Canon John Bruce Memorial Concerts

March 10, 2012 - Nathan Laube

Young concert organist Nathan Laube's fame spans the country and the world, from Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., Florida to Georgia, California to New York and South Africa to Slovenia. His performances at major venues around the world include a special appearance at the Abbey for the second concert of the 2011-2012 season of the Abbey's annual Canon John O. Bruce Organ Concert Series.

Originally from Chicago, Laube is no stranger to standing ovations.  Considered to be one of the organ world's most outstanding performers, his talents have attracted the interest of music fans across the United States and in Europe, particularly England.

Laube's lifelong love of music began when he learned to play the piano at five years of age. He later studied organ, as well as piano and music theory, at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Laube is a recent graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, with studies in organ and piano. Upon graduation, Laube received the Institute's two highest awards, one for excellence in academics and one for excellence in musical studies.

Since 2004, Laube's repertoire has grown to include works spanning from pre-Baroque to current composers, but he is especially well known for his original transcriptions of orchestral works by Bach, Mahler, Rossini and Strauss.

April 14, 2012 - Jonathan Dimmock

One of the leading concert organists in his field, Jonathan Dimmock has performed in churches, cathedrals, major concert halls, and at music festivals throughout the world. This spring, he will perform as a guest of the Abbey for its third and final performance of the 2011-2012 season of the Abbey's annual Canon John O. Bruce Organ Concert Series.

With an especially diverse repertoire and a special talent for engaging his audiences, Dimmock has received praise from fans not only in America, but also overseas in Sweden, South Africa and Australia.

Dimmock, a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory, Yale School of Music and Yale Divinity School, became the first American ever to become Organ Scholar of Westminster Abbey.

With an interest in French improvisational styles, Dimmock is a published composer and writer and has more than thirty compact discs to his name. He has been interviewed and featured on National Public Radio, Radio France, ABC (Australia), and numerous other stations worldwide.

Dimmock's deep appreciation for the healing power of music and the arts led him to found the non-profit organization Art to the Nations, which uses music in international conflict resolution.