After 41 years, one of the University’s longest tenured music professors will be retiring.
Spillman has been at the University as the Carolyn Botkin Mattax/Herndon Spillman endowed professor of organ studies for over four decades and has taught the general education course of Music Appreciation for seven years.
Spillman, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, was a pianist under the direction of Henry Bradford Jr, until another teacher decided to introduce him to the pipe organ at the age of 13. He began taking organ lessons on a Hammond Organ. Spillman said he later became the organist at Lakeside Methodist Church in Huntsville around the age of 14.
Spillman went on to study both the piano and the organ at Dillard University in New Orleans. In his junior year, Spillman received a full scholarship to Boston University, which was his first exposure to an integrated school.
“The standards were much higher, BU was a different ball game,” Spillman said. “I took organ there with John Fesperman, who was a phenomenal musician.”
In his senior year, Spillman received the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to study at Indiana University, one of the most prestigious music schools in the country. At Indiana, he studied with renowned organist Oswald Regotz.
“He made me start over from scratch, giving me incredible technique and teaching me how to really practice,” Spillman said.
After receiving his master’s degree from Indiana, Spillman began studying the music of Maurice Durufle, famous French organist. After a meeting with Durufle at the Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, Durufle took Spillman as a pupil.
Before Spillman could go to France to study with Durufle, he had to finish his doctoral degree. In 1972, Spillman flew to Paris and began lessons with his teachers. He later returned to the United States after finishing his teachings and was shocked to see how the United States had changed.
“My first job had been at a college in Greensboro, North Carolina,” Spillman said. “Then I went to Dillard University and became the University Organist and taught music theory.”
Dillard University was where Spillman met his eventual wife, Susan, who was a French teacher at Dillard.
“In 1977, we got married and then I applied for a job here at LSU, where I was the last candidate for the position and was selected, where I have been for 41 years.”
In addition to being the organ professor at LSU for 41 years, Herndon has been a music appreciation teacher at LSU for seven years. According to former music appreciation student Samantha Copeland, Herndon’s class was one of her favorites during her time here.
“Mr. Spillman is extremely passionate about what he teaches,” Copeland said. “Not only did he share his passion and love for his primary instrument, the organ, every day in class you could truly tell he loved what he was teaching about. I think that him sharing personal experiences and engaging the students is what made his class so enjoyable.”
At the end of this semester, Herndon is retiring but will return to the University in the fall to teach organ and serve as a consultant for a pipe organ on campus in the School of Music Recital Hall. Herndon will have an Emeritus status.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Whitney Williston

LSU professor of organ studies Herndon Spillman sits next to his organ on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, in the Organ Study room in Hatcher Hall.