Biography
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Described as “scintillating” and “tremendously virtuosic” (The Straits Times, Singapore), Michael Hey has established himself as a reputable concert organist in the U.S. and abroad. Hey performs solo and collaboratively, from organ concertos with top American orchestras to organ recitals in historic cathedrals and churches.
Michael has performed solo recitals and lectured for several American Guild of Organists conventions and conferences. In 2017, Michael received first prize in the First Shanghai Conservatory of Music International Organ Competition, held at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Theater. In 2017, Michael released his premiere solo CD recording Michael T. C. Hey plays the Great Organ of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York by the JAV recording label. In 2016, he was recognized as one of the top “20 Under 30” organists by The Diapason magazine.
Michael has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony on several occasions. In 2014, he was the featured organ soloist for the New York City Ballet’s newly commissioned work Acheron. Set to the music of Francis Poulenc’s Organ Concerto, his performance at its premiere was "vividly played" (The New York Times, 2014). Michael has performed at notable venues such as Lincoln Center (New York), Carnegie Hall (New York), Madison Square Garden (New York), the Kimmel Center (Philadelphia), the Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), the Esplanade (Singapore), and Overture Hall (Madison).
In 2023, Michael was appointed Director of Music at the historic Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan. Prior to his appointment at Marble Collegiate Church, Michael served as Associate Director of Music and Organist of the famed Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City for over eight years, where one of his first major tasks was to perform for the first U.S. visit of Pope Francis. Michael played at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for services throughout the week and had been heard by millions visiting the cathedral or on live broadcasts via Sirius XM radio, television, and online. Prior to his appointment at St. Patrick’s Cathedral , Michael served for five years as Assistant Organist at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Not exclusively a solo organist, Michael enjoys a varied career that includes collaborations with other musicians, solo piano recitals, improvising, and transcribing works. He is a proponent of new works for organ and has premiered a number of compositions. He performs works and arrangements for violin and organ with violinist Christiana Liberis in the Hey-Liberis duo.
Recent performances include the solo recitals at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Washington, D.C.), the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Oklahoma City, OK), Princeton University Chapel (Princeton, NJ), and Ocean Grove Auditorium (Ocean Grove, NJ), the Spreckels Organ (San Diego, CA), and the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel (Annapolis, MD), and Methuen Music Hall (Methuen, MA).
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Michael graduated in 2014 from the accelerated five-year degree program at The Juilliard School where he received both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in organ performance under Paul Jacobs.
Michael Hey is represented in North America exclusively by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists, LLC.