George C. Baker (born June 9, 1951 in

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

) is an American

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

pedagogue Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...

, and

dermatologist Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medi ...

Biography

Baker received his first musical instruction at age four. In 1961, he began to take organ lessons with Philip Eldridge Baker, organist at Highland Park Methodist Church in Dallas. He completed his organ studies with Robert T. Anderson at

Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a Private university, private research university in Dallas, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, ...

in Dallas in 1973 with a

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in Music. In 1969, he won the Regional Competition, and, in 1970, the National Organ Competition of the

American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educa ...

Buffalo, NY Buffalo is a city in the U.S. state of New York and county seat of Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River on the Canadian border. With a population of 278,349 according to ...

. Additional organ studies in France followed with

Marie-Claire Alain Marie-Claire Geneviève Alain-Gommier (10 August 1926 – 26 February 2013) was a French organist, scholar and teacher best known for her prolific recording career, with 260 recordings, making her the most-recorded classical organist in the worl ...

André Marchal André Louis Marchal (6 February 1894 – 27 August 1980) was a French organist and organ teacher. He was one of the great initiators of the twentieth-century organ revival in France and one of the cofounders of the ''Association des amis de l'org ...

Pierre Cochereau Pierre Eugène Charles Cochereau (9 July 1924 – 6 March 1984) was a French organist, improviser, composer, and pedagogue. Cochereau was titular organist of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1955 to his death in 1984 and was responsibl ...

, and

Jean Langlais Jean François-Hyacinthe Langlais III (15 February 1907 – 8 May 1991) was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser. He described himself as "" ("Breton, of Catholic faith"). Biography Langlais was born in La ...

. In 1974, Baker won the Grand Prix de Chartres in organ performance. A year later, he obtained a ''Diplôme de Virtuosité'' from the

Schola Cantorum The Schola Cantorum de Paris ( being ) is a private conservatory in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera. History The Schol ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, and, in 1977, a

Master of Music The Master of Music (MM or MMus) is, as an academic title, the first graduate degree in music awarded by universities and conservatories. The MM combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually performance in singing or i ...

from the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

. He graduated with a

Doctor of Musical Arts The doctor of musical arts (DMA) is a doctorate, doctoral academic degree in music. The DMA combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually Performance, music performance, music composition, or conducting) with graduate-le ...

from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

in 1979 and joined the faculty of the

Catholic University Catholic higher education includes universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education privately run by the Catholic Church, typically by religious institutes. Those tied to the Holy See are specifically called pontifical univers ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

The same year, he won a first prize at the International Organ

Improvisation Improvisation, often shortened to improv, is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. The origin of the word itself is in the Latin "improvisus", which literally means un-foreseen. Improvis ...

Competition in

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

. His recordings include the complete organ works of

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

and

Louis Vierne Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French organist and composer. He was the organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death. As a composer, much of his output was Organ (music), organ music, including six ...

(along with Pierre Cochereau), as well as the world premiere recording of the organ compositions of

Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (, ; 4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor, and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as ''The Group of Six''—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His composition ...

, which was awarded two

Grand Prix du Disque Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor Places * Grand, Oklahoma, USA * Grand, Vosges, village and commune in France with Gallo-Roman amphitheatre * Grand County (disambiguation), ...

. In addition to his musical career, Baker obtained an MD from

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...

Southwestern Medical School The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern or UTSW) is a public academic health science center in Dallas, Texas. With approximately 23,000 employees, more than 3,000 full-time faculty, and nearly 4 million outpatient ...

in Dallas in 1987 and began to practice medicine in 1991, after an internship in

Internal medicine Internal medicine, also known as general medicine in Commonwealth nations, is a medical specialty for medical doctors focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in adults. Its namesake stems from "treatment of diseases of ...

and

Dermatology Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the Human skin, skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A List of dermatologists, ...

until his retirement in 2021. In 1996, he entered the Executive MBA program at

Cox School of Business The Edwin L. Cox School of Business is an American business school that is part of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. The SMU Cox School of Business is headquartered in four buildings on SMU's 210-acre main campus five miles ...

, Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, where he graduated with an

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...

in 1998. Baker was lecturer in Organ Improvisation at

Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

until his retirement in 2021. In November 2021, he was appointed as adjunct associate professor of Organ at SMU Meadows School of the Arts.

Compositions

Organ Solo

* The Wild Ouest Toccata (composed in 1969/revised in 2025. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2025) * Berceuse-Paraphrase (composed in 1992. Chicago, IL: H. T. Fitzsimmons Company, 1993) * Divertissement (Chicago, IL: H. T. Fitzsimmons Company, 1996) * At the River (Tarzana, CA: Fred Bock, 2000) * Tuba Tune Ragtime (composed in 2003. Tarzana, CA: Gentry Publications, 2004) * Ricercare on "

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland "" (original: "", English: "Savior of the nations, come", literally: Now come, Saviour of the heathen) is a Lutheran chorale of 1524 with words written by Martin Luther, based on by Ambrose, and a melody, Zahn number, Zahn 1174, based on ...

