The following is a list of notable

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational ...

s from the past and present who perform organ literature.

Living organists

Australia

* David Drury (born 1961) *

Douglas Lawrence Raymond Douglas Lawrence (born 1943) is an Australian organist who is director of music at the Scots' Church, Melbourne and Teacher of the Organ at the University of Melbourne. In 1969 Lawrence completed his master's degree in music at the Uni ...

(born 1943) * Graeme Morton * Christopher Wrench (born 1958)

Austria

Martin Haselböck Martin Haselböck (born 23 November 1954, Vienna, Austria) is the Austrian musical director of Musica Angelica in Long Beach, California, United States, and the musical director and founder of the Orchester Wiener Akademie. He is also a profess ...

(born 1954) *

Brett Leighton Brett Leighton is an Australian freelance organist and harpsichordist who has lived in Europe for more than 40 years and was Professor of Organ at the Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität in Linz Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper ...

(born 1955) * Matthias Maierhofer (born 1979) *

Peter Planyavsky Peter Planyavsky (born 9 May 1947) is an Austrian organist and composer. He attended the Schottengymnasium. After graduating from the Vienna Academy of Music in 1966 he spent a year in an organ workshop, and has been instrumental in organ-buildi ...

(born 1947)

Belgium

* Jan Van Landeghem (born 1954) *

Ignace Michiels Ignace Michiels (born 7 December 1963) is a Belgian organist, choral conductor and organ teacher. He is internationally known as a concert organist. Career Michiels studied the organ, the piano and the harpsichord at the music academy of Bruge ...

(born 1963) * Luc Ponet (born 1959)

Bulgaria

Alexandra Fol Alexandra Fol (born July 11, 1981) in Sofia, Bulgaria is a Bulgarian-Canadian composer who resides in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Fol has composed more than 40 works in different mediums, which have been performed by ensembles such as Sofia Philhar ...

(born 1981) * Neva Krysteva (born 1946)

Canada

* Denis Bédard (born 1950) * Desmond Gaspar (born 1970) *

Paul Halley Paul Halley (born 1952 in Romford, England) is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer. He is perhaps best known as being a member of and composer for the Paul Winter Consort. Biography Paul Halley was born in England in 1952. His father was a ...

(born 1952) *

Rachel Mahon Rachel Mahon is a Canadian organist who has served as Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral, England, since 2020, having previously held positions at Truro Cathedral, St Paul's Cathedral and Chester Cathedral. Early life and training Mahon was ...

(born 1989) * John Tuttle (born 1946)

Croatia

* Ivan Božičević (born 1961) * Pavao Mašić (born 1980)

Czech Republic

Pavel Kohout Pavel Kohout (born 20 July 1928) is a Czech and Austrian novelist, playwright, and poet. He was a member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, a Prague Spring participant and dissident in the 1970s until he was not allowed to return from Au ...

(born 1976)

Denmark

Frederik Magle Frederik Reesen Magle (; born 17 April 1977) is a Danish composer, concert organist, and pianist. He writes contemporary classical music as well as fusion of classical music and other genres. His compositions include orchestral works, cantatas, ...

(born 1977)

Finland

* Kalevi Kiviniemi (born 1958)

France

Michel Bouvard Michel Bouvard (born 17 March 1955 in Argenteuil, Val-d'Oise) is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Savoie department and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement (french ...

(born 1958) *

Thierry Escaich Thierry Joseph-Louis Escaich (born 8 May 1965) is a French organist and composer. Life Born in Nogent-sur-Marne, Escaich studied organ, improvisation and composition at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP), where he won eight First Prizes an ...

(born 1965) * Jérôme Faucheur (born 1953) *

Naji Hakim Naji Subhy Paul Irénée Hakim (Arabic: ''ناجي صبحي حكيم'' 'Naji Sobhi Hakim'' born 31 October 1955) is a Franco-Lebanese organist, composer, and improviser. He studied the organ under Jean Langlais at the Conservatoire de Paris, a ...

(born 1955) * Olivier Latry (born 1962) *

Jean-Pierre Leguay Jean-Pierre Leguay (born 4 July 1939 in Dijon) is a French organist, composer and improviser. He studied with André Marchal, Gaston Litaize, Rolande Falcinelli (organ), Simone Plé-Caussade (counterpoint), and Olivier Messiaen (composition), ...

(born 1939) * Michael Matthes (born 1966) * Thierry Mechler (born 1962) * Daniel Roth (born 1942) *

Nariné Simonian Narine Simonian (sometimes written only as Nariné, born 1965 in Gyumri, Armenia) is one of the most baroque French organists, as well as a pianist, musical director and producer of operas, born in Gyumri, Armenia. Nariné is also an organist, a ...

(born 1966) *

Marina Tchebourkina Marina Nikolayevna Tchebourkina (russian: Марина Николаевна Чебуркина) is a French and Russian organist and musicologist. She has a Doktor nauk (the highest post-doctoral) degree in Science of the Arts. Marina Tchebourk ...

(born 1965) *

Johann Vexo Johann Vexo (born 1978) is a French organist. He is the organist for both the choir organ at Notre Dame de Paris (as deputy) and the great organ of Nancy Cathedral (as titular). Biography Born in Nancy, Johann Vexo first studied organ with Chri ...

(born 1978)

Germany

Daniel Beckmann Daniel Beckmann (born 1980) is a German organist at Mainz Cathedral. Beckmann studied catholic church music and organ at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, where he acquired all degrees (church music A, artistic degree and concert degree) with ...

(born 1980) * Andreas Boltz (born 1964) * Winfried Bönig (born 1959) *

Gabriel Dessauer Gabriel Dessauer (born 4 December 1955) is a German cantor, concert organist, and academic. He was responsible for the church music at St. Bonifatius, Wiesbaden from 1981 to 2021, conducting the Chor von St. Bonifatius until 2018. He is an inte ...

(born 1955) * Matthias Eisenberg (born 1956) * Stefan Engels (born 1967) * Clemens Ganz (born 1935) * Zsolt Gárdonyi (born 1946) * Felix Hell (born 1985) *

Hans Uwe Hielscher Hans Uwe Hielscher (born 1945) is a German organist and composer. He was organist and carillonneur at the Marktkirche in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany, from 1979 to 2009, and has played internationally as a concert organist. Career Hielscher stu ...

(born 1945) * Rudolf Kelber (born 1948) * Helmut Kickton (born 1956) * Otto Maria Krämer (born 1964) * Edgar Krapp (born 1947) * Ludger Lohmann (born 1954) * Petra Morath-Pusinelli (born 1967) * Mathias Rehfeldt (born 1986) * Wolfgang Rübsam (born 1946) * Wolfgang Seifen (born 1956) *

Ludger Stühlmeyer Ludger Stühlmeyer (born 3 October 1961 in Melle, West Germany) is a German cantor, composer, docent and musicologist. Biography Stühlmeyer was born to a family of cantors and made his first steps under the guidance of his father in the town ...

