Though American by birth, Lynne Davis’s career has been richly steeped in French music, culture, and style. Her career was launched by taking First Prize at the 1975 St. Albans International Organ Competition (England)–the eighth organist to receive that honor. As a leading international concert artist and master teacher, she has performed in nearly every cathedral in France, in numerous major European cities, and coast to coast in North America. She has been invited to be a performer and lecturer at two national conventions and several regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists, and as a jury member of Chartres, Dallas, St. Albans, Taraverdiev (Russia), and Canadian International organ competitions.
For over thirty years, Lynne Davis made France her home, having married Chartres International Organ Competition founder Pierre Firmin-Didot. The couple played a major role in the French organ music scene, initiating among other things the 1992 exhibition, award-winning recording and book of “Les Orgues de Paris”. Her unique living and working experience and lineage of study in France makes her an authority in all French organ repertoire.
She holds France’s Certificat d’Aptitude de Professeur d’Orgue, has served as organ professor at the Conservatory of Music in Clamart (1990-2006) and at the French National Regional Conservatory in Caen (1997-2006). Ms. Davis then returned to the United States and joined the faculty of the Wichita State University School of Music, holding a full professorship as the Robert L. Town Distinguished Professor of Organ. She is producer and artistic director of the Rie Bloomfield Organ Series - Distinguished Guest Artists and the Wednesdays in Wiedemann series. Her three CD recordings and 65 videos on the WSU Marcussen organ continue to receive critical and popular praise.
Ms. Davis graduated from the University of Michigan as a student of Robert Clark and continued her studies in France with Marie-Claire Alain then with Jean Langlais and Maurice and Marie-Madeleine Duruflé. In 2011 at Wichita State University, she received the Excellence in Creativity Award and organized the American Alain Festival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jehan Alain, as well as being awarded the distinction of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. 2012 saw her receiving the medal of the city of Wichita from Mayor Carl Brewer and the Burton Pell award from the Wichita Arts Council. Her translation from French to English of the book on Jehan Alain by Aurélie Decourt-Alain is to be published in 2024-25.
Lynne Davis is represented in North America exclusively by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists, LLC
