The Early Years…………

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After three years of piano and at the age of nine, Brandon was attracted to the organ after hearing Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor and began teaching himself to play the Toccata. A year later when attending an organ concert at a local church, he waited until the concert ended and when most of the people had left he climbed up onto the organ bench and started to play. Barely able to reach the pedals he started to play the Toccata. His playing caught the attention of some people who were lingering after the concert. It was this moment that Brandon met his first organ teacher. After a year of organ study with his new organ teacher, he gave his first organ recital on his eleventh birthday. Brandon debuted as guest organist at Saint Albert the Great Church in Weymouth, MA for a Christmas Eve Mass in December of 1996 at the age of ten, Concert Programs 12-24-96, and gave his first concert at Bethany Congregational Church in Quincy, MA in August 1997 on his eleventh birthday, Concert Programs 8-6-97. In December of the same year he performed a Christmas Concert at Old South Union Congregational Church in Weymouth, MA Concert Programs 12-13-97.

In January of 1998, Brandon won a full music scholarship from the American Guild of Organists/Youth Organists Initiative, (AGO.YOI). In the summer of 1998 he performed at Boston’s King’s Chapel and at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel. As a recitalist during the Pipe Organ Encounter in Boston, he also had the opportunity to perform at the Holy Cross Cathedral and the Methuen Memorial Music hall among others.

On his twelfth birthday, he performed his second concert at Bethany Church, and later appeared as a special guest organist with noted Organist, Brain Jones at Sacred Heart Church in Weymouth, MA. In January of 1999, Brandon performed a concert at Weymouth’s Sacred Heart Church which received a standing ovation from a full audience, Concert Programs 1-24-99. Later in April, Brandon had the distinct honor of performing an all Bach concert at Harvard University’s Adolphus Busch Hall on the world-renowned and historic Flentrop Organ, Concert Programs 4-8-99, and later in November did a concert tour performing in some of Boston’s most notable churches such as Trinity Episcopal Church, Mission Church and Old South Congregational Church. In April 2003, as guest organist, he played at the Parish Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Rome, Italy, Gallery 2, 2003. As pianist, he has given numerous recitals, has accompanied flute and string ensembles, choruses and musicals, and was awarded second place in the Milton Young Musicians Festival Piano Competition in 2001. He was the Music Director serving as organist and choir director for Saint Albert the Great Church from the age of 14 up until leaving for college. Since then he has continued as substitute organist for several churches while attending college.