Commended for his “masterful artistry” (The Diapason) and “stunning virtuosity and musicality” (Choir and Organ), David Baskeyfield has earned a reputation as a captivating performer, whose effortless technical facility is tempered by intelligent and mature interpretation, and informed above all by intuitive and communicative musicianship. His repertoire is wide and eclectic, at home with the music of the Old Masters of the 17th-century and the great 19th-century virtuosos. He is also one of relatively few organists in North America to improvise regularly in recital.
Mr. Baskeyfield is Professor of Organ and Sacred Music at East Carolina University, a post he holds concurrently with that of Organist and Choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Greenville, NC, whose organ, C. B. Fisk’s Opus 126, also serves as the primary teaching and performance instrument at ECU. He is also Artistic Director of the East Carolina Musical Arts and Education Foundation, which supports programming on the Fisk organ and seeks to promote the instrument through outreach at the local and national level.
Mr. Baskeyfield studied Law at Oxford University and holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He is the recipient of an unusual number of first prizes in playing competitions; these include the Canadian International Organ Competition, St Albans, Miami, and the AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation, all with audience prize. He has recorded for ATMA Classique and Acis Productions.
Alongside solo performance, Mr. Baskeyfield enjoys work as a collaborative pianist, continuo player, and occasional cocktail pianist. He has been broadcast a number of times on American Public Media’s Pipedreams, as well as NPR’s With Heart and Voice and, more locally, as part of the daily playlist on classical station WXXI. He has occasionally given theatre organ recitals.
Since moving to eastern North Carolina, David has been able to devote considerably more time to scuba diving and offshore sportfishing. He shares his house with two springer spaniels, Lucy and Wilbur.
Mr. Baskeyfield is represented in North America by Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc.