Thomas Gaynor is appointed assistant organist and choirmaster for St. Mark’s Church, Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He leaves his position as associate director of music and organist at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Houston, Texas, where he doubled the volunteer base of the Vesper Choir and built a new chorister program of 45 singers. In his new role Gaynor will direct the recently formed 35-member St. Mark’s Singers and will work with Robert McCormick, organist and choirmaster, to support the leadership of the professional-level Parish Choir and the Boy & Girl Choristers, and in leading all aspects of the music program.
A native of Wellington, New Zealand, Gaynor earned his undergraduate degree from the New Zealand School of Music while holding organ scholarships at Wellington Anglican Cathedral of St. Paul and St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church. In 2012 he moved to Rochester, New York, to study with David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music. He recently graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and Eastman’s highest honor, the Artist’s Certificate.
In 2017 Gaynor was presented the gold medal and the audience prize at the St. Albans International Organ Competition. This followed first prizes at the Bach-Liszt Internationaler Orgelwettbewerb Erfurt/Weimar, the Sydney International Organ Competition, and the Fort Wayne National Organ Playing Competition. He also holds second prizes from the Tokyo-Musashino International Organ Competition, the Miami International Organ Competition, and the Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition. He has concertized extensively across North America, Europe, Oceania, and in Japan and Colombia. In 2018, Gaynor gave the North American premiere of Jean-Baptiste Robin’s organ concerto Fantaisie Mécanique. He is a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30 class of 2016.
For information: thomasgaynor.com and saintmarksphiladelphia.org.
Other recent appointments:
James O'Donnell at Yale University
Carole Terry at Yale University
Karen Schneider Kirner to Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Notre Dame, IN
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