George C. Baker (born June 9, 1951) is an American organist, composer, pedagogue, and dermatologist.^[1]

Biography

Baker received his first musical instruction at age four. In 1961, he began to take organ lessons with Phil Baker, organist at Highland Park Methodist Church in Dallas. He completed his organ studies with Robert T. Anderson at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1973 with a Bachelor's degree in Music. In 1969, he won the Regional Competition, and, in 1970, the National Organ Competition of the American Guild of Organists in Buffalo, NY.^[2]

Additional organ studies in France followed with Marie-Claire Alain, André Marchal, Pierre Cochereau, and Jean Langlais. In 1974, Baker won the Grand Prix de Chartres in organ performance.^[3] A year later, he obtained a Diplôme de Virtuosité from the Schola Cantorum in Paris, and, in 1977, a Master of Music from the University of Florida. He graduated with a DMA from the University of Michigan in 1979 and joined the faculty of the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. The same year, he won a first prize at the International Organ Improvisation Competition in Lyon. His recordings include the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Louis Vierne (along with Pierre Cochereau), as well as the world premiere recording of the organ compositions of Darius Milhaud, which was awarded two Grand Prix du Disque.^[4][5]

In addition to his musical career, Baker obtained an MD from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in 1987 and began to practice medicine in 1991, after an internship in Internal medicine and Dermatology until his retirement in 2021.^[6] In 1996, he entered the Executive MBA program at Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, where he graduated with an MBA in 1998.

Baker was lecturer in Organ Improvisation at Rice University, Houston until his retirement in 2021. In November 2021, he was appointed as adjunct associate professor of Organ at SMU Meadows School of the Arts.^[7]

Compositions

Discography

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Complete Organ Works. Recorded between 1976 and 1979 in Thionville, at Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Mateaux and St. Louis in Paris, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music.
• Johann Sebastian Bach: 5 Organ Concertos. Concertos BWV 592–596. Recorded on the Kern organ at Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Mateaux in Paris, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 080. 1 CD.
• Pierre du Mage: Livre d'Orgue & Louis-Nicolas Clérambault: 2 Suites. Recorded in 1976 at Houdan, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music, 1976. 1 LP.
• Marcel Dupré: Organ Works Vol. 13. Vision op. 44, Zephyrs, Deuxième Symphonie op. 26, Six Antiennes pour le Temps de Noël op. 48, Chorales op. 28 (Nos. 21–23, 36-41 & 66). Recorded in 2001 at Perkins Chapel, SMU, Dallas, Texas. Naxos 8.554542. 1 CD.
• Paul Hindemith: 3 Sonatas & Max Reger: Organ Works. Recorded in 1975 at St. Sernin, Toulouse, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music, 1975. 1 LP.
• Darius Milhaud: Complete Organ Works. Recorded in 1974 at Chartres Cathedral, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 916. 1 CD.
• Louis Vierne: 24 Pièces de Fantaisie. Recorded in 1993 at St. Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 817/8. 2 CDs.
• Louis Vierne: 24 Pièces en style libre op. 31, Messe basse op. 30, Messe basse pour les défunts op. 62, Prélude funèbre op. 4. Recorded in 1990 and 1993 at St. Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 815/6. 2 CDs.
• Louis Vierne: Organ Works. Messe solennelle op. 16, Verset fugué sur „In exitu Israel“ (1894), Allegretto op. 1, Communion op. 8, Triptyque op. 58, Prélude (1914), 3 Improvisations, Marche triomphale op. 46. Recorded in 1993 at St. Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 815/6. 2 CDs.
• Organ Works of American Composers. Recorded in 1976 at St. Sernin, Toulouse, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music, 1976. 1 LP.
• Charles-Marie Widor: Symphonie Gothique & Louis Vierne: 24 Pièces en style libre op. 31. Recorded in 1990 at St. Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music.
• Riches to Rags: Works of Bach and Joplin. Baroque Notes Inc., 1997. 1 CD.
• Jean Langlais: un centenaire/a centenary. Recorded 2007 at Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, France. Sigean: Solstice Music, 2007. 1 CD.
• Olivier Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur. Baroque Notes Inc., 2008. 1 CD.
• Hommage à Cochereau. (Along with David Briggs, Thierry Escaich und Loïc Mallié.) Recorded in 2008 at Saint-Sulpice, Paris, France (George Baker: Ricercar on "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland", Berceuse-Paraphrase, Toccata-Gigue on the Sussex Carol). Sigean: Solstice Music, 2009. 1 CD.

Bibliography

• Baker, George. "An Interview with Maurice Duruflé." The American Organist 14(11), November 1980.
• Baker, George. Organ Improvisation: A Workbook of Ideas and Exercises Leading to New Musical Creations (ePublication). Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022.
• Blanc, Frédéric (ed.) "An interview with Maurice Duruflé by George Baker." In Maurice Duruflé: Souvenirs et autres écrits. Paris, France: Séguier, 2005, 203–228.
• Pâris, Alain (ed.). "George Baker". In Dictionnaire des interprètes et de l'interprétation musicale au XXe siècle. Paris, France: Laffont, 1985, 178.
• Pâris, Alain (ed.). "George Baker". In Lexikon der Interpreten klassischer Musik im 20. Jahrhundert. Kassel, Germany: Bärenreiter, 1992, 38–39.
• Warnier, Vincent. "George C. Baker (né en 1951)." In Renaud Machart and Vincent Warnier (eds.): Les grands organistes du XXe siècle. Paris, France: Buchet-Chastel, 2018, 303–309.

References

External links

• Website of George Baker
• Biography on the Karen McFarlane Artists Website, Cleveland, OH
• Baroque Notes Music
• Winners of the Grand Prix de Chartres 1974