MARY BETH BENNETT ORGAN RECITAL, JULY 2, 7:00 PM,  ORGANIST FOR OPENING FESTIVAL SERVICE

MARY BETH BENNETT, D.M.A.  is a recognized performer, composer and improviser based in historic Richmond, Virginia.  She serves on the music faculty of the University of Richmond, and is the Organist/Choirmaster of Seventh Street Christian Church.  The winner of numerous awards in performance and composition, she has received commissions in multiple genres from the American Guild of Organists (2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001), The Paul VI Institute for the Arts, and various churches, chamber ensembles and private parties. 

Her primary composition teacher has been James F. Hopkins.  She maintains an international studio of improvisation students and served as a judge for the 2002 AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation.  She has presented improvisation seminars for national and regional conventions of the AGO and NPM, as well as for the Smithsonian Institution. Having held various positions in Washington, D.C., including at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and as Ceremonial Organist for the United States government.

She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Stetson University, the Staatliche Hochschüle für Musik (Cologne, Germany), and the University of Southern California.  She pursued postdoctoral study at the Catholic University of America. Her organ teachers have included David Craighead, Paul Jenkins, Paul Manz, Michael Schneider, Ladd Thomas and Cherry Rhodes. 

As a performing member of the Liturgical Organists Consortium she recorded three compact discs which have garnered critical acclaim, including a "Golden Ear Award" for best organ CD of the year from Absolute Sound Magazine.  Her performances have been featured on MPR's Pipe Dreams with Michael Barone. Her compositions are published by Augsburg-Fortress, Concordia, Broadman, National, and World Library Publishing Companies.

Return to Artists