Artist Spotlight: Frederick Swann

Dr. Frederick Swann was a legendary educator, leader, and performer in the church music and organ world. We are grateful for his friendship with Rodgers and his many performances on Rodgers organs.

Frederick Swann (July 30, 1931 – November 13, 2022) was an American church and concert organist, choral conductor, composer, and president of the American Guild of Organists.

He began playing the organ for church services as a ten-year old at a Methodist church in Winchester, Virginia, where his father was pastor. He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in music and later studied at the School of Sacred Music of Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. One of the best-known organists of the 20th and early 21st century, Swann was the former Director of Music and Organist at New York City's Riverside Church and Organist Emeritus of the Crystal Cathedral and the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. Playing the Crystal Cathedral organ on the weekly Hour of Power television program, he was seen by an estimated audience of twenty million viewers in 165 countries.

Swann lived in Palm Desert, California, where he was Artist-in-residence at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church from 2001 until his death in 2022. He was also formerly University Organist and Organ Professor at the University of Redlands prior to his retirement in 2018.

Critics have called Swann "one of the country's most distinguished organists". Other critics have praised his playing as "brilliant". The New York Times said his performance at a Riverside Church recital in 2006, "demonstrated that organists are complete athletes, needing both lightning-fast fingers and the fleet footwork of a dancer".

In 2015, the Royal Canadian College of Organists named Swann a Fellow, honoris causa, and in 2018 the AGO honored him as the organization's first honoris causa recipient of its "Fellow" degree (i.e., FAGO).  Following eleven years as organist and organ professor at the University of Redlands, Swann received the honorary Doctor of Music degree from the California university upon his retirement in April 2018.

The organ in the Arboretum at Christ Cathedral is named the Frederick Swann Organ in his honor. Comprising 82 ranks and 4,949 pipes, the 1948 Aeolian-Skinner organ was originally at Beverly Hills' First Church of Christ Scientist but was removed following severe damage to that church in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. It was eventually installed in the Arboretum building on the Crystal Cathedral's campus, under Swann's guidance.

Frederick Swann and Rodgers Organs

Dr. Swann has been a friend of Rodgers Organs for many years, and he has performed hundreds of concerts on Rodgers organs. Several Rodgers have been his personal residence organ.

Please enjoy this brief photo gallery of Dr. Swann and Rodgers Organs

Dr. Swann’s Rodgers 4-manual pipe/digital hybrid organ, now installed at Shepherd Grove Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Swann and Bob Knight installing his new residence organ, a Rodgers 4-manual Infinity 484.

 

 

 

In celebration of his 90^th birthday, Dr. Swann is proudly seated at his home organ, a Rodgers Inspire Series 343.

 

 

 

Dr. Swann and Nelson Dodge at the dedication concert of a 5-manual Rodgers Masterpiece Series 1138 at Church of the Good Shepherd, Arcadia, California.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Swann as an esteemed judge, congratulating the finalists of the 2015 Rodgers North American Competition held at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Swann playing an Organ Dedication Concert on a Rodgers Infinity Series 484 at Azusa Pacific University in southern California.

 

 

 

Dr. Swann playing a dedication concert of a Rodgers 3-manual Masterpiece Series organ in Glendale, Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Swann enjoying a new Rodgers Infinity Series 361 organ in the home of his dear friend, Dr. Robert Tall, in Palm Springs, California.

 

 

Dr. Swann with Dan Miller enjoying a reception following Dan’s Organ Dedication Concert performance on a Rodgers Infinity Series 361 at All Souls Church - Metropolitan Community Church of the Coachella Valley in Cathedral City, California, in 2021.

 

Please follow these links to read interesting, introspective, informative, amazing, and amusing accounts of the life and history of the beloved Dr. Frederick Swann:

The American Organist: https://www.agohq.org/frederick-swann/

The Diapason: Fred Swann dead at 91 (thediapason.com)

Riverside Church: https://www.trcnyc.org/in-memoriam-frederick-swann/

Orange County Register: https://www.ocregister.com/2022/11/18/fred-swann-remembered-for-as-incredible-musician-played-organs-around-the-world/

NYTimes: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/02/arts/music/frederick-swann-dead.html

Wikipedia: Frederick Swann - Wikipedia