Our Organist:
Since 2011, Ruaraidh Sutherland has served as Organist and Director of Music at Christ’s Church, Rye, NY, one of the oldest Episcopal congregations in the US, where he leads an active and diverse music program.
A native of Scotland, he received his early musical education at Wellington School in Ayr, and the RSAMD in Glasgow. Initially a tuba player, he had the privilege of playing with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland whilst still a teenager. He graduated from the Faculty of Music in the University of Edinburgh with honors in music, leaving with four major prizes and academic awards. Ruaraidh also held the organ scholarship at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, which is unique in Scotland for maintaining a daily choral tradition and a choir school, and during 2005 he spent an extended period of time as acting-Assistant Organist at the cathedral, and acting-Organist at Fettes College. He also performed regular concerts and recordings with Edinburgh Symphony Baroque, the Edinburgh Singers, and undertook several foreign tours with the University Music Society.
Following graduation, Ruaraidh spent a period of time in the staff of Sherborne School before taking up the post of Organist and Assistant Director of Music at the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick in February 2007. St Mary’s is the premiere parish church musical establishment in the UK, maintaining a full cathedral tradition with choral services four times each week, sung by its many choirs. As well as accompanying the choirs, he lead many choristers through RSCM examinations, re-founded and directed the St Mary’s Scholars (the chamber choir of the church), and founded the current organ recital series. An extended period of time was spent as Acting-Director of Music, in particular working with the boys’ choir, founded in 1123.
A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, his primary organ studies have been with Michael Harris, Simon Nieminski, Margaret Phillips, and Andrew Fletcher. An avid transcriber of orchestral works for the organ, his arrangement of Elgar’s Enigma Variations was released on the Pro Organo label (performed by Simon Nieminski) and recent transcriptions include pieces by Mendelssohn and Mozart.
To contact Ruaraidh, email or call him at (914) 967-1749 x229.
Staff Singers:
Szilvia Schranz
Megan Schubert
Heather Petrie
Mikey Steiger
George Wright
Dana Mooney
Christ's Church, Rye 