Noon Concert - Brett Miller

Thomas Gaynor is a recent graduate of David Higgs’s studio in the MM and DMA programs at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he was awarded the Artist’s Certificate – an honor the institution had not given an organist for three decades. While studying there he won first place at a number of international organ competitions including St Albans 2017, Erfurt/Weimar Bach-Liszt 2015, and Sydney 2015. As a recitalist he has performed across the Americas, Europe and Australasia. Recent highlights include a recital in Notre-Dame de Paris; Lahti Organ Festival, Finland; Bogotà Bach Organ Festival, Colombia; Bergamo International Organ Festival, Italy; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland; Sydney Town Hall, Australia; and Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on the world’s largest organ. 

Born in New Zealand, he began his organ studies at Wellington Cathedral, serving with Michael Fulcher first as Richard Prothero Organ Scholar and later as honorary sub-organist. More recently, he was associate DoM at Christ Church, Pittsford, NY, and later Saint John Vianney Catholic Church, Houston, TX. He currently lives in Philadelphia where he serves as assistant organist and choirmaster at Saint Mark's Church, Locust Street. He is also an adjunct professor of organ at Westminster Choir College and plays regularly as an assistant organist at the Wanamaker Store (now Macy's) in Philadelphia.

His participation in masterclasses with many of today’s most influential artists has given him a rare stylistic command across the whole spectrum of organ repertoire; these musicians include Cameron Carpenter, Ken Cowan, Hans Davidsson, Olivier Latry, Jaques Van Oortmerssen, Jean-Baptiste Robin, Stephen Tharp and Harald Vogel.