(born 1961) * Zsigmond Szathmáry (born 1939) * Elke Voelker (born 1968) *

Harald Vogel Harald Vogel (born 21 June 1941 in Ottersberg) is a German organist, organologist, and author. He is a leading expert on Renaissance and Baroque keyboard music. He has been professor of organ at the University of the Arts Bremen since 1994. Book ...

(born 1941) *

Martin Welzel Martin Welzel (born November 11, 1972 in Vechta, West Germany) is a German organist, musicologist, and pedagogue. Biography Martin Welzel received his first musical training in Bremen, where Käte van Tricht (a former student of Karl Straube) ...

(born 1972)

Hungary

* Laszlo Fassang (born 1973) * Bálint Karosi (born 1979) * Balázs Szabó (born 1985)

Italy

Domenico Morgante Domenico Morgante (born 1956) is an Italian musicologist, organist and harpsichordist. Biography As a researcher he has worked on various European Projects of Music. Of many compositions of the past has performed salvages and restorations critic ...

(born 1956) * Arturo Sacchetti (born 1941)

Ireland

Gerard Gillen Gerard Thomas Gillen (born 16 August 1942) is one of the most prominent Irish organists and a Professor Emeritus in Music at Maynooth University. As an organist, he has performed globally and recorded several CDs. Gillen's research interests lie i ...

* Ronan Murray (born 1977)

Latvia

Iveta Apkalna Iveta Apkalna (born 30 November 1976, Rēzekne, Latvia) is a Latvian organist and pianist. Biography Iveta Apkalna studied piano and organ at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, graduating in both instruments with distinction in 199 ...

(born 1976) *

Aivars Kalējs Aivars Kalējs (April 22, 1951, Riga, Latvian SSR) is a Latvian composer, organist and pianist. Career Aivars Kalējs has written more than 100 opuses of symphonic, organ, piano, chamber and choir music. His works have won several compositio ...

(born 1951) * Jevgenija Lisicina (born 1942)

Monaco (Principality)

Marc Giacone Marc Giacone is a composer, organist and improviser from Monaco. Born in 1954 at Monaco, he studied pipe organ with the masters Émile Bourdon, Canon Henri Carol, and Jean Wallet, musical improvisation with Pierre Cochereau and musical compositio ...

(born 1954)

Netherlands

* Arjan Breukhoven (born 1962) * Christine Kamp (born 1966) *

Ton Koopman Antonius Gerhardus Michael Koopman (; born 2 October 1944), known professionally as Ton Koopman, is a Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and musicologist, primarily known for being the founder and director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orche ...

(born 1944) *

Ben van Oosten Bernardus Franciscus van Oosten (born 8 April 1955) is a Dutch organist, pedagogue and author. He is titular organist of the Grote Kerk in his hometown of The Hague and is an organ professor at Rotterdam Conservatoire. Biography Ben van Oosten ...

(born 1955) *

Jan Verschuren Jan Verschuren (born 1962 in Asten, Netherlands) is a Dutch organist. Biography Verschuren studied to become an engineer at the Eindhoven University of Technology and at the same time he practiced the organ with Hub. Houët in Eindhoven, the N ...

(born 1962) * Sietze de Vries (born 1973)

New Zealand

Douglas Mews Douglas Christopher Mews (born 1956), is a New Zealand classical organist and harpsichordist and he is also a composer. He holds the position of City Organist, Wellington, New Zealand. He is the brother of Constant Mews. Biography Mews was born in ...

(born 1956)

Norway

Jon Laukvik Jon Laukvik (born 16 December 1952, in Oslo) is a Norwegian organist. Laukvik studied church music, organ and piano in Oslo. Afterwards, he worked with Michael Schneider and Hugo Ruf in Cologne and Marie-Claire Alain in Paris. In 1980, he ...

(born 1952) *

Kåre Nordstoga Kåre Nordstoga (born 18 December 1954) is a Norwegian organist. Nordstoga had his early studies under Harald Aune and Odd Jacob Unhammer in Notodden where he grew up. He went on to study at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, where his tea ...

(born 1954)

Philippines

* Armando Salarza (born 1966)

Poland

* Krzysztof Czerwiński (born 1980)

Russia

(born 1965)

Singapore

* Evelyn Lim

South Africa

* Barry Smith (born 1939)

Spain

* Montserrat Torrent i Serra (born 1926)

Sweden

Hans Davidsson Hans Davidsson (born 1958) is a Swedish organist and pedagogue. He was one of the driving forces behind establishing the organ research center GOArt and the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative. He is currently professor of organ at the Royal Danish ...

(born 1958) * Hans-Ola Ericsson (born 1958) * Hans Fagius (born 1951)

Switzerland

Guy Bovet Guy Bovet (born 22 May 1942 in Thun) is a Swiss organist and composer. Career Bovet studied under Marie Dufour in Lausanne, Pierre Segond in Geneva and Marie-Claire Alain in Paris. From 1979 to 1999 he taught Spanish organ music at the Un ...

(born 1942) * Daniel Chorzempa (born 1944) *

Lionel Rogg Lionel Rogg (born Geneva, April 21 1936) is a Swiss organist, composer and teacher of musical theory. He is best known for performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, whose complete organ works he has recorded three times. At 15, Rogg took char ...

(born 1936)

United Kingdom

* Charles Andrews (born 1989) * Malcolm Archer (born 1952) * Martin Baker (born 1967) *

Sarah Baldock Sarah Baldock (born 5 April 1975) is an English organist and choral conductor, formerly the Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral. She is notable as one of the earliest women to be appointed to the senior music post at a ...

(born 1975) * Harry Bramma (born 1936) *

Kerry Beaumont Kerry Jason Beaumont (born 5 April 1957) is a British organist and choir director. Early life and training Born in Cambridge, England, Beaumont emigrated to Canada with his family 1970. His musical education included studies in organ improvisati ...

(born 1957) *

Jonathan Bielby Jonathan Leonard Bielby (born 23 November 1944) is an English cathedral organist and composer of organ music. In 2010 he retired from Wakefield Cathedral after an exceptionally long incumbency, which had lasted more than forty years. Life Son of ...

(born 1944) *

Graham Blyth Graham Blyth is an English audio engineer who is known for designing mixing consoles. He is a co-founder of Soundcraft, a manufacturer which Blyth helped form into a world leader in sound reinforcement and recording mixers, establishing the "Br ...

