Kenneth Cowan

Assistant Professor of Organ
Coordinator of Organ and Sacred Music

• Email Address: kcowan@rider.edu
• Phone: (609) 921-7100 x8349
• Office: Bristol Chapel 3
• Mailing Address: 101 Walnut Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540

Assistant professor of organ Ken Cowan is one of the most sought-after organists in North America. He has performed solo recitals across the United States and Canada and has been featured at conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Royal Canadian College of Organists. Mr. Cowan has won numerous awards, including first prizes at the Royal Canadian College of Organists' National Competition and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music National Competition.

A native of Thorold, Ontario, Canada, Mr. Cowan received the Master of Music degree and Artist Diploma from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, studying organ with Thomas Murray. Prior to attending Yale, he graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with John Weaver. As a boy, Mr. Cowan first took organ lessons from his father, organist David Cowan; then during his high school years he studied with James Bigham in Buffalo, N.Y. Previous positions have included associate organist at St. Bartholomew's Church, as well as assistant organist posts at St. James Episcopal Church, The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in New York City, and  St. Clement's Church in Philadelphia.

Numerous critically acclaimed compact disc recordings are available by Mr. Cowan, Most of them on the JAV label.  His most recent release is The Art of the Symphonic Organist, Volume 4 which was recorded on the monumental new Quimby pipe organ at First Baptist Church, Jackson, MS.  In addition to his recordings for the JAV label, Mr. Cowan also joined organist Justin Bischof in the world premiere recording of American composer Aaron Miller’s Double Concerto for organ, recorded with the Zurich Symphony Orchestra on the Kleuker organ in the Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland (Ethereal Recordings).  Many of Mr. Cowan’s recordings and live performances are regularly featured on the nationally distributed radio show PIPEDREAMS from American Public Media.