George C. Baker

George C. Baker (born 1951 in Dallas, Texas) is an American organist, composer, pedagogue, and dermatologist.

Biography

George C. Baker received his first musical instruction at age four. In 1961, he began to take organ lessons with Phil Baker, organist at Highland Park Methodist Church in Dallas. He completed his organ studies with Robert T. Anderson at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1973 with a Bachelor's degree. In 1969, he won the Regional Competition, and a year later the National Organ Competition of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) in Buffalo, New York, being the youngest winner in the competition's history.

Additional organ studies in France followed with Marie-Claire Alain, André Marchal, Pierre Cochereau, and Jean Langlais. In 1974, Baker won the Grand Prix de Chartres in organ performance. He obtained a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan and joined the faculty of The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. In 1979, he was the recipient of the first prize at the International Organ Improvisation Competition in Lyon, France. His recordings contain the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach (the first by an American) and Louis Vierne (together with Pierre Cochereau), as well as the world premiere recording of the organ compositions of Darius Milhaud, which was awarded two Grand Prix du Disque.

In addition to his musical career, George C. Baker obtained an M.D. degree from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in 1987 and began to practice medicine in 1991, after an internship in Internal Medicine and Dermatology. In 1996, he entered the Executive M.B.A. program at Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, where he graduated with an M.B.A. degree in 1998. During this time, he was Adjunct Professor of organ performance and improvisation at Southern Methodist University, and also served as SMU Health Center dermatologist.

Baker served for a time as Associate University Organist at Perkins Chapel, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Currently, George C. Baker is in great international demand as a concert organist, jury member of competitions, and composer. He also teaches organ improvisation classes at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Baker currently lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife and two children.

Compositions

Organ Solo

Choral

Discography

Bibliography

External links

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