(born 1948) * Kevin Bowyer (born 1961) * David Briggs (born 1962) * John Butt (born 1960) *

Andrew Cantrill Andrew Cantrill FRSA is a British-born organist and choral director. He has held cathedral positions in New Zealand and the United States, and was organist of the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk until September 2018. He is a Fellow, pri ...

* Ralph Cupper (born 1954) * Stephen Darlington (born 1952) * Katherine Dienes (born 1970) * Clive Driskill-Smith (born 1978) * Henry Fairs (born 1976) * Stephen Farr (born 1967) *

Jeremy Filsell Jeremiah Daniel Filsell (born 10 April 1964) is an English pianist, organist and composer who currently serves as director of music at Saint Thomas Church, New York City. Biography Having played piano and organ from a young age, Filsell wa ...

(born 1964) * David Goode (born 1971) * Paul Hale * Charles Harrison (born 1974) * Christopher Herrick (born 1942) * David Hill (born 1957) * Daniel Hyde (born 1980) *

Rupert Jeffcoat Rupert Edward Elessing Jeffcoat (born 23 June 1970) is a Scottish organist, composer and Anglican priest.Rupert ...

(born 1970) * John Kitchen (born 1950) *

James Lancelot James Bennett Lancelot (born 2 December 1952) was master of the Choristers, and cathedral organist at Durham Cathedral from 1985. He retired in 2017 and was appointed canon organist emeritus by the bishop of Durham. Lancelot was educated at St P ...

(born 1952) *

Anna Lapwood Anna Lapwood (born 28 July 1995) is an organist, conductor and television and radio presenter, currently Director of Music at and Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge. On appointment she was the youngest person to hold the position of Director ...

(born 1995) *

Simon Lindley Simon Lindley (born 10 October 1948) is an English organist, choirmaster, conductor and composer. He was Leeds City Organist from 1976 to 2017 (named City Organist Emeritus in Summer 2017) and is Organist Emeritus of Leeds Minster, having been ...

(born 1948) *

Adrian Lucas Adrian Paul Lucas, b. 1962 is an English organist, tutor and composer. He became organist and director of music at Worcester Cathedral in 1996 and artistic director of the Worcester Three Choirs Festival. Previously he had been assistant organis ...

(born 1962) * Sarah MacDonald (born 1968) * Wayne Marshall (born 1961) *

Roy Massey Roy Massey (born 10 September 1943) is an English former football player, now a coach. Career As a player, Massey played as a centre forward for Rotherham United (1964–67), Leyton Orient (1967–69) and Colchester United (1969–71). He re ...

(born 1934) *

Andrew Millington Andrew Millington (born 1952) is a British cathedral organist who served as Director of Music at Exeter between 1999 and 2015. He is also active as a composer, and has had several choral pieces published. As a boy Millington sang in the choi ...

(born 1952) * Philip Moore (born 1943) * Greg Morris (born 1976) *

Daniel Moult Daniel Moult (born 1973) is a concert organist, educator and animateur, ensemble player and presenter of films about music. Education Daniel Moult was born in Manchester. He attended Manchester Grammar School and St John's College, Oxford, where ...

(born 1973) * Peter Nardone (born 1965) *

Martin Neary Martin Gerard James Neary LVO is an English organist and choral conductor. Neary was born in London, and read theology and music at Cambridge University. He was Organist and Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral from 1972 to 1988, and Org ...

(born 1940) *

Andrew Nethsingha Andrew Nethsingha, FRCO, ARCM (born 16 May 1968) is an English choral conductor and organist, the son of the late Lucian Nethsingha, also a cathedral organist. He was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey in Lo ...

(born 1968) *

Michael Nicholas Michael Bernard Nicholas FRCO, FRSCM (born 1938) is a British organist, conductor and composer, who was organist and master of choristers at Norwich Cathedral from 1971 to 1994 before becoming Chief Executive of the Royal College of Organists. ...

(born 1938) * James O'Donnell (born 1961) *

Adrian Partington Adrian Frederick Partington (born 1 October 1958) is an English conductor, chorus master, organist and pianist. He is director of music at Gloucester Cathedral, joint conductor of the Three Choirs Festival and artistic director for the Glouceste ...

(born 1958) * David Price (born 1969) * Tim Rishton *

Barry Rose Barry Michael Rose OBE FRAM FRSCM HonFRCO (born 24 May 1934) is a choir trainer and organist. He is best known for founding the choir and the pattern of daily sung worship at the new Guildford Cathedral in 1961, as well as directing the music a ...

(born 1934) *

Roger Sayer Roger Sayer is an English organist and Director of Music at the Temple Church in central London. He was previously Organist and Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral. Sayer began his musical career as a chorister in Portsmouth and then studied ...

(born 1961) * Gordon Stewart (born 1952) *

Jeremy Suter Jeremy Suter (born in London) is an English organist and choral director. He was a chorister under Sir William McKie at Westminster Abbey. He attended Harrow and later spent two years at the Royal College of Music before going to Oxford as Or ...

* Anne Marsden Thomas (born 1948) *

Alan Thurlow Alan John Thurlow (born 18 May 1947) is an English organist. He is best known as having been Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral between 1980 and 2008. Education Thurlow was educated at Bancroft's School, Woodford Gree ...

(born 1947) *

Ian Tracey Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...

(born 1955) *

(born 1947) * Thomas Trotter (born 1957) * Colin Walsh (born 1955) *

Mark Wardell Mark Wardell was Assistant Organist at Chichester Cathedral from 1997 to 2009, serving for five of those years as Director of Music at the Prebendal School, the Cathedral Choir's School. He had previously held positions at Royal Holloway Colle ...

(born 1968) * Gillian Weir (born 1941) * John Scott Whiteley (born 1950) *

Marcus Wibberley Marcus Wibberley (born 1981) is a British organist, conductor and choir trainer. Education Marcus Wibberley was a Chorister at Westminster Abbey under Martin Neary and subsequently attended Dulwich College as a Music Scholar. In the sixth for ...

(born 1981) * Carol Williams (born 1962) * Alan Wilson (born 1947)

United States

* George C. Baker (born 1951) * Robert Bardwell *

Diane Meredith Belcher Diane Meredith Belcher is an American concert organist, teacher, and church musician. She has given a large number of solo recitals throughout the United States and abroad, is a teacher, and serves as Music Director at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church ...

(born 1960) * James Biery (born 1956) *

Diane Bish Diane Joyce Bish (born May 25, 1941) is an American organist, composer, conductor, as well as executive producer and host of ''The Joy of Music'' television series. As a concert organist, she performs at concerts throughout North America and Euro ...

