Biography

French organist Olivier Latry is one of three titular organists at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatory of Music, Organist Emeritus with the Montreal Symphony, and is Artist-in-Residence at the Dresden Philharmonie from 2017 through 2019. Born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, he later attended the Academy of Music at Saint Maur-des-Fossés, studying organ with Gaston Litaize. From 1981 to 1985 he was titular organist of Meaux Cathedral and in 1990 he succeeded his teacher, Gaston Litaize, as organ professor at the Academy of Music at Saint Maur-des-Fossés. He made his debut under San Francisco Symphony auspices in 2010.  

Recent highlights include the premiere of Benoît Mernier’s Organ Concerto for the inauguration of the new organ at Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 2017, the premiere of Michael Gandolfi’s Organ Concerto with the Boston Symphony in 2015, and the premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s Maan Varjot for organ and orchestra with the Montreal Symphony, Orchestre National de Lyon, and Philharmonia Orchestra in 2014. In previous seasons, Mr. Latry performed three complete cycles of Olivier Messiaen’s organ music at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, the Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola in New York City, and Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London.  

Mr. Latry’s recent recordings include a 2016 recording for Warner Music on the Philharmonie de Paris’s new Rieger organ, and Trois Siècles d’Orgue Notre-Dame de Paris on the Naïve label. Additional recordings include the works of Bach, Widor’s Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, Vierne’s Second and Third Symphonies, the complete works of Duruflé, a transcription disc entitled Midnight at Notre-Dame, as well as discs featuring the organ works of Franck and the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen. He has also recorded Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Barber’s Toccata Festiva with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Jongen’s Symphonie concertante with the Liège Orchestra. 

Mr. Latry has received the Prix de la Fondation Cino et Simone Del Duca (Institut de France–Académie des Beaux-Arts) and fellowships from the North and Midlands School of Music and the Royal College of Organists in the United Kingdom. Named the International Performer of the Year by the New York City chapter of the American Guild of Organists in 2009, he received an honorary doctorate from McGill University in 2010.