Ryan Enright Organ Recital

Admission is Free. All are Welcome. 

Ryan Enright is a native of Montreal, Canada, where he discovered a love for the instrument and the music of Bach at age 6 perusing his father’s cassette collection. Enright took first prizes at the Canadian Music Competition (1997), Quebec Organ Competition (2004), and National Organ Playing Competition of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (2007). He also competed in the Dublin International Organ Competition 2008, Kotka Competition (Finland) 2009, and Canadian International Organ Competition, Montreal 2011 (where he was one of sixteen international finalists and the only Canadian competitor).

During his many years in Montreal Ryan had the opportunity to grow up playing mechanical action organs in addition to many a Casavant. Participating in the McGill Summer Organ Academy allowed him to come into contact with many North American and European organists through master classes. Two trips to play mostly historic Classical and Symphonic organs in France in 2005 and to Italy in 2006 were very influential in Enright’s appreciation of the organ art, as well as being a voicing assistant during the construction of the “Craighead-Saunders” Organ in Rochester, NY. During the summers of 2013 and 2015 Enright accompanied the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra on tours to Italy and France & England respectively, playing organs including those of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (Venice), St. Martin’s Cathedral (Lucca), St. Peter’s (Rome), in France on the choir organs of Notre Dame Cathedral and La Madeleine, Paris and the grand orgue of the Abbaye Saint-Martin de Mondaye in Normandy.

Enright moved to Sacramento in November of 2011 to become organist of St. John’s Lutheran Church and accompanist for the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra, Sacramento State university choirs, and the Schola Cantorum of Sacred Heart Church. He served as Sub-Dean of the American Guild of Organists, Sacramento Chapter from 2013-2015 and teaches organ privately.  He began studying organ with Marc-André Doran at age 13 eventually receiving the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Artist Diploma in Organ Performance Solo from McGill University. His organ teachers there were John Grew and William Porter. In 2012 he received the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Organ Performance & Literature from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied repertoire and improvisation with William Porter. Ryan believes the organ is a singing instrument that sustains wonderfully but also requires breath and space; that the organist must coax the best out of each instrument through a dialogue of acoustic, complimentary repertoire, and a relaxed but gently firm playing technique. Passions away from the organ loft include hiking, Hatha yoga, open water swimming, and dancing the Argentine Tango.