Profile

John Wells is a graduate of Cambridge University, where he was organ scholar at King’s College Chapel under Sir David Willcocks. He received his organ doctorate with high distinction from Indiana University after studies with Dr Oswald Ragatz. He is well-known to New Zealand audiences as concert performer, composer, recording artist and teacher. Tours have taken him to Australia and beyond to England, Poland, Germany, France and North America. He established the Cambridge Summer Recitals in 1979 which has now grown to become one of England’s leading organ festivals.

Dr Wells is Auckland University Organist and was re-appointed Auckland City Organist in 1998; he is a past-President of the New Zealand Association of Organists which elected him an honorary Fellow in 2002. He has a long association with chamber and choral music, he worked with the NZ National Youth Choir for several years. He has recorded seven CDs, including the very first New Zealand organ CD in 1989 and the entire Well-Tempered Clavier of Bach on the organ. He travels widely, both as a performer and examiner.

His work as City Organist has involved establishing a series of classic organ concerts and advising on the planned restoration of the Town Hall organ by 2011, the centenary of the installation of the original instrument.

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