| Fred
Gramann,
born in 1950 and a native of Washington state, began his early organ
studies with Dr. Edward Hansen of Seattle, winning the student organ
competition sponsored by the Seattle Chapter of the American Guild
of Organists while still in high school. While earning a Bachelors
degree in organ performance at Syracuse University, he won first
prize in the 1972 Ft. Wayne National Organ Competition and was awarded
the Arthur Poister Prize for outstanding organist in the Syracuse
University School of Music for four consecutive years.
From 1972-75,
Fred studied organ in Paris, France, with Marie-Claire Alain, also
spending one year working with organist and composer Maurice Duruflé.
Fred earned a Masters Degree in organ performance at the University
of Michigan during the 1975-76 school year.
He returned
to Paris in 1976 as Director of Music at the American Church in
Paris, the oldest non-governmental American institution abroad,
recently celebrating his 30th year of music ministry. He started
a handbell program at the American Church in 1981 thanks to a gift
of 2 octaves of handbells. The program has since grown to include
three handbell choirs performing on 5 octaves of Schulmerich handbells,
4 1/2 octaves of Malmark handbells, 4 octaves of Petit & Fritsen
handbells, 5 octaves of Malmark Choirchimes© and a growing
set of Whitechapel handbells.
Fred has had
numerous choral anthems and handbell works published in the US and
is Honorary Associate Director of the Raleigh Ringers.
7/31/2006
|