Paul Jacobs (organist)

Infobox Musical artist


Img_size = 150 |
Name = Paul Jacobs
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Paul A. Jacobs
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Born = February 1, 1977
Instrument = Organ
Genre = Classical music
Occupation = Organist
Label = JAV Recordings
URL = http://www.concertartists.com

Biography

Paul Abraham Jacobs (born February 1, 1977 in Washington, Pennsylvania) is an American organist.

Paul Jacobs began piano studies, and soon after organ studies, in his hometown of Washington, PA, with George Rau. Jacobs then studied at the graduate level both organ (with Dr. John B. Weaver) and harpsichord (with Lionel Party) at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, performing the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach several times during his final semester as an undergraduate student, including once in an 18-hour non-stop marathon concert in Pittsburgh on the 250th anniversary of the composer's death, July 28, 2000. Jacobs subsequently performed the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen in eight American cities, each time in a nine-hour marathon concert. Studies also included the reception of a Distinguished Alumni award from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, where he studied organ with Thomas Murray.

In 2003 Jacobs was invited to join the faculty of The Juilliard School and the following year, after the retirement of his former teacher and mentor Dr. John Weaver, was named chairman of its organ department, making him one of the youngest faculty appointments in the school's history. Winning accolades and awareness for the pipe organ from both critics and audiences alike, Jacobs has performed on five continents. His extensive repertoire includes music from the 16-century through contemporary times.

Jacobs is known for playing demanding programs exclusively from memory. He has memorized the complete works of Olivier Messiaen, as well as the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Cesar Franck, Louis Vierne, and many others.

In addition to numerous awards and honors, Jacobs was the first organist to be given the Harvard Musical Association's Arthur W. Foote Award in 2004. He received the Yale School of Music's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005, and in 2007 he was awarded the William Schuman Scholars Chair at The Juilliard School. He has also recently been appointed to the Yale School of Music Board, where he will assist in advising the President of Yale University in matters relating to both the School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music.

Jacobs has recorded several works of J.S. Bach on the JAV Label.

External links

* [http://www.concertartists.com/PJ.html Paul Jacobs' Management's website]
* [http://nymag.com/arts/classicaldance/classical/reviews/39282/ Article 'The Vital Organist' in New York Magazine]
* [http://www.juilliard.edu/asp/fsnew/faculty_details.php?FacultyId=478&School=College&Division=Music Faculty page at Juilliard]
* [http://saintpaulsunday.publicradio.org/programs/591/ St. Paul Sunday program]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30816F8345C0C7B8DDDAD0894DC404482 "The Organ As Extreme Sport" NY Times Article]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/glarehead/ambrosino/pub-co-2005-05-2.html "The Artist Militant"--Choir & Organ Magazine Article]
* [http://www.thediapason.com/dp/index.cfm?fuseaction=showArticle&articleID=6652&learnMore=yes&CFID=4855832&CFTOKEN=48411213 Interview with Paul Jacobs by Joyce Robinson for The Diapason Magazine]
* [http://www.thediapason.com/dp/index.cfm?fuseaction=showArticle&articleID=5332&learnMore=yes&CFID=4855832&CFTOKEN=48411213 Article on Paul Jacobs' 2002 Messaien Marathon by Frank Ferko]