Diane Meredith Belcher
Press Book, page 2
DIANE MEREDITH BELCHER
Biography
Internationally renowned organist Diane Meredith Belcher made her debut at age fifteen in her hometown just outside Philadelphia. In the decades since, she has performed throughout the United States, in Europe, and in Canada to the acclaim of critics and audiences alike. A graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music and The Eastman School of Music, she has studied with David Spicer, John Weaver, Clarence Watters, David Craighead, and Wilma Jensen. Laureate of both the St. Albans (England) and Chartres (France) international organ competitions, she also took the American Guild of Organists’ top prize in its professional certification examinations.
Concert appearances have included Disney Hall, Los Angeles; Benaroya Hall, Seattle; Saint Thomas Church, New York City; Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; the 100th anniversary concert of the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, Philadelphia; West Point Cadet Chapel; Spivey Hall, Atlanta; Saint Alban’s Cathedral, England; Portland City Hall, Maine; Girard College, Philadelphia; Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City; First Congregational Church, Los Angeles; the Auditorium, Independence, Missouri; the Curtis Institute of Music’s 80th birthday celebration honoring Ned Rorem; the Cleveland Museum of Art; and the Crystal Cathedral, Los Angeles. In May 2006 she was featured in recital on the opening weekend of the new organ in the Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Ms. Belcher has appeared regularly on the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia, in duo-recital with trumpeter Rob Roy McGregor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Philadelphia, Hatfield (England), Jacksonville, Syracuse, Memphis, Wichita, Columbus (Georgia), and Curtis Symphony orchestras. She has several recordings to her credit, including a JAV release which won The Absolute Sound’s Golden Ear Award for the year 2000, and is often featured on radio and television interviews and features such as Public Radio International’s Pipedreams.
Diane Meredith Belcher is in frequent demand by her colleagues, having performed at numerous national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists, and at the national conventions of the Royal Canadian College of Organists and the Organ Historical Society. Her sensational performance of the Jongen Symphonie Concertante with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the 2002 national convention of the American Guild of Organists created a thunderous standing ovation from an audience of nearly three thousand. She has led many workshops and master classes, and is in demand as a competition juror. Often she is asked to consult for pipe organ projects for churches or other institutions planning to install a new instrument. She has commissioned and premiered several organ compositions, and is herself the composer of a small body of sacred music.
Ms. Belcher has served as a church musician for over three decades, and was the founding director of the Memphis Concert Chorale. Most recently she served at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, and later Christ Church, both in Philadelphia. She has taught organ extensively, serving on the faculties of University of Memphis, Tennessee, Westminster Choir College, and University of Pennsylvania, and freelances with such ensembles as the Buxtehude Consort and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra. In August 2010 she started her current position at Old Saint Paul’s Church, Baltimore, making history as one of very few women ever appointed to a traditional men-and-boys choir.
Laudatory reviews of her playing have appeared in such publications as Clavier, The New Records, The American Organist, Organists’ Review, The Diapason, and newspapers throughout the country and abroad. The Philadelphia Inquirer has described her playing as “alchemy … definitely among the afternoon’s high points,” and the Halifax Chronicle-Herald praised her “musical elegance, clarity, projection and mastery of style … an amazing display of musical virtuosity of the highest order.” Of her recordings, the German journal Orgel International states, “Diane Meredith Belcher’s playing is exemplary in every respect,” and American Record Guide calls her performances “glowingly brilliant, rhythmically vibrant, consistently expressive, and full of both atmosphere and personality – in short, everything that artistic organ playing should be.”
Ms. Belcher is represented by Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio.
Current as of August 2010
DIANE MEREDITH BELCHER
Press Notices
DENVER “Belcher showed her brilliant technique and rhythmic drive ...”
The American Organist
BOSTON “The greater the technical challenge, the greater she seemed to relish it. To her fleet and sure-fingered accounts of Vierne’s Naïades and Toccata there was effortless brilliance.”
The American Organist
“Ms. Belcher’s technical ability, often bordering on athletic agility, was brilliantly displayed ...”
The Diapason
CLEVELAND “A formidable virtuoso, Belcher played ... with authority and zest.”
The Plain Dealer
HALIFAX, Novi Scotia, Canada. (2006 RCCO National Convention recital)
“Belcher began with a Prelude and Fugue in A Minor by Brahms, boldly taking charge of the musical energy from the first chord, and playing with such command of imagery and design that Horowitz at the piano came to mind …”
“… anyone with even half an ear for musical elegance, clarity, projection and mastery of style could not fail to respond to Belcher’s inspiring appetite for giving composers the opportunity to take their best shot.”
