"impeccably faithful to both the detail and the essence of Elgar’s original scores" - Marc Rochester, Gramophone Magazine
"...one of the world’s greatest contemporary organists..."
Welcome
Welcome to David Briggs’s website. We’re delighted to connect and hope you’ll visit often to catch up on David’s latest concert schedule and other news.
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Biography
Known for his unbridled virtuosity and passion for making organ music vibrant and accessible to a wide and diverse audience, David is one of the most sought after concert organists of his generation.
At the age of 17, David obtained his FRCO (Fellow of the Royal College of Organists) diploma, winning the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. From 1981-84 he was Organ Scholar at King’s College Cambridge, during which time he also studied with Jean Langlais in Paris.
He teaches performance at Cambridge University, frequently serves on international organ competition juries, and gives master classes at colleges and conservatories across the U.S. and Europe.
David has held numerous positions in North America and the U.K. He is currently Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City.
Concerts
David is an internationally renowned organist whose performances are acclaimed for their musicality and ability to excite and engage audiences of all ages.
Deeply committed to ensuring organ music remains relevant and vibrant, David enjoys giving pre-concert lectures and demonstrations that help make organ music more broadly accessible.
Described as 'an intrepid improviser' by Michael Barone, host of American Public Media’s Pipedreams, David also frequently performs improvisations to silent films such as Phantom of the Opera, Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Nosferatu, and a variety of Charlie Chaplin films.
Consistently ranked as one of the finest organists of his generation, David’s extensive repertoire spans five centuries.
Recordings & Compositions
David Briggs has recorded more than 40 CDs, winning critical acclaim in publications such as Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine, Choir & Organ, and The American Organist. They include orchestral transcriptions, solo organ performances, and many of his choral compositions.
David's composition portfolio comprises over 60 works ranging from pieces for solo instruments to large scale cantatas. He has also become one of the foremost organ transcribers of symphonic works, thereby giving listeners the opportunity to experience the organ in a new way. He has transcribed orchestral masterpieces by composers such as Mahler, Ravel, Brahms, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky.