James Kibbie

James Kibbie (born March 13, 1949) is an American concert organist, recording artist and pedagogue. He is Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan.

Biography

James Kibbie was born in 1949 in Vinton, Iowa, USA. He holds the Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from North Texas State University (Magna cum Laude, 1971), the Master of Music in Organ Performance from North Texas State University (1972), and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance from the University of Michigan (1981). He won the International Organ Competition of the Prague Spring Festival in the former Czechoslovakia in 1979 and the Grand Prix d’Intérpretation at the International Organ Competition “Grand Prix de Chartres” in France in 1980. He joined the University of Michigan organ faculty in 1981 and is currently Professor of Organ, Co-Chair of the Organ Department and Curator of the Frieze Memorial Organ. A number of his former students hold positions as college professors and church musicians. The University of Michigan has endowed the James Kibbie Scholarship in perpetuity to support students majoring in organ and church music.

Performing career

Kibbie has presented recitals, masterclasses and workshops throughout North America and Europe, including appearances at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, Royal Festival Hall in London, Dvořák Hall in the Rudolfinum in Prague and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York. His performances have been broadcast on radio and television in the USA, Canada and Europe. His recordings have been issued on a variety of labels in North American and Europe (see Discography). Since 2002 he has released annual holiday recordings on the seven-stop Létourneau mechanical-action organ in his home.

Complete Organ Works of J.S. Bach

James Kibbie performed the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach in a series of 18 recitals at the University of Michigan in 2000. From 2007 to 2009 he recorded the complete works on seven historic baroque organs in Germany built by Gottfried Silbermann, Arp Schnitger and Behrendt Huß, Tobias Heinrich Gottfried Trost, Erasmus Bielfeldt, and Zacharias Hildebrandt. These recordings are available as free internet downloads at www.blockmrecords.org/bach. The project was funded by Dr. Barbara Furin Sloat in honor of J. Barry Sloat, with additional support from the University of Michigan.

Discography

• James Kibbie – Bach Organ Works, free downloads of the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach recorded on seven historic baroque organs in Germany: Block M Records, 2007–2009 www.blockmrecords.org/bach
• The Annual Holiday Recordings, recorded by James Kibbie on his residence organ and issued as audio “holiday cards” at www.umich.edu/~jkibbie

  • 2010: Charles-Marie Widor, “March of the Night Watchman” from Bach’s Memento

  • 2009: Jehan Alain, “Adagio”
  • 2008: Ernst Pepping, “Wie soll ich dich empfangen, Vorspiel II”
  • 2007: Ernst Pepping, “Wie soll ich dich empfangen, Vorspiel I”
  • 2006: Jan Koetsier, “Partita for English Horn and Organ Manuals, Op. 41, No. 1,” with Sally Pituch, English horn
  • 2005: Johann Sebastian Bach, “Jesus, meine Zuversicht,” BWV 728
  • 2004: Jehan Alain, “Deuxième Prélude”
  • 2003: Larry Visser, “Noël on Silent Night”
  • 2002: Hugo Distler, “Variations on Wo Gott zu Haus nit gibt sein Gunst”
• Jiří Ropek: Credo, with Jiří Ropek, Jan Kalfus, the Czech Radio Chamber Choir and the Bohemia Brass Ensemble, CD, Supraphon Records, 2001
• Organ and Choral Music: Theodore Morrison, with Scott Hanoian, Karl Schrock, Marilyn Mason and the University of Michigan Chamber Choir, CD, Equilibrium Records, 2001
• “Nigerian Prayer” by Fela Sowande on Historic Organs of Michigan, CD, The Organ Historical Society, 1998
• Merrily on Hill, Christmas Organ Music from Hill Auditorium, CD, Prestant Records, 1997
• Jiří Ropek, Composer and Organist, with John Scott, Jan Kalfus, Pavel Cerny and the Prague Philharmonic Chorus, CD, Multisonic Records, 1994
• Johann Sebastian Bach, Clavierübung III, recorded at the Cathedral of St. Catharine‘s, Ontario, Canada, 2-CD set, Afka Records, 1993
• Organ Works of Dieterich Buxtehude, recorded on the 1687 Arp Schnitger organ of Norden, Germany, CD, Arkay Records, 1987
• 20th-Century Czech Organ Music, recorded at Trinity Cathedral, Trenton, New Jersey, cassette, Spectrum Records, 1985
• Jehan Alain: an Organ Anthology, recorded at Chartres Cathedral, France, LP, Spectrum Records, 1984
• Works of Charles Tournemire, recorded at Trinity Cathedral, Trenton, New Jersey, LP and cassette, Spectrum Records, 1983
• The World Rejoices, with the Gregg Smith Singers, LP, Vox-Turnabout Records, 1977
• Unicorn, with the Texas Boys Choir, LP, Vox Records, 1977
• Works of Mozart and Goemanne, with the Texas Boys Choir, LP, 1974

References

• Biography, University of Michigan website
• Scott M. Hyslop, “James Kibbie’s Bach Adventure”, The American Organist, May, 2010.
• Joyce Robinson, “A Conversation with James Kibbie”, The Diapason, February, 2008:
• The James Kibbie Scholarship
• James Kibbie, “The Alain Family’s Extraordinary Organ” (trans. Noriko Ernst), Journal of the Japan Organ Society, 2001.
• James Kibbie, “An Interview with Jiří Ropek,” The American Organist, February, 1998.
• James Kibbie, “An Artist First,” interview with Fernand Létourneau, Choir & Organ (London, England), September/October, 1997.
• James Kibbie, “Four Questions for the Organ Department’s Future” in Reflections, published by the University of Michigan School of Music, 1997.
• James Kibbie, “Performing the Organ Works of Dietrich Buxtehude”, The Diapason, December, 1987.

External links

• Personal website
• Free downloads of the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach recorded by James Kibbie on historic German organs
• University of Michigan Organ Department
• Works of Jehan Alain recorded by students of James Kibbie on University of Michigan organs: Jehan Alain Centennial Recordings