“… Belcher brought not only musical understanding but a definitive sense of the style, and a thorough knowledge of what the St. Matthew’s Casavant can do.”
“… an amazing display of musical virtuosity of the highest order.” The Chronicle Herald
NORFOLK (VA) “With such great technical command of the instrument, Belcher was able to explore – and make sense of – the most difficult musical language … she gave physical shape to every musical gesture with her perfect timing. It is a language she understands well and that she used effectively to communicate directly to the listeners.” The Virginian-Pilot
LITTLE ROCK “Diane Meredith Belcher played an exciting recital ... Ms. Belcher showed great flair and sensitivity in her playing, with a wonderful feeling of internal rhythm and movement.”
The American Organist
“... splendid, fully-satisfying performances ... she is the real thing – an organist with all the technical and interpretive skills anyone could want.” Arkansas Times
“The Wildwood Festival imports many artists each season, but I doubt that any performer brought in for the festival has the artistic integrity and power that Belcher has. This is a performer who knows how to deliver the goods.” Arkansas Times
ORLANDO “Diane Meredith Belcher showed Tuesday evening what more experienced artistry is.”
The Orlando Sentinel
MEMPHIS “... catering to a full house ... Diane Meredith Belcher proceeded to light a fire under us with a concert of 20th century compositions.” The American Organist
GREENSBORO (NC) “inspired drama and flair … The artist gave each movement an authoritative and profound reading … Not a soul stirred for a long time after she released the final chord. Brava!”
Classical Voice of North Carolina
COLUMBIA (SC) “... a performance that was serious without pretense, joyous without frivolity and thoroughly captivating.” The State
CHARLESTON (WV) “Belcher played admirably ... Her definition of texture and musical line was full of finely hued detail and crisp precision.”
The Charleston Gazette
ANAHEIM “... Diane Meredith Belcher turned in a brilliant account capped by the Reger Second Sonata ...”
The American Organist
WILKES-BARRE “Belcher is a virtuoso organist who easily ranks with the leading organists in the United States – if not in the world.” The Times Leader
RECORDINGS
The Great Skinner Organ at Girard College
“She is a virtuoso organist to rank with any, and plays with rare poise and pacing as well as exceptional mastery.” The New Records
“Her untrammeled abandon and keen emotional sensitivity are perfectly adapted to the romantic style.” Clavier
“... whose playing is glowingly brilliant, rhythmically vibrant, consistently expressive, and full of both atmosphere and personality – in short, everything that artistic organ playing should be.”
American Record Guide
The New Glatter-Götz/Rosales Organ at Claremont United Church of Christ
“Gigantic! A CD that is addictive! … Diane Meredith Belcher’s playing … is exemplary in every respect. She … masterfully expresses the essence of each composition as it unfolds.”
Orgel International
“Belcher is a solid player, displaying both technique and thorough knowledge of historic styles. Her Bach is clear and expressive …” American Record Guide
“… the whole programme, which is played with musicianship, flair and poise, a fine ear for colour and the ability to marry the organ perfectly to every style which it is called to adopt.”
Organists’ Review
“A highly diverse programme … She plays with admirable musicianship throughout …”
Choir & Organ
“… this Diane Meredith Belcher recital … is the best.” (Golden Ear Award) Absolute Sound
diane meredith belcher
Discography
The Missouri Jewel: Quimby Pipe Organs Inc., Opus 55
Recorded on the Quimby pipe organ at William Jewel College in Liberty, MO
A two-disc set featuring popular hymns and solo organ works. (JAV 183)
www.greatorgancds.com
Great Organs of America: Modern Landmarks, Volume 2.
Recorded on the new Glatter-Götz/Rosales organ at Claremont United Church of Christ, California. Works of Alain, Bach, Balbastre, Dupré, Franck, Hoiby, Rheinberger, Tikker, and Vierne. (JAV 115)
www.greatorgancds.com
Jongen: Symphonie Concertante.
Recorded with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra at Girard College, Philadelphia.
(DTR 8804)
www.dtrmusic.com
The Great Skinner Organ at Girard College.
Works of Duruflé, Reger, Rheinberger, and Widor played by Diane Meredith Belcher at Girard College, Philadelphia. (DTR 8403)
www.dtrmusic.com
Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc.
33563 Seneca Drive • Cleveland, OH 44139
TOLL FREE (866) 721-9095 • FAX (440) 542-1890 • www.concertorganists.com