Destin Wernicke Organ Recital

One of The Diapason’s “20 under 30,” St. Thomas Aquinas Organ Scholar (Dallas, TX) Destin Wernicke returns to his native Wisconsin to perform on the world-class 1911 Casavant Frères pipe organ. Your donations make this possible. We suggest $15 per person.

GLFM happily joins with First Congregational church of Oshkosh to co-produce this concert.

Destin Wernicke grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he started playing piano and drums at an early age. He continued studying both instruments through high school and then decided to pursue music at the University of North Texas. During his Jazz Percussion bachelor’s degree, Destin was the drummer for the One O’Clock Lab Band and had the opportunity to work with accomplished artists such as Maria Schneider, Gary Smulyan, and Regina Carter. He also competed with the One O’Clock at the Jack Rudin Jazz Championship and recorded drums on the band’s album: Lab 2020.

Destin is now continuing his studies at UNT, pursuing a Graduate Artist Certificate in Organ Performance, studying with Dr. Jesse Eschbach.

Destin has served as the organist for St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Denton from 2018-2021, was the Organ Scholar at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Dallas in 2022, and is the current organist at Northridge Presbyterian Church in Dallas. In March 2023, he won second prize in the graduate division of the William C. Hall Pipe Organ Competition in San Antonio. Recently, The Diapason (a well-known organ magazine) recognized Destin’s achievements by adding him to a list of “20 organists under 30” along with other young musicians who are making a name for themselves in the church music world. In February of 2022, Destin’s composition for solo organ titled Celestial Fire was premiered at the Riverwalk International Organ Composition Competition, where he won the second place prize.