Organist Margaret Harper's musical endeavors are quite varied, ranging from instrumental performance to conducting to research in music theory. After growing up in the Philippines, Margaret moved to Chicago, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Degree from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, studying organ with Dr. Edward Zimmerman and conducting with Dr. Daniel Sommerville. She has just begun a Master of Music in Organ Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Dr. William Porter. She has also studied improvisation with Dr. Gerre Hancock, professor of organ at the University of Texas at Austin. For two summers, she studied with Dr. Christiaan Teeuwsen at the Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival. Margaret has played in masterclasses for William Porter, Todd Wilson, Thomas Trotter, Christa Rakich, and Ann Labounsky.
Margaret currently serves as the organist of Webster Presbyterian Church in Webster, NY. Recent solo organ recital venues include the cathedral in Djakovo, Croatia, Union Church of Manila in the Philippines and, in San Antonio, TX, Travis Park United Methodist Church’s beautiful Helmuth Wolff instrument. Margaret has also served as the honors conductor and the principal clarinetist of the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra.
Areas of special interest include early music and contemporary music performance. While at Wheaton College, Margaret was a founding member of Canticum Novum, a student-led Baroque Chamber Orchestra, in which she played organ, harpsichord, and recorder. Additionally, Margaret has commissioned and premiered several works by contemporary composers. During her years at Wheaton, she forged a partnership with fellow student Janelle Buford, commissioning “Prayer” for solo Clarinet and conducting the premieres of many other compositions. In her spare time, Margaret enjoys reading the works of Gabriel García Márquez and baking.
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