(born 1941) * Cameron Carpenter (born 1981) *

Chelsea Chen Chelsea Chen (born December 30, 1983, in San Diego) is an internationally-renowned American organist and composer. Chen has been successful in establishing a concert career in North America, Europe and Asia. She has composed several original com ...

(born 1983) *

Clay Christiansen Clay C. Christiansen (born June 28, 1958) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during one season at the major league level for the New York Yankees. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 15th round of the 1980 amateur draft. C ...

(born 1949) *

James David Christie James David Christie (born 1952) is an American classical organist and teacher. Until accusations of sexual misconduct emerged in August 2018, he was Chair and Professor of Organ at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Distinguished Artist in Re ...

(born 1952) *

Ken Cowan Kenneth Andrew Cowan (born December 19, 1974) is a Canadian church and concert organist who currently serves as professor of organ at the Shepherd School of Music of Rice University in Houston, Texas. Biography A native of Thorold, Ontario, he ...

(born 1974) * David Dahl (born 1937) * Richard Elliott (born 1957) * Martin Ellis (born 1968) *

(born 1964) * Alexander Frey *

Charles Henry Galloway Charles Henry Galloway (December 21, 1871 – March 9, 1931) was a St. Louis, Missouri church and concert organist, choral conductor, educator, and composer. At tall, Galloway was a large man with a commanding presence. His hands were so large, ...

Barbara Harbach Barbara Harbach (born February 14, 1946) is a composer, harpsichordist, organist and teacher. Since 2004, she taught music at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She founded ''Women in the Arts-St. Louis'' to highlight women's work and gain ...

(born 1946) *

David Hegarty David Howard Hegarty (born March 1, 1945 in Mount Clemens, Michigan) is an American organist and composer. He has served as organist at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco since 1978. Career Hegarty's interest in music was inspired at an early ...

(born 1945) *

Cory Henry Cory Alexander Henry (born February 27, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, organist, and record producer. A former member of Snarky Puppy, Henry launched his solo artist career in 2018 with ''Art of Love'', his first independent ...

(born 1987) * David Higgs * Christopher Houlihan (born 1987) * Paul Jacobs (born 1977) *

Dennis James Dennis James (born Demie James Sposa, August 24, 1917 – June 3, 1997) was an American television personality, philanthropist, and commercial spokesman. Until 1976, he had appeared on TV more times and for a longer period than any other televi ...

(born 1950) *

Martin Jean Martin David Jean (born 1960) is an American organist considered to be in the "highest ranks of the world's concert organists".Martin Jean ...

(born 1960) * Bálint Karosi (born 1979) *

James Kibbie James Kibbie (born March 13, 1949) is an American concert organist, recording artist and pedagogue. He is Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan. Biography Kibbie was born in 1949 in Vinton, Iowa, USA. He graduated from Davenport ...

(born 1949) * Nathan Laube (born 1988) *

Joan Lippincott Joan Lippincott (born December 25, 1935) is an American concert organist and former head of the organ department at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She was born Joan Edna Hult on December 25, 1935, the daughter of Edna and ...

(born 1935) *

John Longhurst John Longhurst (born 1940) is an organist for the Tabernacle Choir from 1977 through 2007. He is also noted for writing the music to the Latter-day Saint hymn "I Believe in Christ" and being one of the few main forces behind the design of the Confe ...

(born 1940) * Douglas Major (born 1953) * Haig Mardirosian (born 1947) * Alan Morrison (born 1968) * Michael Murray (born 1943) * Thomas Murray (born 1943) * Anthony Newman (born 1941) *

Karel Paukert Karel Paukert (pronounced Karl Poukert) (January 1, 1935 in Skuteč in the Czech Republic) is a Czech-American organist, choir director and educator. He graduated from the Prague Conservatory, and the Ghent Conservatory, Belgium. He studied un ...

(born 1935) * William Porter (born 1946) * James Thomas Quarles * George Ritchie * Catherine Rodland * Wolfgang Rübsam (born 1946) *

Geoffrey Simon Geoffrey Philip Simon (born 3 July 1946) is an Australian conductor resident in London. Recordings Geoffrey Simon was born on 3 July 1946 in Adelaide. He was a student of Herbert von Karajan, Rudolf Kempe, Hans Swarowsky and Igor Markevitch, ...

(born 1946) * Frank Speller (1938–2017) * Carole Terry (born 1948) * Kent Tritle (born 1960) * Andrew E. Unsworth (active from 2001) * Guy Whatley (born 1975) * Carol Williams (born 1962) * Todd Wilson (born 1971)

Deceased organists

Austria

Anton Bruckner Josef Anton Bruckner (; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer, organist, and music theorist best known for his symphonies, masses, Te Deum and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-Ger ...

(1824–1896) * Hans Haselböck (1928–1954) *

Susi Jeans Susi may refer to: * 933 Susi, a minor planet orbiting the Sun *Susi Air, an Indonesian airline * Sydney University Stellar Interferometer, an optical interferometer in Sydney, Australia People Given name * Susi Erdmann (born 1968), German luger ...

(1911–1993)

Belgium

* Jacques-Nicolas (Jaak-Nicolaas) Lemmens (1823–1881)

Canada

Gerald Bales Gerald Albert Bales, (May 12, 1919 – July 4, 2002) was a Canadian organist and composer. ...

(1919–2002) * H. Hugh Bancroft (1904–1988) * Gérard Caron (1916–1986) * Douglas Clarke (1893–1962) * Antoine Dessane (1826–1873) * Christopher Jackson (1948–2015) *

Ernest MacMillan Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan, (August 18, 1893 – May 6, 1973) was a Canadian orchestral conductor, composer, organist, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician, from the ...

(1893–1973) * Theodore Frederic Molt (1795–1856) *

Charles Peaker Charles Peaker (6 December 1899 – 11 August 1978), born in England, was a Canadian organist, choirmaster and academic. Life Peaker was born in Derby in England; aged 13 he moved to Saskatoon, Canada. From the age of 19 he studied in Toronto und ...

(1899–1978) *

Healey Willan James Healey Willan (12 October 1880 – 16 February 1968) was an Anglo-Canadian organist and composer. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and pia ...

(1880–1968)

Czech republic (Bohemia)

František Xaver Brixi František () is a masculine given name of Czech origin. It is a cognate of Francis, Francisco, François, and Franz. People with the name include: *Frank Daniel (František Daniel) (1926–1996), Czech film director, producer, and screenwriter * ...

(1732–1771) * Bohuslav Matej Cernohorsky (1684–1742) *

Petr Eben Petr Eben (22 January 1929 – 24 October 2007) was a Czech composer of modern and contemporary classical music, and an organist and choirmaster. His life Born in Žamberk in northeastern Bohemia, Eben spent most of his childhood and early ...

