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Celebrating her 50th anniversary season in 2023–2024, Diane Meredith Belcher is an internationally renowned, multi-faceted classical musician whose virtuoso performances have been described by American Record Guide as “glowingly brilliant, rhythmically vibrant, and consistently expressive” and by Orgel International as “exemplary in every respect”. She has garnered widespread acclaim since her solo recital debut at age 15, performing throughout the U.S., in Europe, and in Canada, including appearances at Disney Hall, Grace Cathedral, Verizon Hall, Benaroya Hall, Woolsey Hall, and the Oregon Bach Festival. Her orchestral appearances are numerous, and she has presented duo-recitals with such artists as Los Angeles Philharmonic’s trumpeter Rob Roy McGregor. Among her solo recordings is the premiere of the Claremont Glatter-Götz/Rosales organ, and a 2023 release of organ & trombone music with New York Philharmonic’s Joseph Alessi. She has served at such institutions as Holy Trinity/Bach Vespers (New York), Dartmouth College, Saint Mark’s (Philadelphia), and Westminster Choir College.  Ms. Belcher resides in New Hampshire where she bases her career of performing, teaching, composing, and writing, and is represented in North America by Karen McFarlane Artists.

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Celebrating her 50th anniversary season in 2023–2024, Diane Meredith Belcher is an internationally renowned, multi-faceted classical musician whose virtuoso performances have been described by American Record Guide as “glowingly brilliant, rhythmically vibrant, consistently expressive”, and by Orgel International as “exemplary in every respect”.  Having begun piano study at age five and violin lessons at age eight, she was introduced to the pipe organ at age thirteen, and presented her solo recital debut just two years later. In her fifty years of playing the organ she has garnered international acclaim: winning prizes at major competitions, performing throughout the U.S. and abroad, and serving at such institutions as Holy Trinity/Bach Vespers (New York), Dartmouth College, Saint Mark’s (Philadelphia), and Westminster Choir College.

She received early recognition as a prizewinner in both the 1985 St. Albans and 1988 Grand Prix de Chartres international organ competitions.  In the years following, she has made numerous solo appearances at such venues as Los Angeles’ Disney Hall, Philadelphia’s Verizon Hall, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, The Oregon Bach Festival; Philadelphia’s Wanamaker Grand Court Organ (100th anniversary concert), Atlanta’s Spivey Hall, Yale University (Woolsey Hall), Oberlin College (Finney Chapel), Harvard University (Memorial Church), The University of Oklahoma (Catlett Music Center), Philadelphia’s Girard College, Portland City Hall’s Kotzschmar Organ, University of Michigan (Hill Auditorium), The Curtis Institute of Music’s 80th birthday celebration for Ned Rorem, Westminster Choir College, Vassar College, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.  Ms. Belcher is in demand by her colleagues as well, having been invited to perform at 7 national conventions of the American Guild of Organists as well as numerous other conferences such as the Royal Canadian College of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Association of Anglican Musicians.   

Church concert appearances include Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; Saint Thomas Church, New York City; Saint Alban’s Cathedral, England; First Congregational Church, Los Angeles; The Auditorium, Independence MO; Crystal Cathedral, Los Angeles; Old West Church, Boston; Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City; Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; All Saints Church, Beverly Hills; St. George’s Church, Nashville; Independent Presbyterian Church, Birmingham AL; The Mother Church (First Church of Christ, Scientist), Boston; First Congregational Church, Columbus OH; Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis; Church of Ascension & St. Agnes, Washington DC; Pro-Cathedral of St. Stephens, Wilkes-Barre; First Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia; Christ United Methodist Church, Greensboro NC; Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford; Grace Church, Newark NJ; Christ Church, Little Rock; First Methodist Church, Orlando FL; Christ Church, Pensacola; Asbury United Methodist Church, Rochester NY; Grace Church, Utica; St. Mary’s Cathedral, Memphis; Trinity Lutheran Church, Akron; St. David’s Church, Radnor PA; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Syracuse; West Point Cadet Chapel, and numerous others. 

She has appeared regularly in duo-recital with such musicians as trombonist Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic, trumpeter Rob Roy McGregor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and as soloist with numerous orchestras including the Philadelphia, Hatfield (England), Jacksonville, Syracuse, Memphis, Wichita, Columbus (Georgia), and Curtis Symphony orchestras.  As a collaborative musician, she has worked with such ensembles as Cambridge Concentus, the Buxtehude Consort, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Choral Arts Philadelphia, Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble, Memphis Vocal Arts Ensemble, the Memphis Boychoir & Chamber Choir, Syracuse Symphony, Syracuse Opera, and Syracuse Oratorio Society.  Among her several recordings is the premiere of the Claremont, California’s Glatter-Götz/ Rosales organ, which won the 2000 Golden Ear Award from Absolute Sound.  Many of her live performances, recordings, and interviews have been broadcast on radio and television, including Public Radio International’s PIPEDREAMS.  She is featured on several recordings with the Memphis Boychoir and Chamber Choir; her most recent solo album is a double-CD, with two video recordings featured on YouTube.  Her latest recording, a duo-recital with New York Philharmonic principal trombonist Joseph Alessi, is being released in July 2023.

Institutions served include Holy Trinity Lutheran/Bach Vespers, New York City; Dartmouth College; Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia; Westminster Choir College; The University of Pennsylvania; The University of Memphis; St. Thomas Church, Hanover NH; Christ Episcopal Church, Memphis; Park Central Presbyterian Church, Syracuse; and the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, Philadelphia.  She has guest taught at The Curtis Institute of Music, The University of Louisville, The University of Evansville, the Young Organists Collaborative, and numerous Pipe Organ Encounters of the American Guild of Organists.  She is in frequent demand as adjudicator for international, national, and regional music competitions, including the National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance of the American Guild of Organists, the Canadian International Organ Competition, the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival (USA) Competition, the Calgary International Competition, the Music Teachers National Association competition, and the Holtkamp/American Guild of Organists’ National Competition in Organ Composition. 

Ms. Belcher is a graduate of both The Curtis Institute of Music and The Eastman School of Music, and has coached extensively with Wilma Jensen.  Other teachers have included David Craighead, Clarence Watters, John Weaver, David Spicer, and pianist Martha Massena.  She is also a composer of note, having written numerous sacred vocal works including Mass of St. Benedict, Lulajże Jezuniu, Psalm 117, A New Year’s Carol, and Lutebook Lullabye.  Organ works include transcriptions of Vivaldi's L’inverno (“Winter”, from The Four Seasons), Bach’s Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043 for two violins, Clara Schumann’s Three Fugues on Themes of J. S. Bach, a new arrangement of Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor, RV 522 for two violins, and a transcription of a sonata by Buxtehude, to be premiered at the 2024 Biennial National Convention of the American Guild of Organists. She resides in New Hampshire where she bases her freelance career of performing, teaching, composing, and writing — and in her leisure time enjoys hiking, kayaking, swimming, gardening, reading, traveling, and keeping up with her three grown sons.

Diane Meredith Belcher is represented exclusively in North America by John McElliott, President, Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.

Photo Credits: Deborah Boardman (DMB portrait), Len Levasseur (C. B. Fisk Organ op. 139, Memorial Church, Harvard)