Olivier Latry

Olivier Latry was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France on February 22, 1962 and is a French organist, improvisor and Professor of Organ at the Conservatoire de Paris. After having begun his musical studies in Boulogne-sur-Mer, 1978 he enrolled in the organ class under Gaston Litaize at the Academy of Saint-Maur, and took composition classes with Jean-Claude Raynaud at the Paris Academy. After becoming Professor of organ at the Catholic Institute of Paris in 1983 and then the Academy of Rheims, he succeeded Gaston Litaize at the Academy of Saint-Maur in 1990. In 1995, Latry was named professor of organ at the Academy of Paris, a post held jointly with Michel Bouvard.

In 1985, at 23 years of age, Latry was awarded the post of one of four titulaires des grands orgue of Notre-Dame, Paris alongside Yves Devernay, Philippe Lefèbvre and Jean-Pierre Leguay, succeeding Pierre Cochereau.

In addition to this role and his teaching positions, Latry carries out an intense career as concert performer: he has played in more than forty countries across five continents, in particular in the United States where he made his first tour in 1986, becoming one of the most popular French organists in North America.

Latry did not want to specialize in music of a specific time period, but has gained a reputation for performing music by his contemporaries. He is also famous for his performances of the works of Olivier Messiaen recording the complete works for Deutsche Grammophon. He is considered to be a world-class improviser, in the tradition of an exceptional French line that runs from Charles Tournemire through to Pierre Cochereau.

(from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Latry)