(1929–2007) *

Josef Seger Josef may refer to *Josef (given name) *Josef (surname) * ''Josef'' (film), a 2011 Croatian war film *Musik Josef Musik Josef is a Japanese manufacturer of musical instruments. It was founded by Yukio Nakamura, and is the only company in Japan spe ...

(1716–1782)

Denmark

* Grethe Krogh (1928–2018) *

Mogens Wöldike Mogens Wöldike (5 July 1897, Copenhagen – 20 October 1988, Copenhagen) was a Danish conductor, choirmaster, organist, and scholar known for his interpretation of music from the Baroque and Classical periods. His son-in-law was the Haydn ...

(1897–1988)

France

* Jehan Alain (1911–1940) *

Marie-Claire Alain Marie-Claire Geneviève Alain-Gommier (10 August 1926 – 26 February 2013) was a French organist, scholar and teacher best known for her prolific recording career, with 260 recordings, making her the most-recorded classical organist in the world ...

(1926–2013) *

Charles-Valentin Alkan Charles-Valentin Alkan (; 30 November 1813 – 29 March 1888) was a French Jewish composer and virtuoso pianist. At the height of his fame in the 1830s and 1840s he was, alongside his friends and colleagues Frédéric Chopin and Franz Li ...

(1813–1888) * Augustin Barié (1883–1915) * Léon Boëllmann (1862–1897) * Joseph Bonnet (1884–1944) * Michel Chapuis (1930–2017) *

Pierre Cochereau Pierre Eugène Charles Cochereau (9 July 1924 – 6 March 1984) was a French organist, improviser, composer, and pedagogue. Cochereau was titular organist of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1955 to his death in 1984 and was responsibl ...

(1924–1984) * Edouard Commette (1883–1967) * Marie-Anne Couperin (born 1677) *

Jeanne Demessieux Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux (13 February 1921 – 11 November 1968) was a French organist, pianist, composer, and teacher. She was the chief organist at Saint-Esprit for 29 years and at La Madeleine in Paris starting in 1962. She perfo ...

(1921–1968) *

Théodore Dubois Clément François Théodore Dubois (24 August 1837 – 11 June 1924) was a French Romantic composer, organist, and music teacher. After study at the Paris Conservatoire, Dubois won France's premier musical prize, the Prix de Rome in 1861. He bec ...

(1837–1924) *

Marcel Dupré Marcel Jean-Jules Dupré () (3 May 1886 – 30 May 1971) was a French organist, composer, and pedagogue. Biography Born in Rouen into a wealthy musical family, Marcel Dupré was a child prodigy. His father Aimable Albert Dupré was titular o ...

(1886–1971) *

Maurice Duruflé Maurice Gustave Duruflé (; 11 January 1902 – 16 June 1986) was a French composer, organist, musicologist, and teacher. Life and career Duruflé was born in Louviers, Eure in 1902. He became a chorister at the Rouen Cathedral Choir School fr ...

(1902–1986) *

Rolande Falcinelli Rolande Roberte Ginabat-Falcinelli (18 February 1920 – 11 June 2006) was a French organist, pianist, composer, and music educator. Biography Rolande Falcinelli (born Ginabat), the grandniece of Marcel Falcinelli and granddaughter of Louis N ...

(1920–2006) * André Fleury (1903–1995) *

César Franck César-Auguste Jean-Guillaume Hubert Franck (; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in modern-day Belgium. He was born in Liège (which at the time of his birth was pa ...

(1822–1890), from Belgium * Eugène Gigout (1844–1925) *

Jean Guillou Jean Victor Arthur Guillou (18 April 1930 – 26 January 2019) was a French composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue. Titular Organist at Saint Eustache in Paris, from 1963 to 2015, he was widely known as a composer of instrumental and vocal m ...

(1930–2019) *

Alexandre Guilmant Félix-Alexandre Guilmant (; 12 March 1837 – 29 March 1911) was a French organist and composer. He was the organist of La Trinité from 1871 until 1901. A noted pedagogue, performer, and improviser, Guilmant helped found the Schola Cantor ...

(1837–1911) *

André Isoir André Jean-Marie Isoir (20 July 1935 – 20 July 2016) was a French organist and pedagogue. Biography André Isoir was born in 1935 in Saint-Dizier in Grand Est, France. Isoir studied with Édouard Souberbielle (organ) and Germaine Mounier ...

(1935–2016) *

Jean Langlais Jean François-Hyacinthe Langlais III (15 February 1907 – 8 May 1991) was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser. He described himself as "" ("Breton, of Catholic faith"). Biography Langlais was born in La ...

(1907–1991) * Marcel Lanquetuit (1894–1985) *

Gaston Litaize Gaston Gilbert Litaize (11 August 1909 - 5 August 1991) was a French organist and composer. Considered one of the 20th century masters of the French organ, he toured, recorded, worked at churches, and taught students in and around Paris. Blind ...

(1909–1991) * Paul de Maleingreau (1887–1956) *

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist who was one of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century. His m ...

(1908–1992) * Henri Mulet (1878–1967) *

Pierre Pincemaille Pierre-Marie François Pincemaille (8 December 1956 – 12 January 2018) was a French organist, improviser, and pedagogue. He was known for his organ improvisations, both in concert and on CD and for his recordings of Charles-Marie Widor' ...

(1956–2018) * René Saorgin (1928–2015) *

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...

(1835–1921) *

Albert Schweitzer Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer (; 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965) was an Alsatian-German/French polymath. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. A Lutheran minister, Schweit ...

(1875–1965) *

Louis Thiry Louis Henry Nicolas Thiry (15 February 1935 Charles Tournemire Charles Arnould Tournemire (22 January 1870 – 3 or 4 November 1939) was a French composer and organist, notable partly for his improvisations, which were often rooted in the music of Gregorian chant. His compositions include eight symphoni ...

(1870–1939) *

Louis Vierne Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French organist and composer. As the organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death, he focused on organ music, including six organ symphonies and a '' Messe solennelle ...

(1870–1937) *

Charles-Marie Widor Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher of the mid-Romantic era, most notable for his ten organ symphonies. His Toccata from the fifth organ symphony has become one of th ...

(1844–1937)

Germany

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

(1685–1750) *

Joseph Siegmund Bachmann Joseph Siegmund Bachmann (monastic name Sixtus Bachmann; 18 July 1754 – 18 October 1825) was a German organist and composer. Musically talented at an early age, he had an organ-playing competition in 1766 with the ten-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus M ...

(1754–1825) * Melchior Hoffmann (1679–1715) * Gottfried August Homilius (1714–1785) *

Franz Lehrndorfer Franz Lehrndorfer (10 August 1928 – 10 January 2013) was a German organist, composer, and pedagogue. Biography Franz Lehrndorfer was born in Salzburg and spent his youth in Kempten. He received his first music lessons from his father, a cho ...

