Introducing William (Bill) Elliott – Organist and Choir Master

Meet our new organist and choirmaster William (Bill) Elliott.  Bill is a native of Louisville, Kentucky where as a boy he attended Christ Church Cathedral.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in church music as an organ major.  His Master’s degree is in organ performance with areas in vocal pedagogy and music theory.  He holds a Diploma from the Academy for Organists in Haarlem, the Netherlands where he was chosen to play on the famed Mueller organ in St. Bavo’s Church.  He also holds the Archbishop’s Diploma from the Royal School of Church Music in Croydon, England.  Following his graduate work he got a French government subsidy to study for an academic year with Andre Marchal in Paris.  While studying in Paris he was the assistant organist at the American Episcopal Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.  After returning to the United States he joined the music faculty at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan and was appointed organist and choirmaster at St. Mark’s Episcopal, the former cathedral of the diocese of western Michigan.  National Public Television filmed a documentary entitled “The Wind At One’s Fingertips” which chronicles the building of a four manual tracker organ in classical French style he designed for St. Mark’s which can be viewed on the internet.  While at St. Mark’s he went through the four year Education for Ministry program through the seminary at the University of the South.  Bill has three grown daughters and three grandchildren.