Alan Morrison (organist)

Last updated

Alan Morrison is an American organist, notable both for his performance career and his teaching. [1] [2] [3] [4] He is the head of the organ department at the Curtis Institute of Music, [5] College Organist at Ursinus College, and Organist in Residence at Spivey Hall at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia.

Contents

At the start of his performance career he captured First Prize in two of the most prestigious national organ competitions, the Arthur Poister National Organ Playing Competition and the Clarence Mader National Organ Playing Competition, both in 1991 while still a student. After capturing the Silver Medal in the 1994 Calgary International Organ Festival & Competition his concert career was solidified with major engagements and eventual artist management with Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc. He has since played in most major venues throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia and South America.

He has adjudicated numerous competitions including the 50th St. Albans Competition (UK), serving as the only American judge and recitalist. He has also appeared on two episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood which aired in 1994. He is a champion of new music and specifically of American composers and regularly premiers their works. A graduate of both Curtis (BMus in Organ and MMus in Piano Accompanying) and Juilliard (Professional Studies in Organ), his teachers include Sarah Martin, John Weaver, Cherry Rhodes (organ), and Robert Harvey, Vladimir Sokoloff, and Susan Starr (piano).

Recordings

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">As Slow as Possible</span> Musical composition by John Cage

Organ2/ASLSP is a musical piece by John Cage and the subject of the second-longest-lasting musical performance yet undertaken. Cage wrote it in 1987 for organ, as an adaptation of his 1985 composition ASLSP for piano. A performance of the piano version usually lasts 20 to 70 minutes.

Herbert Whitton Sumsion 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 associations with major figures in England's 20th-century musical renaissance, including Edward Elgar, Herbert Howells, Gerald Finzi, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Although Sumsion is known primarily as a cathedral musician, his professional career spanned more than 60 years and encompassed composing, conducting, performing, accompanying, and teaching. His compositions include works for choir and organ, as well as lesser-known chamber and orchestral works.

Petr Eben was a Czech composer of modern and contemporary classical music, and an organist and choirmaster.

Peter John Hurford OBE was a British organist and composer.

David John Briggs is an English organist and composer.

Rónán Murray is an Irish musician. From a musical family, he took his earliest piano lessons from his late father, Ciarán. Murray attended Blackrock College, a school for boys in south Dublin, where his musical gifts were further nurtured. He was chapel organist during his school days there. Subsequent organ studies with Peter Sweeney at the Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama were complemented by masterclasses from such leading organists as James David Christie and Ben van Oosten. Positions held by Rónán include organist of St. Stephen's church, Killiney (1989–1991) and assistant organist of the Unitarian church, Dublin (1993–1996). Since November 1996, he has been organist of St. Joseph's Church Glasthule, Dublin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Major</span>

Douglas R. Major is a prominent American composer of sacred music and concert organist. He is the former choral director and organist at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., where he frequently performed on nationally televised services and state occasions. He has made several recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Swann</span> American organist and choral conductor (1931–2022)

Frederick Lewis Swann was an American church and concert organist, choral conductor, composer, and president of the American Guild of Organists. His extensive discography includes both solo organ works and choral ensembles he has conducted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Herrick</span> English concert organist and conductor

Christopher Herrick is an English concert organist best known for his interpretation of J.S. Bach’s organ music and for his many recordings on the finest pipe organs from around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pietro Yon</span> Italian composer

Pietro Alessandro Yon was an Italian-born organist and composer who made his career in the United States.

Felix Hell is a German organist.

<i>In a Different Light</i> (Doug Stone album) 2005 studio album by Doug Stone

In a Different Light is the tenth studio album released by American country music artist Doug Stone. It was his first album for Lofton Creek Records. Two re-recordings of his older songs are included here: "In a Different Light" and "Why Didn't I Think of That". Also included are four covers: "Georgia on My Mind", and "Only You ". and Crazy Love and tell it like it is

Dong-Ill Shin won first prize in the national competition for piano sponsored by The Korea Times at the age of ten. When he was eleven he made his debut with the Pusan Philharmonic Orchestra playing Mozart's Concerto in d minor No. 20. Attracted by J.S. Bach's Music and the orchestra-like colors produced by the organ, he began his studies with Dr. Sun-woo Cho at the age of 14. Later at Yonsei University in Seoul he studied with Dr. Tong-soon Kwak and completed his Bachelor of Music degree in 1997. He then studied in France with Jean Boyer and received the Diplome Nationale Superieur de Musique from the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique de Lyon in Organ, Harmony, Fugue, Analysis, Improvisation & Basso-Continuo. His dissertation at the Conservatoire was on the study of Tabulatura Nava by Samuel Scheidt which focused on J.P. Sweelinck's influences. His studies continued with Olivier Latry and Michel Bouvard at the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique de Paris in the prestigious Cycle de Perfectionnement program, which is the highest program in the French National Conservatory system. He also undertook private studies with Mme. Marie-Claire Alain for Organ and Mme. Françoise Marmim for Harpsichord. During his years of study in France he won several scholarships including awards from the Darazzi Foundation, the Meyer Foundation and Mécèn de Société Générale. In 2004 he completed his Artist Diploma at The Boston Conservatory on a full scholarship studying with James David Christie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Purvis</span> American musician

Richard (Irven) Purvis 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 instrument.

Ted Alan Worth was an American church and concert organist, recording artist, and entrepreneur of the pipe organ.

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 has served as Director of Music at Bach Vespers/Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City, Lecturer in Music Theory & Organ at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire., Music Director at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, Hanover, Co-Organist/Choirmaster at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, and head of the Organ Divison at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. Her concert career is managed by Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc.

Eric Sessler is an American composer and educator. Among his collaborations are works written for Grammy Award winner Jason Vieaux; Philadelphia Orchestra principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner; organist Alan Morrison; the Dover Quartet; and the flute & guitar duo of Bonita Boyd & Nicholas Goluses.

Andrew Forbes is a Scottish organist. He is the Director of Music of Glasgow Cathedral and the Artistic Director of Glasgow Cathedral Festival. He is an organist, harpsichordist and conductor as well as a trustee of the Glasgow Society of Organists. In addition to his work at Glasgow Cathedral, he has a freelance career as a soloist and ensemble player, with appearances on BBC TV and radio, and concert performances across Europe at venues including the Philharmonie de Paris. Since 2017 Forbes has taught organ in the junior department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Lee Orville Erwin was an American theatre organist who played an important part in a revival of interest in the silent film era. His career began as an organist accompanying first-run silent films in the 1920s. He received classical training in Cincinnati and France, and then began a career as organist and arranger for radio, significantly at WLW and CBS Radio, the latter in association with Arthur Godfrey, that lasted through the mid-1960s. When his radio career ended he was commissioned to provide complete new scores for silent films exceeding seventy in number, and in this capacity and as an organist for silent film tours and exhibitions he received widespread critical acclaim. Erwin was active into his early 90s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gereon Krahforst</span> German composer, organist, pianist, harpsichordist and church musician

Gereon Krahforst is a German composer, concert organist, pianist, harpsichordist and church musician.

References

  1. "Fanfare Magazine Archive of CD Reviews: performers morrisonalan". fanfarearchive.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  2. "Alan Morrison: A riveting organ recital, a fond farewell". al. 2010-11-22. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  3. Purdom, Tom. "Dolce Suono's new collaborators". www.broadstreetreview.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  4. "Morrison". 2006-02-26. Archived from the original on 2006-02-26. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  5. "Alan Morrison". www.curtis.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-02.