" (composed in 2004. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2020) * Toccata-Gigue on the

Sussex Carol The "Sussex Carol" is a Christmas carol popular in United Kingdom, Britain, sometimes referred to by its first line "On Christmas night all Christians sing". Its words were first published by Luke Wadding (bishop), Luke Wadding, a late 17th-centur ...

(composed in 2008/revised in 2019. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc.) * Variations on "Rouen" (composed in 2010. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2011) * Tiento Grégorien (composed in 2010. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2011) * Lamento (composed in 2013. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2013) * Prelude on "The Lone, Wild Bird" (composed in 2015. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2017) * Procession Royale (composed in 2016. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2017) * Danse Diabolique (composed in 2016. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2017) * Deux Evocations (composed in 2017. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2017): ** ''Evocation 1: June 2, 1937'' (Ad Memoriam Louis Vierne) ** ''Evocation 2: April 22, 1984'' (Ad Memoriam Pierre Cochereau) * Prelude on " If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee" (Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2018) * L'Envoi (Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2018) * Prière Grégorienne (composed in 2018. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2018) * Berceuse sur le nom de SWANN (composed in 2019. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2019) * Prelude on

Salve Regina The "Salve Regina" ( , ; meaning "Hail Queen"), also known as the "Hail Holy Queen", is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. The Salve Regina ...

(composed in 2020. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2020) * Deux Miniatures (composed in 2020. Dallas: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2020): ** I. ''

Ave Maris Stella "Ave maris stella" (Latin for 'Hail, star of the sea') is a medieval Marian hymn, usually sung at Vespers. It was especially popular in the Middle Ages and has been used by many composers, as the basis of other compositions. Background Authorsh ...

'' ** II. ''Salve Regina'' * Recessional on "

Hyfrydol Hyfrydol (, meaning "delightful, agreeable, pleasing, pleasant, beautiful, fair, fine; sweet, melodious") is a Wales, Welsh hymn tune that has been used as the tune for many different Christianity, Christian hymns. Composed in 1844 by Rowland Pri ...

" (composed in 2021. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Diptyque: Mors et Resurrectio (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Le Tombeau de Jean Langlais (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Tuba Tune Royale (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Paraphrase sur le

TE DEUM The ( or , ; from its incipit, ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to a date before AD 500, but perhaps with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin ...

(composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Petit Choral –

Dorian mode The Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different but interrelated subjects: one of the Ancient Greek music, Ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' (characteristic melodic behaviour, or the scale structure associated with it); one of the mediev ...

(composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Pièce Modale 1 – Dorian mode (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Pièce Modale 2 –

Phrygian mode : The Phrygian mode (pronounced ) can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek ''tonos'' or ''harmonia,'' sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the medieval Phrygian mode, and the m ...

(composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Pièce Modale 3 sur "Ave Maris Stella" –

Lydian mode The modern Lydian mode is a seven-tone musical scale formed from a rising pattern of pitches comprising three whole tones, a semitone, two more whole tones, and a final semitone. : Because of the importance of the major scale in modern m ...

(composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Pièce Modale 4 –

Mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' or ''tonoi'', based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; or a modern musical mode or diatonic s ...

(composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Chorale and Variations on " Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her" (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * French Classical Suite (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) ** ''Grand Plein Jeu'' ** ''Petite Fugue sur la Trompette'' ** ''Duo'' ** ''Basse et Dessus de Trompette'' ** ''Flûtes'' ** ''Récit de Nazard'' ** ''Dialogue dur les Grands Jeux'' * A Texas Pastorale (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Meditation on "Ave Maris Stella" (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * A Short Lamento (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022) * Prélude on "

St. Anne According to apocrypha, as well as Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary, the wife of Joachim and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the Bible's canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's na ...

" (composed in 2022. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022)Baker, George. ''Organ Improvisation: A Workbook of Ideas and Exercises Leading to New Musical Creations'' (ePublication). Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022, 255–256. * Prelude on the Sanctus of Mass VIII (composed in 2023. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2023) * Chant d'Espoir (composed in 2023. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2023) * Etoile dans le noir (composed in 2025. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2025)

Organ and other instruments

* Rumba for organ and four percussionists (composed in 2015. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2017) * Joie for organ, timpani and brass quintet (composed in 2020. Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2021)

Choral

* Noels for SATB voices, accompanied (Tarzana: CA: Gentry Publications, 2000) * Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland for choir and organ (composed in 2004. Manuscript) * Our Father for SATB choir (composed in 2005. Manuscript)

