Joby Bell
Biography Joby Bell
Joby Bell
brings to his performances a contagious affability and a keen sensitivity toward increasing an audience’s appreciation for organ music. His recital programming demonstrates a varied and interesting repertoire, always enhanced by illuminating program notes designed to embrace all audiences. His acclaimed blog at
In 2000 he garnered Second Prize and the Audience Prize in the American Guild of Organists National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance. Since 2004, he has served on the faculty of the Hayes School of Music, Appalachian State University, where he teaches organ and church music studies. His teaching specializes in practice techniques, memorization, service playing, choral accompanying, and maintaining grace under pressure – lessons always best taught by example.
He is featured on several recordings. In 2019, Volume 1 of American Classic Widor, a seven-disc recording series of the complete Widor solo organ works, appeared on the Centaur label. American Classic English is an all-British program recorded on the landmark Aeolian-Skinner instrument at First Baptist Church, Longview, Texas, and available on the Centaur label. Sonatas and Variations features large works by Jongen, Brahms, and Reubke, recorded on the Fritts organ at St. Philip Presbyterian, Houston, and available on the Centaur label. Music City Mixture is recorded on mechanical-action organs of Nashville. Live Performances is a compilation of works played live at Appalachian State University, Rice University, Houston Baptist University, and the Washington National Cathedral. Joby is also featured on let the rain kiss you, a collaborative project with acclaimed soprano Melissa Givens.
Born in 1968, Joby Bell attended high school at the [University of] North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied piano with Marian Hahn and Robert McDonald. He earned the Bachelor of Music degree in organ and piano from Appalachian State University and the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in organ from Rice University. His teachers include H. Max Smith and Clyde Holloway, organ, and Rodney Reynerson and Allen Kindt, piano. His church posts have included St. John the Divine Episcopal, Houston, St. Philip Presbyterian, Houston, First Presbyterian, Houston, First Presbyterian, Lenoir, N.C., First Presbyterian, Statesville, N.C., and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Boone, N.C.
