Todd Wilson (organist)

Todd Wilson is an American organist. He is head of the organ department at Cleveland Institute of Music, house organist at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron and organ curator of the Cleveland Orchestra. In 2010 he became organist at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, and in 2011 accepted the role of choirmaster, succeeding Horst Buchholz.

Life

Wilson studied organ with Wayne Fisher at the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music, where he obtained both a B.M. and a M.M. He then studied with Russell Saunders at the Eastman School of Music.

Wilson has won several competitions, including the Grand Prix de Chartres, the Fort Wayne Competition, and others. He has also sat on the jury for many other competitions, including Calgary, St. Alban's, and the AGO NYACOP.

Wilson has performed with many notable orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and more. He has performed in Tokyo, Vienna, Slovakia, and extensively throughout the United States.

Recordings

Live from Severance Hall — Michael Sachs, trumpet and Todd Wilson, organ. Music for trumpet and organ, recorded live in April 2005.

On a Sunday Afternoon, Vol. 5 (JAV 149) — Music by American composers, recorded live at Washington National Cathedral, featuring music by Sousa, Persichetti, Bolcom, Sowerby, Craig Phillips and others.

Music of Charles Tournemire — Disques du Solstice (SOCD 148) - Recorded at Chartres Cathedral, Wilson plays two suites from “L’ Orgue Mystique” and other pieces; Phillipe Lefebvre plays the Five Improvisations.

Music for Cello and Organ (JAV 140) — Todd Wilson and daughter, Rachel Wilson, cellist, play works by Elgar, Dupré, Messiaen, Saint-Saëns, Schumann and Lemare. Recorded at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, Illinois.

A Joyous Celebration! — Featuring a wide variety of Christmas music, this is the inaugural recording (2001) on the newly restored E. M. Skinner organ in Cleveland’s Severance Hall.

George Thalben-Ball & Friends (JAV 127) — The complete works of George Thalben-Ball with other music by Hollins, Walford Davies, Yon, Festing, Schubert, and Weitz. Recorded at the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Toledo, Ohio.

Frank Bridge and Friends (JAV 120) — The complete organ works of Frank Bridge with music by Bairstow, Britten, Ireland, Lang, Walton and Whitlock. Recorded at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, California.

Double Forte (Delos DE 3175) — With David Higgs in music for two organists. Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Wagner, Hampton, J.C. Bach. (Recorded at National City Christian Church, Washington, D.C.

In a Quiet Cathedral (Delos DE 3145; 2-disc set) — Music of Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Vaughan Williams, Mozart, Langlais, Bridge, Sowerby, Benoit, Purvis, Tartini, Harris, Mendelssohn, Widor, Callahan, Strayhorn, Dupré, Shearing, Frescobaldi, Vierne, Rachmaninoff, Barber, Hilse. Recorded at Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Ga.

The Naples Philharmonic (Summit DCD 145) - With David Hickman, Trumpet Conducted by Timothy Russell Dello Joio Antiphonal Fantasy, Planel Concerto for Trumpet; Persichetti The Hollow Men; Ives Variations on "America." (Recorded at Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Naples FL)

Todd Wilson Plays Great French Virtuosic Organ Music (Delos DE 3123) — Jongen Sonata Eroica, Langlais Thème et Variations from "Hommage à Frescobaldi, Dupré Cortège et Litanie, Bonnet Variations de Concert, Demessieux Three Chorale Preludes, Widor Symphonie Romane. (Recorded at the University of Alabama Concert Hall)

Maurice Duruflé Organ Music (Complete) (Delos D/CD 3047) — Recorded at Church of St. Thomas Aquinas, Dallas, Texas.

American Music from The Church of the Covenant — Choral and Organ Works by 14 American composers.

External links

• Publicity page at Karen McFarlane Artists
• Bio Page at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio
• Bio page at the Cleveland Institute of Music