Daniel Roth, organ
Daniel Roth, widely acclaimed as one of the leading French organ virtuosos, has held several prestigious positions as both performer and teacher. At the age of twenty he made his debut at the organ of the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre-Paris, as assistant of his teacher, Madame Rolande Falcinelli. He later succeeded her as titular organist, a post which he held until 1985 when he was appointed titular organist at St. Sulpice, the famous Paris church where is predecessors were Charles-Marie Widor, Marcel Dupré and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald. A former student at the Paris Conservatory, Daniel Roth's teachers have included Marie-Claire Alain and Maurice Durufé. He has won several competitions, among them the Grand Prix de Chartres 1971, interpretation and improvisation.
After teaching positions at the Conservatories of Marseille, Strasbourg and the Saarbrücken Musikhochschule, Daniel Roth is currently Professor of Organ at the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt am Main where he is successor to Edgar Krapp and Helmut Walcha from 1995 to 2007. Daniel Roth has been also Artist-in-Residence at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and Chairman of the Organ Department at the Catholic University in Washington D.C. Daniel Roth is appearing as soloist and with eminent orchestras. Furthermore he gives masterclasses and sits on the panel of organ competitions throughout the world.
On the 11th November 2005 he has gave the first performance of the new Karl Schuke Organ at the Concert Hall "Grand Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte" in Luxembourg, in the construction of which he had acted as artistic advisor.
A composer as well as performer, Daniel Roth has composed numerous works for organ. He was commissioned to write a piece for organ and orchestra - Licht im Dunkel - by the City of Ludwigshafen, Germany. It was first performed in Ludwigshafen in May 2005, followed by a performance under the baton of his son François-Xavier Roth at St. Etienne du Mont in Paris in April 2006. Licht im Dunkel is published by Schott.
Daniel Roth is also well known for his inspired improvisations, which he regularly includes in his concerts programmes. He has many recordings to his name, ranging from works of the XVIIth century to the present time, all highly praised by music critics.
Daniel Roth is a Chavalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Officier des Arts et Lettres and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (London). He was awarded the Florent Schmitt Prize by the Académie des Beaux-Arts (Institut de France) and received the European Prize of European Sacred Music from the Schwäbisch Gmünd Festival, Germany, in 2006.