Aaron Patterson
Philadelphia,PA
Summary
Seasoned church musician, organist, and choral accompanist. Strong skills in sight-reading, service playing and collaboration, having worked closely with numerous top-tier conductors. Known for ability to adapt quickly to different musical styles and genres, contributing significantly to successful music programs in previous roles.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Music
Cresheim Valley Church
Philadelphia, PA
08.2024 - Current
- Select music for, and accompany, traditional worship services.
- Compose and arrange music for worship for organ, choir, and other instruments/ensembles.
- Direct the chamber choir, selecting anthems throughout the year, running weekly rehearsals, and conducting newly composed works.
- Contract and accompany soloists to provide special music on a weekly basis.
- Oversee maintenance of the church's organ and piano.
Assistant Organist
Tenth Presbyterian Church
Philadelphia, PA
01.2020 - 08.2024
- Provided accompaniment for traditional worship services.
- Accompanied and served as rehearsal pianist for 50-voice choir, performing repertoire from a wide variety of traditions, including landmark anthems of such composers as Bach, Handel, Howells, and Rutter.
- Regularly accompanied Nicaea Brass, the church's resident brass ensemble.
- Provided accompaniment for special concerts throughout the year, including such works as Handel's Messiah, Charles Wood's St. Mark Passion, and Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living
- Regularly accompanied vocal and instrumental soloists.
Organ Scholar
St. Thomas Church, Whitemarsh
Fort Washington, PA
09.2018 - 03.2020
- Provided accompaniment for traditional worship services.
- Accompanied Parish Choir, with a particular emphasis on music rooted in the Anglican choral tradition.
- Provided accompaniment and assisted with rehearsals for the Chorister Program, an educational choral program for students aged 7 and older and affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music in England.
Choral Accompanist
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
02.2025 - Current
- Provide accompaniment and occasionally conduct rehearsals for the 60-voice University Chorus and the smaller All College Choir
- Assist with note learning by reading, from open score, repertoire spanning from the Rennaissance to newly composed.
- Accompany the choirs and selected solo vocalists in regular choral performances.
Private Music Teacher
Self-employeed
Philadelphia, PA
03.2022 - Current
- Teaching organ and piano lessons to students of all ages, goals, and levels, from young beginners to conservatory caliber.
- Giving educated, interpretive guidance for repertoire of all styles.
- Equipping students to effectively and efficiently learn music with proper practice techniques.
- Forming a curriculum suited to the goals and needs of each student.
Education
Master of Music - Organ Performance
The Juilliard School
New York, NY05-2024
Bachelor of Music - Organ Performance
The Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, PA05-2022
Certificate - Harpsichord Performance
The Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, PA05-2022
Skills
- Organ performance
- Harpsichord performance
- Hymn playing
- Accompaniment and collaboration in all styles
- Strong sight-reading
- Strong open score reading
- Composition and arranging
- Conducting and leading rehearsals
- Teaching
Performance Venues
- Abbey Reformed United Church of Christ (huntingdon, PA)
- Abington Presbyterian Church (Abington, PA)
- Boardwalk Hall (Atlantic City, NJ)
- Cathédrale Sainte-Marie (Oloron, France)
- Cathedral of St. John the Divine (New York, NY)
- Cathedral of St. Phillip (Atlanta, GA)
- Central Synagogue (New York, NY)
- Christ Church (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
- Christ Lutheran Church (Allentown, PA)
- First Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, PA)
- First Regular Baptist Church (Huntingdon, PA)
- Geneva Presbyterian Church (Laguna Woods, CA)
- Girard College Chapel (Philadelphia, PA)
- Hampton Congregational Church (Hampton, CT)
- Hitchcock Presbyterian Church (Scarsdale, NY)
- Holy Nativity Episcopal Church (Rockledge, PA)
- Huntingdon Presbyterian Church (Huntingdon, PA)
- Marble Collegiate Church (New York, NY)
- Overbrook Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, PA)
- Pilgrim Baptist Church (Philadelphia, PA)
- Princeton University Chapel (Princeton, NJ)
- St Colman Catholic Church (Ardmore, PA)
- St. Giles Presbyterian Church (Richmond, VA)
- St. James United Methodist Church (Philadelphia, PA)
- St. John's Episcopal Church (Hungtingdon, PA)
- St. John's Episcopal Church (Huntington Valley, PA)
- St. John's Episcopal Church (West Hartford, CT)
- St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Scranton, PA)
- St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Frankford) (Philadelphia, PA)
- St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, PA)
- The Curtis Institute of Music (Field Concert Hall) (Philadelphia, PA)
- The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (Wilmington, DE)
- The Great Auditorium (Ocean Grove, NJ)
- The Juilliard School (Paul Recital Hall) (New York, NY)
- The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Marian Anderson Hall) (Philadelphia, PA)
- Trinity Episcopal Church (Moorestown, NJ)
- Trinity Episcopal Church Solebury (Solebury, PA)
- Trinity Wall St. (St Paul's Chapel) (New York, NY)
Accomplishments
- Recipient of Bart Pitman Memorial Music Scholarship, 2023, 2018
- Recipient of Julliard's Kovner Fellowship, 2022-2024
- Recipient of College Freshman Pogorzelski–Yankee Memorial Scholarship Award, 2018-2019
- Recipient of First Prize Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition, 2017
- Recipient of First Prize West Chester Organ Competition, 2016
Timeline
Choral Accompanist
Drexel University
02.2025 - Current
Director of Music
Cresheim Valley Church
08.2024 - Current
Private Music Teacher
Self-employeed
03.2022 - Current
Assistant Organist
Tenth Presbyterian Church
01.2020 - 08.2024
Organ Scholar
St. Thomas Church, Whitemarsh
09.2018 - 03.2020
Master of Music - Organ Performance
The Juilliard School
Bachelor of Music - Organ Performance
The Curtis Institute of Music
Certificate - Harpsichord Performance
The Curtis Institute of Music
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