(1928–2013) *

Theodor Pröpper Theodor Pröpper (26 May 1896 – 31 July 1979) was a German church organist and composer. Pröpper was born in Balve and spent most of his career there as an organist at Saint Blasius church. Career Pröpper studied at the church music schoo ...

(1896–1979) * Karl Richter (1926–1981) *

Karl Straube Montgomery Rufus Karl Siegfried Straube (6 January 1873 – 27 April 1950) was a German church musician, organist, and choral conductor, famous above all for championing the abundant organ music of Max Reger. Career Born in Berlin, Straube stu ...

(1873–1956) * Käte van Tricht (1909–1996) *

Helmut Walcha Arthur Emil Helmut Walcha (27 October 1907 – 11 August 1991) was a German organist, harpsichordist, music teacher and composer who specialized in the works of the Dutch and German baroque masters. Blind since his teenage years, he is known f ...

(1907–1991) * Gerd Zacher (1929–2014)

Hungary

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

(1811–1886) * János Sebestyén (1931–2012)

Italy

Costanzo Antegnati Costanzo Antegnati (9 December 1549 - 14 November 1624) was an organist, organ builder and composer. Biography He was born in Brescia, to a family of prolific organ builders, a profession which also included his father Graziadio. His was musicall ...

(1549–1624) *

Marco Enrico Bossi Marco Enrico Bossi (25 April 1861 – 20 February 1925) was an Italian organist, composer, improviser and teacher. Life Bossi was born in Salò, a town in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, into a family of musicians. His father, Pietro, was ...

(1861–1925) *

Girolamo Frescobaldi Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi (; also Gerolamo, Girolimo, and Geronimo Alissandro; September 15831 March 1643) was an Italian composer and virtuoso keyboard player. Born in the Duchy of Ferrara, he was one of the most important composers of k ...

(1583–1643) *

Carlo Giorgio Garofalo Carlo Giorgio Garofalo (5 August 1886 – 6 April 1962) was an Italian composer, conductor and organist. Garofalo was born in Rome, Italy to Giovanni and Faustina Rinaldi Garofalo. He later attended the Vatican college where he studied or ...

(1886–1962) *

Fernando Germani Fernando Germani (5 April 1906 – 10 June 1998) was an organist of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome during the reign of Pope Pius XII. Early life Germani was born in 1906 and played the piano and violin in public at four years of age. At ag ...

(1906–1998) *

Michelangelo Rossi Michelangelo Rossi (Michel Angelo del Violino) (ca. 1601/1602 – 1656) was an important Italian composer, violinist and organist of the Baroque era. Rossi was born in Genoa, where he studied with his uncle, Lelio Rossi organist (from 1601 t ...

(1601–1656) * Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini (1929-2017)

Netherlands

* Willem Bartholomeus (1825–1892) * Klaas Bolt (1927–1990) *

Piet Kee Pieter William Kee (30 August 1927 – 25 May 2018) was a Dutch organist and composer. Biography Born in Zaandam, Netherlands, Kee studied organ, piano and composition at the Amsterdam Conservatory, obtaining the Prix d'Excellence, and won first ...

(1927–2018) * Ewald Kooiman (1938–2009) *

Gustav Leonhardt Gustav Maria Leonhardt (30 May 1928 – 16 January 2012) was a Dutch keyboardist, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. He was a leading figure in the historically informed performance movement to perform music on period instruments. Le ...

(1928–2012) * Liuwe Tamminga (1953–2021)

Nigeria

Fela Sowande Chief Olufela Obafunmilayo "Fela" Sowande MBE (29 May 1905 – 13 March 1987) was a Nigerian musician and composer. Considered the father of modern Nigerian art music, Sowande is perhaps the most internationally known African composer of works ...

(1905–1987)

Spain

* Joan Aulí (1796–1869)

Sweden

Harald Fryklöf Harald Leonard Fryklöf (14 September 188211 March 1919) was a Swedish composer, music teacher, and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The music he wrote was in a Late Romantic style. At the time of his early death, he was considered ...

(1882–1918) *

Ferdinand Zellbell the Younger Ferdinand Zellbell the Younger (171921 April 1780) was a Swedish composer and a founding member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He was organist at Storkyrkan, the main church of Stockholm, and chief conductor at Kungliga Hovkapellet (the ...

(1719–1780)

Switzerland

* Alfred Baum (1904–1993) *

Fridolin Sicher Fridolin Sicher (March 6, 1490 – June 13, 1546) was a Swiss composer and organist of the Renaissance. He was born in Bischofszell and began his study of the organ at the age of 13 with Martin Vogelmaier, the organist of Konstanz Cathedral. He th ...

(1490–1546)

United Kingdom

Edward Bairstow Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow (22 August 18741 May 1946) was an English organist and composer in the Anglican church music tradition. Life and career Bairstow was born in Trinity Street, Huddersfield in 1874. His grandfather Oates Bairstow was ...

(1874–1946) *

Jennifer Bate Jennifer Lucy Bate (11 November 1944 – 25 March 2020) was a British concert organist. She is known for recording the complete organ works by Olivier Messiaen, guided by the composer, but also recorded, among others, English organ music, and ...

(1944–2020) *

E. Power Biggs Edward George Power Biggs (March 29, 1906 – March 10, 1977) was a British-born American concert organist and recording artist. Biography Biggs was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England; a year later, the family moved to the Isle of ...

(1906–1977) * John Birch (1929-2012) *

Hugh Blair Hugh Blair FRSE (7 April 1718 – 27 December 1800) was a Scottish minister of religion, author and rhetorician, considered one of the first great theorists of written discourse. As a minister of the Church of Scotland, and occupant of the Ch ...

(1864-1932) * Jonathan Blewitt (1782–1853) * Herbert Brewer (1865-1928) * William Hutchins Callcott (1807–1882) *

William Carnaby William Carnaby (1595–1645) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640. He fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War. Carnaby was the son of William Carnaby of Farnham and Langley Northumberland and his wif ...

(1772–1839) *

Stephen Cleobury Sir Stephen John Cleobury ( ; 31 December 1948 – 22 November 2019)Norman Cocker Norman Cocker (1889 – 1953) was a British organist, choir master and composer of church music, educational and light music. Cocker was born in Yorkshire, England, and became a chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford. He was awarded the Organ Scho ...

