James Biery
Artist-in-Residence
James Biery studied music at Northwestern University, where he earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Organ Performance, studying with Grigg Fountain and Wolfgang Rubsam. He holds the Choirmaster and Fellowship Certificates of the AGO. In 1986 he was the prize-winner for the highest score on the FAGO exam. The winner of several organ competitions, he was named Second Prize Winner in the 1980 AGO National Open Competition in Organ Playing. He is the winner of multiple ASCA Plus awards for his published compositions. He served as music director at Roman Catholic cathedrals in Hartford, Connecticut, and St. Paul, Minnesota, and was Minister of Music at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (Michigan) for fourteen years.
Jim will play the organ in worship most Sundays, compose hymn arrangements and other service music, plan concerts, and other events, serve as an advisor to the organ fundraising committee, and oversee the maintenance and care of the musical instruments at the Kirk.