Jeremy Filsell

Among the uncommon musicians capable of achieving mastery at both the piano and the organ stands Jeremy Filsell. His selections for piano performances span widely across familiar classics as well as obscure compositions. While he has taken the stage and committed to disc more frequently in the role of organist, he has sometimes promoted overlooked compositions by figures such as Marcel Dupré, Samuel Barber, and Zoltán Kodály. Numerous discs bear his name across various imprints, one example being his accompaniment of Christina Gullans on the Albany label's 2020 release titled Alan Hovhaness: Across the Ages.

Born in England on April 10, 1964, Filsell displayed exceptional gifts at an early age. He made his first appearance as a pianist on BBC TV at twelve. During his teenage years he captured the Limpus Prize while pursuing FRCO status through the Royal College of Organists and later attained a fellowship. The Worshipful Company of Musicians in London also presented him with its Silver Medal. He pursued organ studies at Keble College, Oxford University, and piano training at the Royal College of Music under Hilary McNamara and David Parkhouse. In Paris he received private organ lessons from Daniel Roth. By 1993 he had earned a prize at the St. Alban's International Organ Competition, and his dual career as pianist and organist was already advancing steadily.

He began his recording association with Guild Records in 1995, starting with organ performances on the Oxford Book of Wedding Music before turning to piano works by Howells and Stevens and then to chamber projects that featured successive issues of violin and piano sonatas by British composers. In 1998 he embarked on what would become his most significant recording endeavor, releasing the first volume of the complete organ works of Marcel Dupré. The entire critically praised cycle, comprising twelve volumes, reached completion in just two years. Entering the early years of the new century, Filsell had become an established touring artist, appearing throughout the United States, Europe, and Britain in both piano and organ recitals. His collaborations have included work with the BBC Singers and performances under Stephen Cleobury and Pierre Boulez.

Several prominent teaching posts have formed part of his career, among them positions at the Royal Northern College of Music, Eton College, and the Royal College of Music. In 2010 he was appointed artist-in-residence at the Washington National Cathedral, and in 2019 he assumed the duties of organist and music director at the Church of St. Thomas, Fifth Avenue, in New York. His discography further includes a 2005 Signum Classics collection presenting Louis Vierne's six organ symphonies, the 2008 release Noël Nouvelet, and the 2009 album Duruflé: Requiem; Grunenwald: De Profundis. In 2020 he again accompanied cellist Christina Gullans on a recording of works by Alan Hovhaness.