Music

John Scott, Organist and Director of Music since 2004, has an international reputation as an organist and choir trainer. After his initial musical training as a Cathedral chorister in Wakefield, Yorkshire, Dr. Scott become Organ Scholar of St. John’s College, Cambridge. While still a student, he made his Royal Albert Hall debut as the youngest organ soloist to appear in the Proms.

Upon leaving Cambridge, Dr. Scott was jointly appointed Assistant Organist at London’s two Anglican Cathedrals, St. Paul’s and Southwark. He subsequently became Sub-Organist of St. Paul’s, and served as Director of Music there for fourteen years before joining Saint Thomas Church as Director of Music. In 1998, he was nominated International Performer of the Year by the New York Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and is a frequent jury member of the world’s most prestigious organ competitions. Before embarking for his new post in New York, he was awarded the title Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO), a personal honor from Queen Elizabeth II. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Nashotah House Seminary in 2008.

Frederick Teardo, Associate Organist, holds primary responsibility for service playing, accompanying the Choir of Men and Boys, and training the Junior Choir. Prior to this appointment, he served as Assistant Organist at St. Thomas Church since September 2006.

Dr. Teardo received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music, as well as the Master of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees. At Yale, he studied organ with Thomas Murray and harpsichord with Richard Rephann. During his time at Yale, he held the post of Yale University Chapel Organist, and later served as Assistant Organist at Trinity Episcopal Church on the Green in New Haven, CT. Dr. Teardo received his Bachelor of Music degree with Highest Honors from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he studied organ with David Higgs. His other teachers have included Stephen Roberts and Haskell Thomson. He has also studied improvisation with William Porter and Jeffrey Brillhart.

An avid performer, Dr. Teardo has won first prize in numerous competitions and has performed across the United States, including such venues as St. Bartholomew’s Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Washington National Cathedral, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Trinity Church Copley Square in Boston, and Princeton University Chapel. He has also been a featured performer at Regional and National Conventions of the American Guild of Organists and Organ Historical Society, on the American Public Media’s Pipedreams, BBC Radio 3 with the St. Thomas Choir, and in a segment on the revived interest of the pipe organ on ABC World News Tonight.

Kevin Kwan, Assistant Organist, works daily with the Choir of Men and Boys, playing for services and assisting in the training of the choristers. He also is the Head of Instrumental Music at Saint Thomas Choir School.

Mr. Kwan is a native of San Francisco, California. A winner of the 2005 American Guild of Organists/Quimby Regional Competition for Young Organists, Mr. Kwan has also won awards from the AGO San Diego Chapter, the Spreckels Organ Society, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. In 2007, Mr. Kwan obtained his Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Todd Wilson. In Cleveland, he served as Organ Scholar at The Church of the Covenant, and was the principal accompanist for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. Before moving to Cleveland, Mr. Kwan was Organ Scholar at St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego. He has participated in master-classes led by Marie-Claire Alain, Olivier Latry, Gerre Hancock, and Thomas Trotter.

Before coming to Saint Thomas, Mr. Kwan was Organ Scholar at Gloucester Cathedral, one of the most stunning acoustical and architectural environments in the world. During his year in England, he enjoyed two international tours with the renowned Choir of Men and Boys, was featured live on BBC Radio, and played piano with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Three Choirs Festival. Mr. Kwan has performed solo recitals in many prestigious venues, including Lichfield, Truro, Bristol, Westminster and Gloucester Cathedrals, as well as at Bath Abbey and Westminster Abbey. In the summer of 2010, he played before a capacity audience at Passau Cathedral, Germany.