BIOGRAPHY

Named one of The Diapason magazine’s top “20 under 30” young organists in 2020, Grant Wareham is active as an organist, choral conductor, and teacher. He was recently appointed as Director of Music at First Unitarian Church of Dallas, prior to which he has served as Associate Organist and Choirmaster at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, also in Dallas, TX. Prior to moving to Dallas, he served as director of music ministries at Derry Church in Hershey, PA, where he oversaw the restoration and reinstallation of Aeolian-Skinner No. 1132, originally installed in 1950 at the Church of the Redeemer in New Haven, Conn.—work that was highlighted in both The Diapason and The American Organist.

Active as an organ recitalist, Wareham has performed at National City Christian Church, Washington, D.C.; St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City; and the 2017 National Convention of the Organ Historical Society. A champion of new music, in 2022 he commissioned and premiered Karim Al-Zand’s Toccata for Organ in Washington, D.C. He also gave the American premiere of Francesco Santelli’s Assisi Concerto for organ and chamber orchestra at NYC’s Church of the Covenant in 2019. Winner of both first prize and Audience Prize at the 2017 Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition in Hartford, Conn., he was also a semifinalist in the 2019 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition.

Wareham earned an MM degree at the Yale University Institute of Sacred Music and School of Music, where he studied with Jon Laukvik and Thomas Murray. During his time in New Haven, he served as organist and choirmaster for the Episcopal Church at Yale, and as organ scholar at Christ Church New Haven. He earned a BM degree at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with Ken Cowan, graduating cum laude and with distinction in research and creative work. While in Houston, he served as Moseley Memorial Organ Scholar at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, and then as associate organist at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church.