Discography

* ''Johann Sebastian Bach: Complete Organ Works.'' Recorded between 1976 and 1979 in Thionville, at Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Mateaux and Saint- Louis in Paris, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music. * ''Johann Sebastian Bach: 5 Organ Concertos.'' Concertos BWV 592–596. Recorded on the

Kern organ Daniel Kern Manufacture d'Orgues (English: ''Daniel Kern, Organ Manufacturer''; formerly Alfred Kern & Fils until 1977) were an organ builder based in Strasbourg, France. Their organs were installed in many churches in France and other countries. ...

at Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Mateaux in Paris, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 080. 1 CD. * ''Pierre du Mage: Livre d'Orgue & Louis-Nicolas Clérambault: 2 Suites.'' Recorded in 1976 at Houdan, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music, 1976. 1 LP. * ''Marcel Dupré: Organ Works Vol. 13.'' Vision op. 44, Zephyrs, Deuxième Symphonie op. 26, Six Antiennes pour le Temps de Noël op. 48, Chorales op. 28 (Nos. 21–23, 36-41 & 66). Recorded in 2001 at Perkins Chapel, SMU, Dallas, Texas. Naxos 8.554542. 1 CD. * ''Paul Hindemith: 3 Sonatas & Max Reger: Organ Works.'' Recorded in 1975 at Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music, 1975. 1 LP. * ''Darius Milhaud: Complete Organ Works.'' Recorded in 1974 at Chartres Cathedral, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 916. 1 CD. * ''Louis Vierne: 24 Pièces de Fantaisie.'' Recorded in 1993 at Saint-Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 817/8. 2 CDs. * ''Louis Vierne: 24 Pièces en style libre op. 31, Messe basse op. 30, Messe basse pour les défunts op. 62, Prélude funèbre op. 4.'' Recorded in 1990 and 1993 at Saint-Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 815/6. 2 CDs. * ''Louis Vierne: Organ Works.'' Messe solennelle op. 16, Verset fugué sur "In exitu Israel" (1894), Allegretto op. 1, Communion op. 8, Triptyque op. 58, Prélude (1914), 3 Improvisations, Marche triomphale op. 46. Recorded in 1993 at St. Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music FYCD 815/6. 2 CDs. * ''Organ Works of American Composers.'' Recorded in 1976 at Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music, 1976. 1 LP. * ''Charles-Marie Widor: Symphonie Gothique & Louis Vierne: 24 Pièces en style libre op. 31.'' Recorded in 1990 at Saint-Ouen, Rouen, France. Sigean, France: Solstice Music. * ''Riches to Rags: Works of Bach and Joplin.'' Baroque Notes Inc., 1997. 1 CD. * ''Jean Langlais: un centenaire/a centenary.'' Recorded 2007 at Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, France. Sigean: Solstice Music, 2007. 1 CD. * ''Olivier Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur.'' Baroque Notes Inc., 2008. 1 CD. * ''Hommage à Cochereau.'' (Along with David Briggs, Thierry Escaich und Loïc Mallié.) Recorded in 2008 at Saint-Sulpice, Paris, France (George Baker: Ricercar on "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland", Berceuse-Paraphrase, Toccata-Gigue on the Sussex Carol). Sigean: Solstice Music, 2009. 1 CD.

Bibliography

* Baker, George. "An Interview with Maurice Duruflé." ''The American Organist'' 14(11), November 1980. * Baker, George. ''Organ Improvisation: A Workbook of Ideas and Exercises Leading to New Musical Creations'' (ePublication). Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2022. * Baker, George. ''Exercises for Organ Improvisations: Lydian Mode Modulations'' (ePublication). Dallas, TX: Baroque Notes, Inc., 2023. * Blanc, Frédéric (ed.) "An interview with Maurice Duruflé by George Baker." In ''Maurice Duruflé: Souvenirs et autres écrits.'' Paris, France: Séguier, 2005, 203–228. * Pâris, Alain (ed.). "George Baker". In ''Dictionnaire des interprètes et de l'interprétation musicale au XXe siècle''. Paris, France: Laffont, 1985, 178. * Pâris, Alain (ed.). "George Baker". In ''Lexikon der Interpreten klassischer Musik im 20. Jahrhundert''. Kassel, Germany: Bärenreiter, 1992, 38–39. * Warnier, Vincent. "George C. Baker (né en 1951)." In Renaud Machart and Vincent Warnier (eds.): ''Les grands organistes du XXe siècle''. Paris, France: Buchet-Chastel, 2018, 303–309.

References

External links

Website of George Baker

Biography on the Karen McFarlane Artists Website, Cleveland, OH

Baroque Notes Music, Inc.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, George C. 1951 births American classical organists American male composers 21st-century American composers American dermatologists Organ improvisers Musicians from Dallas Living people Southern Methodist University alumni University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center alumni Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art faculty 21st-century American organists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American keyboardists American male classical organists