Jonas Nordwall plays
Star of the Sea Church
Sausalito, California

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 Truly a rare musician, Jonas Nordwall is a virtuoso organist equally skilled in both traditional classical and modern/popular schools of musical performance. For over a third of a century, he has toured the world presenting concerts in churches and performing arts centers. Inter-nationally he has performed in Japan, Europe, and China and has made several tours of Australia. In 1999, he was both an adjudicator and recitalist for the Swiss International Organ Competition in Geneva, Switzerland.

Nordwall has over 20 highly acclaimed recordings on a variety of labels. His recordings are frequently heard on the internationally syndicated radio show, “Pipedreams”.

A Portland, Oregon native, Nordwall’s first musical studies began at age 4 on the accordion. Besides Portland teachers Joe Parente and Eileen Hagen, he had tutoring sessions with Charles Magnante and Anthony Galla-Rini, two of the twentieth century’s most famous accordionists. At the age of 16, Nordwall performed for King Gustav Adolf during a tour of Sweden.

His studies expanded to piano and organ at age 10 with Portland teacher, Goldie Pos. In 1970 Nordwall graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Portland, where his piano, organ and orchestration studies were with Arthur Hitchcock.

Nordwall continued his classical organ studies with the noted English-Canadian concert organist, Frederick Geoghegan, the American organ virtuoso, Richard Ellsasser and the eminent organist-composer of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, Richard Purvis.

Nordwall has been a professional church musician since high school. He has served as the organist for Portland’s First United Methodist Church since 1971, becoming the Director of Music in 1990. There he oversees one of the finest music ministries in the United States. He has played for many international church gatherings, been an accompanist for the American Choral Directors Association conventions, and performed for several regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists.

As the organist for the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Nordwall has been a featured soloist for several concerts and has recorded with the orchestra on the Delos label. Other orchestral appearances include the Vancouver, BC Symphony Orchestra, Portland Festival and Chamber Orchestras, Columbia Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver, Washington, Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his musical performances, Nordwall has been a major influence in the later 20th century design and manufacturing of both pipe and electronic organs. He was associated with a major organ manufacturer for over 30 years and is still active in the design and marketing of organs worldwide.

His performances and recordings have created rave reviews, which have stimulated a new interest in the organ. A recent review stated ” . . . if more organ concerts were as carefully programmed and excellently performed, the organ would again be at the fore-front of the musical public.”