John Rose (organist)
Encyclopedia
John Rose is an American concert organist who has performed in 45 of the United States
and has made a number of foreign concert tours to Australia
, Canada
, Mexico
, Brazil
and various European countries. He is College Organist at Trinity College
in Connecticut, a post he has held since 1977.
In the United States he has performed at halls such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Davies Hall in San Francisco, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, and a host of other halls, churches, and campuses around the country both as recitalist and orchestral soloist. In Europe his tours have been highlighted by performances at such landmark churches as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey
in London and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He has made festival appearances in Australia, Belgium, England, Mexico, Norway, and Scotland.
He has been a featured artist at national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists
, the Organ Historical Society, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, the American Pipe Organ Builders Association, and the American Institute of Organbuilders.
John Rose began his performance career at the age of 20 when he became Organist of the landmark Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. The cathedral’s huge Gothic structure, fine large pipe organ
, and ideal acoustics inspired the young musician to become a recitalist and encouraged him to concentrate on the literature of the French symphonic school of composers, which he has made a performance and recording specialty. During his nearly nine years at the Newark cathedral he founded a concert series which during his tenure achieved international recognition. He also staged a marathon concert in which he, Robert Glasgow
, and Rollin Smith performed the complete six Vierne
symphonies for organ, drawing an audience of fourteen hundred from several states and helping to launch Vierne’s return to a higher profile among American organists. John Rose was invited to return to Newark cathedral as a performer in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Cathedral Concert Series in 1999.
John Rose has recorded sixteen CD and LP albums, and his discography is highlighted by “The French Romantics” series which has drawn extensive radio airplay and enthusiastic critical praise. Critic Scott Cantrell called one of his albums “possibly the most exciting organ recording I’ve ever heard.”
Among several noted composers who have dedicated works to John Rose is Malcolm Williamson
, Master of the Queens Music to H.M. Elizabeth II of Great Britain. He has long been associated with the church music institute held each summer at Colby College
in Maine, serving since 1988 as its director. He has been awarded a performance grant by the National Endowment for the Arts
, and has received “Young Artist of the Year” honors from the national journal Musical America
. He is an elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
in London
.
John Rose is a graduate of Rutgers University
, and was an instructor in organ at the university’s Newark campus while cathedral organist there. His primary organ teacher was the late virtuoso Virgil Fox
, with whom he studied privately for over seven years.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and has made a number of foreign concert tours to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and various European countries. He is College Organist at Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
in Connecticut, a post he has held since 1977.
In the United States he has performed at halls such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Davies Hall in San Francisco, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, and a host of other halls, churches, and campuses around the country both as recitalist and orchestral soloist. In Europe his tours have been highlighted by performances at such landmark churches as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in London and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He has made festival appearances in Australia, Belgium, England, Mexico, Norway, and Scotland.
He has been a featured artist at national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists
American Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the U.S., headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization...
, the Organ Historical Society, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, the American Pipe Organ Builders Association, and the American Institute of Organbuilders.
John Rose began his performance career at the age of 20 when he became Organist of the landmark Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. The cathedral’s huge Gothic structure, fine large pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, and ideal acoustics inspired the young musician to become a recitalist and encouraged him to concentrate on the literature of the French symphonic school of composers, which he has made a performance and recording specialty. During his nearly nine years at the Newark cathedral he founded a concert series which during his tenure achieved international recognition. He also staged a marathon concert in which he, Robert Glasgow
Robert Glasgow
Robert Glasgow was an American organist and music pedagogue. He taught at the University of Michigan for over 40 years and was an internationally respected performer....
, and Rollin Smith performed the complete six Vierne
Louis Vierne
Louis Victor Jules Vierne was a French organist and composer.-Life:Louis Vierne was born in Poitiers, Vienne, nearly blind due to congenital cataracts, but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French...
symphonies for organ, drawing an audience of fourteen hundred from several states and helping to launch Vierne’s return to a higher profile among American organists. John Rose was invited to return to Newark cathedral as a performer in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Cathedral Concert Series in 1999.
John Rose has recorded sixteen CD and LP albums, and his discography is highlighted by “The French Romantics” series which has drawn extensive radio airplay and enthusiastic critical praise. Critic Scott Cantrell called one of his albums “possibly the most exciting organ recording I’ve ever heard.”
Among several noted composers who have dedicated works to John Rose is Malcolm Williamson
Malcolm Williamson
Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher Williamson AO , CBE was an Australian composer. He was the Master of the Queen's Music from 1975 until his death.-Biography:...
, Master of the Queens Music to H.M. Elizabeth II of Great Britain. He has long been associated with the church music institute held each summer at Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
in Maine, serving since 1988 as its director. He has been awarded a performance grant by the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
, and has received “Young Artist of the Year” honors from the national journal Musical America
Musical America
Musical America is the oldest American magazine on classical music. Presently it is a website with a weekly online magazine. It is currently published by UBM Global Trade.-History:...
. He is an elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
John Rose is a graduate of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, and was an instructor in organ at the university’s Newark campus while cathedral organist there. His primary organ teacher was the late virtuoso Virgil Fox
Virgil Fox
Virgil Keel Fox was an American organist, known especially for his flamboyant "Heavy Organ" concerts of the music of Bach. These events appealed to audiences in the 1970s who were more familiar with rock 'n' roll music and were staged complete with light shows...
, with whom he studied privately for over seven years.