Morristown has a tradition of great church organists, and Josh Stafford quickly earned his place in that pantheon upon his arrival as music director at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in 2013.
Now, he’s playing for international glory.
On Saturday, June 18, 2016, Stafford will compete against four other finalists for the $40,000 Pierre S. du Pont First Prize— the largest cash prize in the organ world–at the Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition.
You can cheer for him online, at about 3:30 pm. To watch the competition, click here and follow the login instructions. Scroll down, click “Watch Now” and choose “Final Round 1.” Stafford is scheduled to be the third player.
A native of Jamestown, NY, Stafford, 28, honed his skills at the Curtis Institute of Music and Yale University.
He has played the great organs at Westminster Abbey and Notre Dame in Paris, and considers St. Peter’s 1930 Skinner organ among the finest such instruments in the country.
Stafford’s improvisational skills have been showcased at screenings of such silent film classics at The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which he has accompanied on the church organ.
Break a leg, Josh!
