence of this music," Harris said. "At its genesis, nearly every form of music was considered bold, irreverent, jarring and strange to listen to."