John Grew - Organ

John Grew is a leading figure among Canadian organists. He is the University Organist and chair of the organ area at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. His teaching career has spanned over thirty years. He established the Early Music program, the largest of its kind in Canada. In 2005, he received the Distinguished Teaching Award from McGill University in recognition of his outstanding achievements with his students. He is also the founder and artistic director of the McGill Summer Organ Academy and the Canadian International Organ Competition.

Among his many accomplishments was his collaboration with Hellmuth Wolff in the planning of the French classical organ at Redpath Hall, one of Montreal’s most important concert venues. John Grew was Dean of the Faculty of Music at McGill from 1991 to 1996. John Grew’s teachers have included Maitland Farmer, Marilyn Mason, Kenneth Gilbert, Marie-Claire Alain and Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini. He was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and held several Artist Awards from the Canada Council during his studies. In 1970 he was unanimously awarded the First Medal at the Geneva International Organ Competition. He has concertized extensively in Europe and North America both as organist and harpsichordist. He has made numerous broadcast recordings, has appeared as soloist with distinguished chamber orchestras and frequently invited as a guest lecturer.

In 1986, John Grew founded, in his native province of Nova Scotia, Musique Royale, an early music festival for which he is still musical advisor. John Grew has received several honorary doctorates, is frequently invited to give master classes and has served on the juries for numerous international competition. His recordings have been received with critical acclaim. John Grew’s artistry is best described by a critic for London’s "Daily Telegraph" who wrote "...it takes an artist of Mr. Grew’s exceptional quality to stress the scale, variety and eloquence of Couperin ... he relishes the music’s gravity and boldly-questioning manner."