Brandon Santini - Biography

Brandon Santini, an accomplished concert and church organist, pianist, conductor and music educator began his career as Music Director and Organist in 2001 for a local church at the age of 14. Beginning formal study in piano at the age of 6, and organ at 9, Brandon maintained a continual and dedicated focus in music. While a student in high school he was maintaining an active schedule of both piano and organ recitals which included a performance of Gershwin's famous "Rhapsody in Blue" with a leading hometown Concert Band while studying piano with David Hagan of the New England Conservatory and Guest Organist at a Parish Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome, Italy. He gave his first professional organ concert at the age of 11 while studying organ with Peter Krasinski and remained Music Director and Organist at St. Albert the Great Church in his hometown until he left for college

Brandon attended Oberlin College Conservatory where he received his Bachelor of Music degree with distinction in both Organ and Piano Performance. He studied organ with Prof. James David Christie and piano with Prof. Peter Takacs. Studies for the Master of Music degree in Organ Performance were pursued at the Eastman School of Music with Prof. David Higgs and studied piano with Prof. Vincent Lenti. He has also studied organ with Dr. Sean Redrow, and in Bolzano, Italy, with Marco Facchin and Claudio Astronio.

Brandon captured third prize in the 2010 Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition, ASOF, Young Professional Division and while an undergraduate at Oberlin he placed second in the AGO/RCYO 2007 competition. Before college he placed second in the Milton Performing Arts Festival Piano Competition in 2001. A long time member of the American Guild of Organists, AGO, he holds both the dual NPM/AGO "Service Playing Certificate" SPC certification, and the "Colleague" CAGO, certification. He is also a member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, NPM, and the Organ Historical Society, OHS. An active accompanist and recitalist since the age of 10, he has performed with several brass chamber ensembles and widely as organ soloist on both the national and international stage including master classes with Christa Rakich, Dr. Murray Forbes Somerville, Dr. Joan Lippincott, Michel Bouvard and the Royal College of Music in London.

Following his church position in his home state he served as substitute organist for several churches in Oberlin, OH while an undergraduate. While a graduate student at Eastman he first served as Assistant Organist and Choirmaster at St. Anne's Catholic Church and then the Director of Music Ministries, Organist, and Choirmaster at Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY. Upon returning home he temporarily served as Director of Music Ministries at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in No. Easton, MA and is currently the Music Director/Organist for St. Theresa of Avila in West Roxbury, MA.