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Huw Lewis
Huw Lewis was born into a musical family in Wales, and received much of his formal training in the British Isles, studying at the Royal College of Music in London and at Cambridge University. His earliest experiences as a performing artist were gained in his native Wales, where he made his choral conducting "debut" at age 10. It was after extensive studies as a violinist, pianist and organist, that he won the organ scholarship to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. As a teenager, he was awarded Teaching and Performing diplomas from the Royal Academy and The Royal College of Music (LRAM and ARCM), and Limpus Prizes (highest marks for playing) for both diplomas of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO and FRCO).
In 1972, he came to the United States to study organ at the University of Michigan, where he earned his Master's and Doctorate degrees in organ performance, studying with Robert Glasgow, Robert Clark and Marilyn Mason. He has also studied privately with Catharine Crozier. In 1974, the judges of the National Organ Competition, held annually in Fort Wayne, Indiana, were unanimous in naming him First Prize Winner. Since that time he has become a nationally well-known recitalist and workshop personality performing in churches through the United States and for numerous national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists. Most recently he was a featured recitalist and workshop presenter at the 1997 Regional AGO convention held in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Dr. Lewis was appointed College Organist at Hope College in 1990 and Chair of the Music Department in the autumn of 1994. Before that, he spent sixteen years as Director of Music at historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Detroit where he also founded and directed the St. John's Bach Society. He also served as choirmaster at Temple Israel, West Bloomfield. At Hope College, in addition to playing for all formal College functions, he teaches organ and theory, and is responsible for coordinating the music theory program. Dr. Lewis is an active member of the American Guild of Organists and has served as the Dean of the Detroit Chapter as well as the Michigan District Convener.
Dr. Lewis maintains a busy performing schedule and has performed at several conventions of the American Guild of Organists. In 1987, he appeared as a featured artist at the International Congress of Organists and at that time made his debut at the Royal College of Organists, London. In his native Britain, he records regularly for the BBC, for whom he recently recorded the United Kingdom's broadcast premiere of William Albright's 1732: In Memoriam Johannes Albrecht. In 1993 Dr. Lewis was interviewed on the BBc's radio program "First Hand" - a program in which artists talk about their lives and discuss the influences which helped shape their personalities and careers. In May, 1994, the BBC recorded Dr. Lewis playing and talking about music in the chapel of his alma mater: Emmanuel College, Cambridge.Ê
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