Olivier Latry

Biography

Olivier Latry is one of the most distinguished concert organists in the world today. Titular Organist at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, he is also Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatory of Music, Organist Emeritus of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in Canada, and William T. Kemper Artist in Residence at the University of Kansas.

Olivier Latry appears regularly in the greatest halls all over the world, and as a soloist with leading orchestras. He has also made many acclaimed recordings. His recent releases include Couperin’s two Masses recorded on the organ at the Chapelle Royale du Château de Versailles, “Live from Vienna”, recorded with Phil Blech Wien at the Musikverein in Vienna (Deutsche Grammophon), two CDs on the la Dolce Volta label: “Bach to the Future” (the last recording made of the Notre-Dame organ before the devastating fire), and “Inspirations” (works by Franz Liszt) recorded on the organ at the Philharmonie de Paris, which was awarded the Grand Prize of the Liszt Society in 2022.

Mr. Latry has also written a book about many aspects of his life, teaching, and the organ of Notre-Dame Cathedral. It is entitled “At the organ of Notre-Dame”, and it is published by Dr. J. Butz Musikverlag in Bonn Germany (also available in English).

Born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, in 1962, Mr Latry won the competition to become one of the three titular organists of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris and at the age of 23. In 1990 he succeeded his teacher, Gaston Litaize, as organ professor at the Academy of Music at St. Maur-des-Fossés, and soon after was appointed Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatory in 1995.

In recognition of his distinguished work in the field of organ performance and teaching, Mr. Latry has received many awards and honorary degrees. Among them, he received the International Performer of the Year award from the New York City chapter of the AGO in April 2009 and received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from McGill University in 2010. In 2022 he was named a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and was awarded the Frobenius Prize (Denmark).