James Welch was honored recently for his twenty years as organist of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California. He also plays for three other churches in Palo Alto: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; First Church of Christ, Scientist (Wednesday organist); and Palo Alto Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Since his appointment in 1993 at St. Mark’s, Welch has presided over the church’s four-manual 1958 Casavant organ (Opus 2398, with additions). Among the many recitals he has performed there, the Halloween and New Year’s Eve recitals have become traditional favorites in the community. He is often joined on these recitals by his two sons, who are accomplished musicians. His predecessors at St. Mark’s include C. Thomas Rhoads, Ted Flath, Tom Hazleton, Porter Heaps, Joe Hansen, Robert Bates, Douglas Butler, and Don Giberson.
Welch received his DMA from Stanford University, where he studied with Herbert Nanney. After 15 years as organist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he returned to the San Francisco Bay area, where he joined the music faculty of Santa Clara University. He is the author of Richard Purvis, Organist of Grace.
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