(1889-1953) * Marmaduke Conway (1885-1961) * Melville Cook (1912-1993) * Robert Cooke (1768–1814) * Lionel Dakers (1924-2003) * Nicholas Danby (1935-1997) *

Harold Darke Harold Edwin Darke (29 October 1888 – 28 November 1976) was an English composer and organist. He is particularly known for his choral compositions, which are an established part of the respertoire of Anglican church music. Darke had a fifty-y ...

(1888-1976) *

Christopher Dearnley Christopher Hugh Dearnley (11 February 1930 – 15 December 2000) was an English cathedral organist, who served in Salisbury Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral. Background Christopher Hugh Dearnley was born on 11 February 1930 in Wolverhampton. ...

(1930-2000) * Ralph Downes (1904–1993) *

John Dykes Bower Sir John Dykes Bower (13 August 190529 May 1981) was an English cathedral organist who served in Truro Cathedral, Durham Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral. Background Bower was born in Gloucester into a musical family, a descendant of the hymn ...

(1905-1981) * Conrad Eden (1905-1995) *

Catherine Ennis Catherine Mary Ennis (January 20, 1955 – December 24, 2020) was an English organist and music director. She was president of the Royal College of Organists, the director of music at the church of St. Lawrence Jewry, and the founder of the Lond ...

(1955-2020) * Roger Fisher (1936-2021) * Alfred Robert Gaul (1837–1913) *

Harvey Grace Harvey Grace (1874–1944) was an English musician: composer, conductor, editor, teacher. In 1916 he married Dorothy Kirby, and together they had three children, Dorothy, Mary and Robert. Harvey Grace died in February 1944 in Bromley Hospital whil ...

(1874-1944) *

Douglas Guest Douglas Albert Guest (9 May 1916 – 18 November 1996) was an English organist, conductor, teacher and composer. Education Guest was born in Mortomley, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, and studied originally at the Royal College of Music ...

(1916-1996) * Joseph John Harris (1799–1869) * William Henry Harris (1883–1973) *

Joseph Binns Hart Joseph Binns Hart (5 June 1794 – 10 December 1844) was an English organist, and a compiler of dance music, particularly of the quadrille. Life He was born in London on 5 June 1794. He was chorister at St Paul's Cathedral under John Sale from 180 ...

(1794–1844) * Philip Hart (died 1749) * Basil Harwood (1859–1949) * James Hawkins (1662–1729) *

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath a ...

(1916-2005) *

James Heseltine James Heseltine (also spelled Hesletine; c. 1690 – 20 June 1763) was organist of Durham Cathedral. Life Heseltine was a pupil of John Blow at the Chapel Royal in London, leaving the chapel choir when his voice broke in 1707. Early in the centur ...

(1690–1763) * John Larkin Hopkins (1819–1873) *

Martin How Martin John Richard How (3 April 1931 – 25 July 2022) was a British composer and organist. Early life and education How was born in Liverpool on 3 April 1931, to the Rev. John How, who at the time was Rector of St. Nicholas Church, and Ju ...

(1931-2022) *

Michael Howard Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne (born Michael Hecht; 7 July 1941) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005. He previously held cabinet posit ...

(1922–2002) * Herbert Howells (1892-1983) * Peter Hurford (1930–2019) * Donald Hunt (1930-2018) *

John Keeble John Leslie Keeble (born 6 July 1959) is an English pop and rock drummer. He is best known for his membership of the 1980s new wave band Spandau Ballet. Early years Keeble was athletic as a child, playing both football and cricket. He bought ...

(1711–1786) *

Joseph Kelway Joseph Kelway (also Kellaway, Kellway; c. 1702–1782) was an English organist and harpsichord player, among the most highly regarded in his day. Life Kelway was probably born in Chichester. He was the younger brother of the organist Thomas Kelway ...

(1702–1782) *

Thomas Kelway Thomas Kelway (c. 1695 - 1744) was an English organist and composer. Career He became a chorister in the choir of Chichester Cathedral in 1704 and studied the organ with John Reading and Samuel Peirson. He succeeded Peirson as Organist of Chich ...

(c. 1695 – 1744) * Philip Knapton (1788–1833) * Gerald Knight (1908-1979) * George Jackson Lambert (1794–1880) *

Richard Langdon Richard Langdon (1729 – 8 September 1803) was a British organist, mainly at Exeter Cathedral, where he spent his early years, and later at Bristol Cathedral and St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland), Armagh Cathedral. He also compo ...

(1729–1803) * Philip Ledger (1937-2012) * Henry Ley (1904-1993) *

Richard Hey Lloyd Richard Hey Lloyd (25 June 1933 - 24 April 2021) was a British organist and composer. Biography Richard Lloyd was born near Stockport, Cheshire, the younger of two children of Charles Yates Lloyd, an accountant, and his wife Ann Lloyd (née Hey ...

(1933-2021) *

William Henry Longhurst William Henry Longhurst (6 October 1819 – 17 June 1904) was an English organist at Canterbury Cathedral, and a composer. Life He was born in Lambeth in 1819, son of James Longhurst, an organ-builder. In 1821 his father started business in Cant ...

(1819–1904) *

Albert Mallinson Albert Mallinson (13 November 1870 – 5 April 1946) was a British organist and composer who wrote 400 songs, a cantata, some chamber and orchestral pieces and church music but whose work is largely forgotten today. Early life James Albert Mall ...

(1870–1946) *

Colin Mawby Colin Mawby KSG (9 May 1936 – 24 November 2019) was an English organist, choral conductor and composer. From 1961 he was Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, then from 1981 he was the choral director at Radio Telefís Éireann. He comp ...

(1936-2019) *

Lucian Nethsingha Lucian Nethsingha (3 May 1936 − 12 February 2021) was a British musician born in Ceylon, who served as organist of Exeter Cathedral from 1973 to 1999.Boris Ord Boris Ord (born Bernhard Ord), (9 July 1897 – 30 December 1961) was a British organist and choirmaster of King's College, Cambridge (1929-1957). During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force. He is best known for his choral setting of ...

(1897-1961) *

Jane Parker-Smith Jane Caroline Rebecca Parker-Smith (1950–2020) was a British classical organist. Her obituary in ''The Guardian'' said she had "a stellar international career, popular with audiences for her wide-ranging sympathies and jaw-dropping virtuosity ...

(1950-2020) * John Parsons (1563–1623) *

Martin Peerson Martin Peerson (or Pearson, Pierson, Peereson) (between 1571 and 1573 – December 1650 or January 1651 and buried 16 January 1651) was an English composer, organist and virginalist. Despite Roman Catholic leanings at a time when it was illegal ...

(c. 1572 – c. 1650) * Josiah Pittman (1816–1886) *

Simon Preston Simon John Preston (4 August 1938 – 13 May 2022) was an English organist, conductor, and composer.
...

