Bryan Anderson

Bryan Anderson was praised by The American Organist for “artistry that nearly defies description” and “jaw-dropping virtuosity.” He won the 2023 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition’s Pierre S. DuPont Prize and recently performed at the 2026 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists. His 2026–2027 season includes recitals for the Sweden Organ Society, at Edmonton’s Winspear Centre, the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, and performances of Bach’s six Trio Sonatas and Petr Eben’s “Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart” for organ and narrator.

Past solo performances include Bartok National Concert Hall in Budapest, Spivey Hall near Atlanta, the Spreckels Pavilion in San Diego’s Balboa Park, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, the Kennedy Center, Washington National Cathedral, the Cincinnati Museum Center, Ocean Grove Auditorium, and Montreal’s Maison Symphonique.

Bryan regularly performs as an organ duo with Dr. Yuri McCoy. Together they have presented original compositions and projects including Jean Guillou’s “Symphonie Initiatique” and an organ adaptation of Beethoven’s “Grosse Fuge.”

In historical music, Bryan serves as organist and continuo musician for Harmonia Stellarum Houston under Dr. Mario Aschauer, playing the ensemble’s 2023 Pradella instrument, the only Italian Renaissance organ in the region. He also serves as a harpsichordist and organist for Mercury Chamber Orchestra and holds an Artist Diploma in harpsichord from the Curtis Institute of Music.

Bryan is Associate Director and Organist at the Church of St. John the Divine (Episcopal) in Houston and a Lecturer in Music at Rice University. Previous positions include Director of Music at Saint Thomas’ Episcopal Church and School in Houston, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston, Wells Cathedral in Somerset, England, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, and Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. He also served as an assistant organist at Philadelphia’s Wanamaker Organ.

In addition to his Longwood Gardens awards, Bryan is a past prizewinner of the Canadian International Organ Competition and the Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition. In 2017, The Diapason named him to its “20 under 30” list, and his performances have been broadcast many times on American Public Media’s “Pipedreams.” He holds a master’s degree in organ performance from Rice University, where he studied with Ken Cowan, and a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Alan Morrison. He is originally from the Atlanta area, where he studied piano with Jeannine Morrison and organ with Sarah Martin.

All recitals and concerts are free and open to the public. No tickets or passes are required. Seating is first-come, first-served starting at 7:15 PM. Two seats will be reserved at each Eccles Organ Festival concert for Friends in the Benefactor and Patron tiers, and four seats for Friends in the Ambassador and Founder tiers, until 7:45 PM.

Program

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)
Overture to “La forza del destino”
Transcribed by Bryan Anderson

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Trio Sonata No. 4 in E minor, BWV 528
- Adagio – Vivace
- Andante
- Un poco Allegro

Nicolaus Bruhns (1665–1697)
“Little” Praeludium in E Minor

Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924)
Fileuse, from Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80
Transcribed by Louis Robilliard

Louis Vierne (1870–1937)
Clair de lune, Op. 53, No. 5

Marcel Dupré (1886–1971)
Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Op. 7, No. 3

George Antheil (1900–1959)
Toccata, W. 72, No. 2
Transcribed by Bryan Anderson

Frank Zappa (1940–1993)
Peaches en regalia
Transcribed by Bryan Anderson

Ad Wammes (b. 1953)
Miroir

Joseph Jongen (1873–1953)
Sonata eroïca, Op. 94