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The American organist and choral conductor, music pedagogue and composer, Diane Meredith Belcher, obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in Organ from The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia (1982); and her Msster of Music degree in Organ Performance from The Eastman School of Music in Rochester (1983). She has coached extensively with Wilma Jensen. Other teachers have included David Craighead, Clarence Watters, John Weaver, David Spicer, and pianist Martha Massena.
Diane Meredith Belcher is an internationally renowned, multi-faceted classical musician whose virtuoso performances have been described by American Record Guide as “glowingly brilliant, rhythmically vibrant, consistently expressive”, and by Orgel International as “exemplary in every respect”. She made her solo recital debut at age 15, and since has garnered widespread acclaim not only as concert organist, but also as choral conductor, organ teacher, church musician, professor of music theory, and composer. Since 2020, she is Director of Music at New York City’s Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and their renowned Bach Vespers ministry.
Diane Meredith Belcher received early recognition as a prize-winner in both the 1985 St. Albans and 1988 Grand Prix de Chartres international organ competitions. In the years following, she has made numerous solo appearances at such venues as Los Angeles’ Disney Hall, Philadelphia’s Verizon Hall, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, The Oregon Bach Festival; Philadelphia’s Wanamaker Grand Court Organ (100th anniversary concert), Atlanta’s Spivey Hall, Yale University (Woolsey Hall), Oberlin College (Finney Chapel), Harvard University (Memorial Church), The University of Oklahoma (Catlett Music Center), Philadelphia’s Girard College, Portland City Hall’s Kotzschmar Organ, University of Michigan (Hill Auditorium), The Curtis Institute of Music’s 80th birthday celebration for Ned Rorem, Westminster Choir College, Vassar College, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. She is in demand by her colleagues as well, having been invited to perform at 6 national conventions of the American Guild of Organists as well as numerous other conferences such as the Royal Canadian College of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Association of Anglican Musicians.
Church concert appearances include Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; Saint Thomas Church, New York City; Saint Alban’s Cathedral, England; First Congregational Church, Los Angeles;The Auditorium, Independence MO; Crystal Cathedral, Los Angeles; Old West Church, Boston; Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City; Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; All Saints Church, Beverly Hills; St. George’s Church, Nashville; Independent Presbyterian Church, Birmingham AL; The Mother Church (First Church of Christ, Scientist), Boston; First Congregational Church, Columbus OH; Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis; Church of Ascension & St. Agnes, Washington DC; Pro-Cathedral of St. Stephens, Wilkes-Barre; First Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia; Christ United Methodist Church, Greensboro NC; Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford; Grace Church, Newark NJ; Christ Church, Little Rock; First Methodist Church, Orlando FL; Christ Church, Pensacola; Asbury United Methodist Church, Rochester NY; Grace Church, Utica; St. Mary’s Cathedral, Memphis; Trinity Lutheran Church, Akron; St. David’s Church, Radnor PA; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Syracuse; West Point Cadet Chapel, and numerous others.
Diane Meredith Belcher has appeared regularly in duo-recital with such musicians as trombonist Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, trumpeter Rob Roy McGregor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and as soloist with numerous orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Hatfield (England), Jacksonville, Syracuse, Memphis, Wichita, Columbus (Georgia), and Curtis Symphony orchestras. As a collaborative musician, she has worked with such ensembles as Cambridge Concentus, the Buxtehude Consort, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Choral Arts Philadelphia, Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble, Memphis Vocal Arts Ensemble, the Memphis Boychoir & Chamber Choir, Syracuse Symphony, Syracuse Opera, and Syracuse Oratorio Society. Among her several recordings is the premiere of the Claremont, California’s Glatter-Götz/ Rosales organ, which won the 2000 Golden Ear Award from Absolute Sound. Many of her live performances, recordings, and interviews have been broadcast on radio and television, including Public Radio International’s PIPEDREAMS. She is featured on several recordings with the Memphis Boychoir and Chamber Choir; her most recent solo album is a double-CD, with two video recordings featured on YouTube. A recording with New York Philharmonic Orchestra principal trombonist Joseph Alessi is scheduled for release in the coming year.
Previous positions include Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire (September 2014-2020); Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia; Westminster Choir College; The University of Pennsylvania; The University of Memphis; St. Thomas Church in Hanover, New Hampshire (September 2014-2020); Christ Episcopal Church, Memphis; Park Central Presbyterian Church, Syracuse; and the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, Philadelphia. She has guest taught at The Curtis Institute of Music, The University of Louisville, The University of Evansville, the Young Organists Collaborative, and numerous Pipe Organ Encounters of the American Guild of Organists. She is in frequent demand as adjudicator for international, national, and regional music competitions, including the National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance of the American Guild of Organists, the Canadian International Organ Competition, the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival (USA) Competition, the Calgary International Competition, the Music Teachers National Association competition, and the Holtkamp/American Guild of Organists’ National Competition in Organ Composition.
Diane Meredith Belcher is also a composer of note, having written numerous sacred vocal works including Mass of St. Benedict, Lulajze, Psalm 117, A New Year’s Carol, and Lutebook Lullabye. Organ works include transcriptions of Antonio Vivaldi's L’inverno (“Winter”, from The Four Seasons) and J.S. Bach’s Concerto for 2 violins, strings & continuo in D minor ("Double"), BWV 1043. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, swimming, gardening, reading, traveling, and keeping up with her three grown sons.
Diane Meredith Belcher is represented exclusively in North America by John McElliott, President, Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. |