(1938-2022) *

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

(1659–1695) *

James Kendrick Pyne James Kendrick Pyne (5 February 1852 – 3 September 1938) was an English organist and composer. Biography He was born in Bath into a musical family. His father, also James Kendrick Pyne (1810–1893) was organist at Bath Abbey for 53 years ...

(1852–1938) *

Noel Rawsthorne Christopher Noel Rawsthorne (24 December 1929 – 28 January 2019) was a British liturgical and concert organist and composer of music for his own instrument, as well as choral music. Biography Rawsthorne was born in Birkenhead. At the age of e ...

(1929–2019) * Vaughan Richardson (died 1729) *

John Robinson John Robinson may refer to: Academics *John Thomas Romney Robinson (1792–1882), Irish astronomer and physicist * John J. Robinson (1918–1996), historian and author of ''Born in Blood'' * John Talbot Robinson (1923–2001), paleontologist *Joh ...

(1682–1762) *

Brian Runnett Henry Brian Runnett (1935–1970) was a British organist and choral director. He was born in Tyldesley, Lancashire, in 1935 and was educated at the Liverpool Matthay School of Music, during which time he obtained the FRCO diploma with both Limpu ...

(1935-1970) * John Sanders (1933-2003) * David Sanger (1947–2010) * John Scott (1956–2015) * Bruce Steane (1866-1938) * Haldane Campbell Stewart (1868–1942) *

Herbert Sumsion Herbert Whitton Sumsion (14 January 1899 – 11 August 1995) was an English musician who was organist of Gloucester Cathedral from 1928 to 1967. Through his leadership role with the Three Choirs Festival, Sumsion maintained close association ...

(1899-1995) *

Christopher Tambling Christopher Tambling (13 May 1964 – 3 October 2015) was a British composer, organist and choirmaster. From 1997 to 2015 he was Director of Music at Downside School and organist and Choirmaster of the Schola Cantorum at Downside Abbey, leadi ...

(1964-2015) *

George Thalben-Ball Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball (18 June 1896 – 18 January 1987) was an Australian organist and composer who spent almost all his life in England. Early life George Thomas Ball (he later took the additional name of "Thalben") was born in Sydn ...

(1896–1987) * Stanley Vann (1910-2010) * William Litton Viner (1790–1867) *

Henry Walford Davies Sir Henry Walford Davies (6 September 1869 – 11 March 1941) was an English composer, organist, and educator who held the title Master of the King's Music from 1934 until 1941. He served with the Royal Air Force during the First World War, d ...

(1869-1941) * Thomas Forbes Walmisley (1783–1866) *

Samuel Wesley Samuel Wesley (24 February 1766 – 11 October 1837) was an English organist and composer in the late Georgian period. Wesley was a contemporary of Mozart (1756–1791) and was called by some "the English Mozart".Kassler, Michael & Olleson, Ph ...

(1766–1837) *

Samuel Sebastian Wesley Samuel Sebastian Wesley (14 August 1810 – 19 April 1876) was an English organist and composer. Wesley married Mary Anne Merewether and had 6 children. He is often referred to as S.S. Wesley to avoid confusion with his father Samuel Wesley. Bio ...

(1810–1876) * Alan Wicks (1923-2010) * Frederick Wilson Whitehead (1863–1926) * David Willcocks (1919–2015) * Arthur Wills (1926-2020)

United States

* Frank W. Asper (1892-1973) * Herman Berlinski (1910–2010) *

(1906–1977) * David Boe (1936–2020) * Catharine Crozier (1914-2003) *

Carlo Curley Carlo James Curley (August 24, 1952 – August 11, 2012) was an American classical concert organist who lived much of his later life in Great Britain.Black, Fergus (7 October 1989).Carlo Curley. ''Glasgow Herald''. p. 4, Retrieved 6 November ...

(1952–2012) * Garth Edmundson (1892–1971) *

Richard Ellsasser Richard Ellsasser (September 14, 1926 - August 9, 1972) was an American concert organist, composer, and conductor who was primarily active during the 1940s to 1960s. Born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 14, 1926, he was a musical prodigy who stud ...

(1926–1972) * Dan Federici (1950–2008) * Charles B. Fisk (1925-1983) *

Virgil Fox Virgil Keel Fox (May 3, 1912 in Princeton, Illinois – October 25, 1980 in Palm Beach, Florida) was an American organist, known especially for his years as organist at Riverside Church in New York City, from 1946 to 1965, and his flamboyant "H ...

(1912–1980) * Harvey Bartlett Gaul (1881–1945) * Robert Glasgow (1925-2008) *

Gerre Hancock Gerre Edward Hancock (February 21, 1934 – January 21, 2012) was an American organist, improviser, and composer. Hancock was Professor of Organ and Sacred Music at the University of Texas at Austin. He died of cardiac arrest in Austin, T ...

(1934-2012) *

Eddie Layton Edward M. Layton (October 10, 1925 – December 26, 2004) was an American stadium organist who played at old Yankee Stadium for nearly 40 years, earning him membership in the New York Sports Hall of Fame. Early life Layton was a native of Philad ...

(1925–2004) * Leonard MacClain (1899–1967) * Byron Melcher (1929–2012) *

T. Tertius Noble Thomas Tertius Noble (May 5, 1867 – May 4, 1953) was an English-born organist and composer, who lived in the United States for the latter part of his career. He served as organist and choirmaster at a number of churches including Ely Cath ...

(1867–1953) *

Richard Purvis Richard (Irven) Purvis (August 25, 1913 – December 25, 1994) was an American organist, composer, conductor and teacher. He is especially remembered for his expressive recordings of the organ classics and his own lighter compositions for the inst ...

(1913–1994) * Alexander Schreiner (1901–1987) * John Serry, Sr. (1915–2003) * Leo Sowerby (1895–1968) * Frederick Swann (1931–2022) *

Carl Weinrich Carl Weinrich (July 2, 1904 – May 13, 1991) was an American organist, choral conductor, and teacher. He was particularly known for his recitals and recordings of Bach's organ music and as a leader in the revival of Baroque organ music in the Unite ...

(1904–1991) *

Berj Zamkochian Berj Zamkochian (April 20, 1929, in Boston – February 23, 2004, in Boston) was an Armenian-American organist. Biography He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and eventually joined the faculty. In 1957, at the age of 27, he wa ...

(1929–2004)

Notes

References

{{reflist

Organists An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational ...

Living organists

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Canada

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Hungary

Italy

Ireland

Latvia

Monaco (Principality)

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Philippines

Poland

Russia

Singapore

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

United States

Deceased organists

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Czech republic (Bohemia)

Denmark

France

Germany

Hungary

Italy

Netherlands

Nigeria

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

United States

Notes

See also

References