Tullamore International Summer Organ Series

John Scott was born in Wakefield in Yorkshire where he became a Cathedral chorister. While still a schoolboy he gained the diplomas of the Royal College of Organists, winning the major prizes. In 1974 he became organ scholar of St John’s College, Cambridge, and in 1977 he made his Promenade Concerts debut at the Royal Albert Hall playing Reubke’s Sonata on the 94th Psalm. He was the youngest organist to appear as a soloist in the Proms.

On leaving Cambridge Scott was appointed assistant organist at both St Paul’s and Southwark cathedrals. At this time he won first prize at both the Manchester and Leipzig International Organ Competitions. In 1985 he was appointed sub-organist of St Paul’s Cathedral, becoming organist and Director of Music in 1990 until 2004 when he moved to New York as organist and Director of Music at St Thomas’s Church, Fifth Avenue.

As an organist John Scott has performed in five continents at the most prestigious venues, has premiered new works written for him, and has worked with various specialist ensembles. In 2014 he was one of the featured organists in the reopening Gala and subsequently gave the first solo recital on the restored organ in London’s Royal Festival Hall, also giving the first recital in the new Musikkens Hus in Aarhus, Denmark. A prolific and much acclaimed recording artist, John Scott was nominated International Performer of the Year in 1998 by the New York Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He was awarded the LVO in the New Year’s Honours List for 2004, a personal gift from Queen Elizabeth in recognition of his work at St Paul’s Cathedral.