O'Donnell, John

harpsichord/organ

John O’Donnell — University Organist, Monash University — enjoys an international career as keyboard artist, choral conductor and musicologist.

He tours Europe regularly, performing mostly on historic organs, recent years focussing on the newly restored instruments of the former German Democratic Republic. He is the first person ever to perform Bach’s complete keyboard works in public. His recordings of the complete keyboard works of Johann Caspar Kerll (which he had previously edited for the Viennese publisher Doblinger) and organ works of Bach have met with international acclaim, an album of the latter named “Best Recording of the Year” (2000) in the International Record Review. And he has recently recorded nine CDs of Bach harpsichord works using his interpretation of Bach’s temperament diagram (forthcoming in Early Music).

He is keyboard player of Capella Corelli, musical director of the choir of the Canterbury Fellowship, and founder/director of Ensemble Gombert; and he has served on juries for national and international competitions in Germany, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.