James David Christie
Encyclopedia
James David Christie is an American organist
with an extensive performance career throughout the world and especially in Europe. He is Chair and Professor of Organ at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music
, College Organist at Wellesley College and the Distinguished Artist in Residence at the College of the Holy Cross
. He has made several recordings and is a highly sought-after performer and teacher. He has been the organist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
since 1978. Former employers: Boston Conservatory of Music, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Boston University. He has recorded extensively and won several prestigious prizes; he has given over 50 tours of Europe, Japan, Australia, Iceland and Russia, and has served on over 40 international competition juries. He has performed premiers of over 40 works. He serves regularly on the faculty of the McGill University Summer Organ Academy in Montreal, Canada. Christie has been a guest professor at the Paris Conservatory, the Cracow Conservatory, the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, the Conservatory of Versailles, the Dom Bedos Organ Academy in Bordeaux, the International Summer Organ Academy in the Haarlem (Netherlands) , etc. He has performed and recorded with symphony orchestras around the world including major orchestras in London, Stuttgart, Vienna, Koblentz, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, etc.; he performs a very large repertoire of organ concerti of all periods. He is in demand as an organ consultant and is responsible for major instruments in Paris, Wellesley Hills, Worcester, Kansas City, Oberlin, etc.
, graduating in 1975 with a B.Mus. He then attended the New England Conservatory, where he earned a M.M. in 1977, and an A.D. in 1978, studying with Yuko Hayashi. He also studied extensively with Marie-Claire Alain, Bernard Lagacé and Harald Vogel. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the New England School of Law for his outstanding contributions to the musical life of the city of Boston and he was honored with the New England Conservatory Outstanding Alumni Award from his alma mater.
In 1979, he became the first American to win the International Organ Competition in Bruges
, Belgium, and the first competitor to win both first prize and prize of the audience. His students have been first prize winners in many US national organ competitions and international first prize winners in Leipzig, Dublin, Paris, Biarritz, Wiesbaden, Berlin, Miami, and Chartres.
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...
with an extensive performance career throughout the world and especially in Europe. He is Chair and Professor of Organ at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, located on the campus of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, was founded in 1865 and is the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States. Students of Oberlin Conservatory enter a very broad network within the music world, as the school's alumni...
, College Organist at Wellesley College and the Distinguished Artist in Residence at the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
. He has made several recordings and is a highly sought-after performer and teacher. He has been the organist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
since 1978. Former employers: Boston Conservatory of Music, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Boston University. He has recorded extensively and won several prestigious prizes; he has given over 50 tours of Europe, Japan, Australia, Iceland and Russia, and has served on over 40 international competition juries. He has performed premiers of over 40 works. He serves regularly on the faculty of the McGill University Summer Organ Academy in Montreal, Canada. Christie has been a guest professor at the Paris Conservatory, the Cracow Conservatory, the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, the Conservatory of Versailles, the Dom Bedos Organ Academy in Bordeaux, the International Summer Organ Academy in the Haarlem (Netherlands) , etc. He has performed and recorded with symphony orchestras around the world including major orchestras in London, Stuttgart, Vienna, Koblentz, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, etc.; he performs a very large repertoire of organ concerti of all periods. He is in demand as an organ consultant and is responsible for major instruments in Paris, Wellesley Hills, Worcester, Kansas City, Oberlin, etc.
Life
Christie was born in Wisconsin in 1952 and first studied organ there with Byron Blackmore for five years. In 1970 he attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, studying with David BoeDavid Boe
David Boe is an organist and was head of the organ department of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he taught from 1962 to 2008. He is most notable for his work as a pedagogue, having trained a large number of organists during his time at Oberlin.- Life :Boe attended St...
, graduating in 1975 with a B.Mus. He then attended the New England Conservatory, where he earned a M.M. in 1977, and an A.D. in 1978, studying with Yuko Hayashi. He also studied extensively with Marie-Claire Alain, Bernard Lagacé and Harald Vogel. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the New England School of Law for his outstanding contributions to the musical life of the city of Boston and he was honored with the New England Conservatory Outstanding Alumni Award from his alma mater.
In 1979, he became the first American to win the International Organ Competition in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Belgium, and the first competitor to win both first prize and prize of the audience. His students have been first prize winners in many US national organ competitions and international first prize winners in Leipzig, Dublin, Paris, Biarritz, Wiesbaden, Berlin, Miami, and Chartres.