James Welch

University Organist and Carillonneur since 1977 at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is a native of California. He studied from 1968 to 1969 at Brigham Young University, and in 1970 he attended the Mozarteum Akademie in Salzburg, Austria, where he studied with Professor Josef F. Doppelbauer. In 1972 he began his studies at Stanford University with Professor Herbert Nanney. As a graduate student he was appointed University Assistant Organist, and in the summer of 1975 he served as Acting University Organist. In 1974 he completed his Master’s Degree Project with Josef Doppelbauer in Salzburg, and in 1975 he studied pipe organs in South America on a grant from Stanford University. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in June 1977. Dr. Welch is an Associate Member of the American Guild of Organists and is currently the Dean of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Guild. He has also studied with Alexander Schreiner in Salt Lake City and with Jean Langlais at Ste. Clotilde in Paris. He has performed on carillons and organs in England, France, Germany, Austria, Brazil, and throughout the United States. Dr. Welch has released two previous recordings of organ music, “Concert” and “Recital”, produced by Wilson Audio Specialties.