Composer Richard J. Clark has served since 1989 as Music Director and Organist at Saint Cecilia Church in Boston, Massachusetts, where he plays the 1999 Smith and Gilbert organ of 6 divisions and 50 ranks. He is also Chapel Organist (Saint Mary's Chapel) at Boston College.
Born in New York City, he has performed and composed music in various genres, including classical, jazz, electronic and popular.
Performances of his compositions include the Oscar-Nominated American Boychoir, and members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops. An award winner songwriter, he has also performed with the New York Songwriter Circle in Greenwich Village, New York City. His organ compositions have been broadcast by radio stations in the Northeast and appear in the PCU Records catalog (New York). He has directed the Saint Cecilia Men's Schola in several radio performances of Gregorian chant. His commissions include concert works for orchestra, mixed and children's choirs, voice, and instruments. He has also been a guest artist, performer and lecturer for the Berklee College of Music Composition Department. His choral works are published by CanticaNOVA Publications.
His organ performances have been with the Boston Philharmonic, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, and Saint Paul's Cathedral (Boston), the Church of the Transfiguration (New York City), and Methuen Memorial Music Hall, as well as recitals in Belgium and Italy, and appearances on various New England and New York radio programs.
While studying as a chemistry major at New York University, he also studied classical piano and composition with Justin Dello Joio. He received his Bachelor's Degree at the Berklee College of Music in 1991 where he concentrated on jazz piano and composition. He studied organ with James David Christie, organist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1997 he completed his Master of Music Degree from the Boston Conservatory, and was elected to the national honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda.
