2024 CIOC Semifinalists

Samuel Gaskin is pursuing Artist’s Diplomas in organ with Jean-Baptiste Robin and in jazz studies with Sylvain Beuf at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Versailles. He won 1st prize in improvisation in the 2023 St. Albans International Organ Competition and received 2nd prize in the 2021 American Guild of Organists’ (AGO) National Competition of Organ Improvisation.

Magdalena Moser studies with Ulrich Walther at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. Her previous competition prizes include the Judith-Weir-Prize and the Douglas-May-Award at the International Organ Festival in St Albans (UK), 1st prize at the International Franz Schmidt Organ competition in Vienna in 2020 and 2nd prize at the International Organ competition in Korschenbroich 2019.

Mélodie Michel recently obtained her Bachelor’s Degree summa cum laude and is now pursuing her master’s degree in the Organ class of Olivier Latry and Thomas Ospital at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.

Daniel Minnick is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of David Higgs, having previously studied with Nathan Laube. He has been a participant and prizewinner in numerous organ competitions at the USA national and international level.

Denis Pisarevskiy graduated with honors from the Moscow State Conservatory as a composer in 2016 and as an organist in 2017. In 2019 he received the Master of Music degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart and graduated from Konzertexamen postgraduate program in 2022 (class of Prof. Ludger Lohmann, organ). Since March 2023, he has been studying at the University of Sacred Music in Tübingen.

Abraham Ross is a recent graduate of McGill University. His background and research interests have led him to detailed studies of American organ repertory from the 19th century, particularly the music of the Second New England School and Charles Ives. He received a grant from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec for his doctoral research on contrapuntal organ improvisation and arrangement practices in early modern Italy.

Johannes Skoog holds degrees from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Conservatoire de Paris and Staatliche Musikhochschule in Stuttgart, with teachers including Olivier Latry, Nathan Laube, Louis Robilliard, Michel Bouvard, Thierry Escaich and Mathias Kjellgren. He has spent five years at the cathedral of Västerås as Associate Organist and is currently teaching organ interpretation at Lilla Akademien, in Stockholm.

Anna Spirina studied at the Moscow State Conservatory in the organ class of Konstantin Volostnov and is presently honing her skills at the HEMU in Lausanne (class of Benjamin Righetti). She is the winner of numerous awards and international competitions, including the Concours international d’orgue de Saint-Maurice and the international Baikal Toccata competition. She is titular organist at the Catholic church in Châtel-St-Denis and St-Maurice church (Swiss, Fribourg).

Leendert Verduijn serves as an organist at the ´Sint Maartenskerk´ in Zaltbommel and is active as a church musician in the Reformed Church of Oudewater. He studied at the Rotterdam conservatory and has won prizes at competitions such as the International Martini Organ Competition Groningen, Govert van Wijn Concours Maassluis (1st prize), and the International Cesar Franck Competition Haarlem (2nd prize and audience prize).

Henry Webb is a Masters student at McGill University, studying organ with Isabelle Demers and harpsichord with Elizaveta Miller. In 2023, Henry completed a bachelor’s degree in Organ Performance under David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music, and a diploma of Specialization from Johann Vexo at the Strasbourg conservatory in 2023. Henry is the recipient of the 2nd prize and the audience prize of the 2023 Ottumwa National Undergraduate Organ Competition.