Biography
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Daniel Ficarri is a rising organist and composer, currently studying at The Juilliard School with Paul Jacobs. Ficarri is quickly making his mark as a versatile soloist and ensemble musician in New York City—his recent performance of John Cage’s Souvenir for organ was listed under the “Week’s 8 Best Classical Music Moments” in The New York Times. In addition, Ficarri appeared as a soloist in WQXR’s Bach Organ Marathon, and he has performed in some of New York City’s most impressive spaces—the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, and the Church of St. Paul the Apostle. Other performances have taken him outside of the solo organ world, from appearances in Lincoln Square’s Winter’s Eve Festival and Juilliard’s ChamberFest to concerts with the Chelsea Opera, the New Choral Society, and the Juilliard Orchestra in Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall. Last season, Ficarri’s schedule included solo performances at Pennsylvania Chautauqua’s Hall of Philosophy, the University of Oregon’s Beall Concert Hall, the University of Scranton’s Houlihan McLean Center, and Wingate University’s Austin Auditorium.
Ficarri is becoming increasingly recognized as an up-and-coming composer for the organ. His Exultation was commissioned by the British magazine Choir & Organ for the dedication of the new pipe organ at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan. In addition, his Suite No. 1 for Organ was premiered in New York City and Los Angeles last year by organist David Ball. Both pieces, in addition to Ficarri’s Prelude in D Major, will be featured in a forthcoming episode of the Christ Cathedral’s Music from the Tower radio show on Saturday, July 21. Many of Ficarri’s compositions and arrangements have arisen in service of musical collaboration—these include his original organ and piano duet arrangements of music by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, and Guilmant, prepared for performance with pianist Anna Han. Scores and recordings of Ficarri’s music are available through Sheet Music Plus, and a free score of Exultation can be downloaded for a limited time through Choir & Organ.
An active church musician, Ficarri currently works as Organ Scholar at The Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan. In 2015, he founded Sacred Sounds at St. Paul’s, a concert series promoting organ music in the Lincoln Center neighborhood and providing performance opportunities to young artists; he also spearheaded the organ restoration project underway at St. Paul’s. Previously, he served as Organ Scholar at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, NY.
Ficarri is becoming increasingly recognized as an up-and-coming composer for the organ. His Exultation was commissioned by the British magazine Choir & Organ for the dedication of the new pipe organ at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan. In addition, his Suite No. 1 for Organ was premiered in New York City and Los Angeles last year by organist David Ball. Both pieces, in addition to Ficarri’s Prelude in D Major, will be featured in a forthcoming episode of the Christ Cathedral’s Music from the Tower radio show on Saturday, July 21. Many of Ficarri’s compositions and arrangements have arisen in service of musical collaboration—these include his original organ and piano duet arrangements of music by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, and Guilmant, prepared for performance with pianist Anna Han. Scores and recordings of Ficarri’s music are available through Sheet Music Plus, and a free score of Exultation can be downloaded for a limited time through Choir & Organ.
An active church musician, Ficarri currently works as Organ Scholar at The Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan. In 2015, he founded Sacred Sounds at St. Paul’s, a concert series promoting organ music in the Lincoln Center neighborhood and providing performance opportunities to young artists; he also spearheaded the organ restoration project underway at St. Paul’s. Previously, he served as Organ Scholar at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, NY.
