Music, Gettysburg! Performers

Distinguished Organist in Residence
Felix Hell

The 20 year old German organ virtuoso Felix Hell is a phenomenon in several ways. Hailed as “most well known young concert organist worldwide” (Dr. John Weaver), and “undoubtedly one of the major talents of the century” (Dr. Frederick Swann, AGO president), he “sets standards that many established and honored older players would struggle to equal” (Michael Barone in “The American Organist”).

A liturgical organist since the age of eight, he has concertized in Germany and abroad since the age of nine, has already performed more than 500 recitals: in his native Germany, as well as in Australia, Canada, France, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Latvia, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Russia, and the USA, where he performed more than 300 recitals in 42 states. Orchestra performances have included concerts with the Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestra, USA, and the National Academy Orchestra of Canada under Boris Brott, the McGill Chamber Orchestra (Montreal), and the New England Conservatory Philharmony. His debut performance in the famous Boston Symphony Hall Felix Hell gave in November 2004.

Felix Hell was born on September 14, 1985, in Frankenthal/Pfalz, Germany. He took his first piano lesson at the age of seven, followed by his first organ lesson shortly after his eighth birthday. On Easter 1994, still eight years old, he performed in his first service as an liturgical organist. Also in 1994, he participated in the German competition for young musicians “Jugend musiziert”, and was awarded with two First Prizes in organ playing, following by First Prizes in 1996 (piano solo), 1997 (organ solo) and 1999 (piano solo).

Felix Hell pursued his organ studies at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Heidelberg, studying with Johannes Michel and Christiane Michel-Ostertun. Additional coaching during this period of his education he received in courses with Professors Martin Lücker, Frankfurt; Pieter van Dijk, Amsterdam; Oleg Yantchenko, Moscow; Wolfgang Rübsam, Saarbrücken; Leo Krämer, Speyer; Franz Lehrndorfer, Munich; and Robert Griffith, Delaware/Ohio.

In September 1999 he enrolled at The Juilliard School, New York, where he had been awarded a merit-based full tuition scholarship. In September 2001 Felix Hell has been admitted, again under full tuition scholarship, at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, studying with Dr. John Weaver and Alan Morrison. Additional coaching with Martin Jean and Donald Sutherland. He graduated in May 2004 at the age of 18 and became the youngest Organ Major ever to graduate from Curtis with the degree of a Bachelor of Music. His graduate studies Felix Hell is pursuing, under the guidance of Professor Donald Sutherland, at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, with additional masterclasses with Joan Lippincott, Marie Claire Alain, Cherry Rhodes and Gillian Weir. At Peabody he is enrolled in both, the Master of Music and the Artist Diploma programs.