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Jeffrey Brillhart
In June 1999, Jeffrey Brillhart was appointed the fourth Music Director
of Singing City, having served as Associate Director in the 1998-99
season, when he worked closely with then Music Director Joseph
Flummerfelt. As Music Director, Mr. Brillhart provides artistic
leadership for a rich program of concerts, educational instruction in
local schools, and outreach to diverse communities. He directs the choir
and oversees all aspects of Singing City's musical initiatives. Jeffrey
sang with Singing City during founder Elaine Brown's last year as
director, and he shares Singing City's commitment to performance,
community, and education. He has an impressive background of study,
positions and achievement, begun first at age 5 with piano lessons and
at age 11 with his first position as a church organist.
Mr. Brillhart's formal training was at Drake University, where he
received his Bachelor of Church Music degree in 1977, and at the Eastman
School of Music, where he received a Master of Performance and
Literature degree in 1979. Prior to and during this time his organ study
was with Frank B. Jordan, Carl Staplin, Arthur Poister and Russell
Saunders. A pianist, harpsichordist, conductor and singer as well, he
studied with Barbara Lister-Sink, Lenora McCroskey and Margaret
Hauptmann. While at Eastman, Mr. Brillhart was active as a pianist in
the studios of Jan DeGaetani, John Maloy, Thomas Paul and Peter Salaff.
A native Iowan, Jeffrey Brillhart serves as Director of Music and Fine
Arts at the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Jeff directs the Senior Choir
and Bryn Mawr Chamber Singers; oversees the Vespers Series and Second
Sundays at Five; supervises all children and youth choirs; and
coordinates the church's arts outreach and visual arts ministries. He
has taken his choirs on international tours to Northern Ireland,
England, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Russia, Finland, Brazil
and Cuba.
In 1993, he took a five-month study leave in Paris, France where he
studied organ improvisation, the organ symphonies of Louis Vierne, and
the music of Maurice Duruflé. His teachers included Olivier Latry,
Philippe Lefebvre, Marie Madeleine Duruflé and Wolfgang Seifan. In 1994
he was first place prize winner in the American Guild of Organists
National Competition in Organ Improvisation. Since that time, his
recital tours have taken him throughout America, with engagements in San
Diego, Seattle, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York City, Iowa City, Des
Moines, Worcester, and throughout the eastern seaboard.
Jeffrey Brillhart is active with the American Guild of Organists and the
American Choral Directors Association. He may be heard as organist and
pianist on several Direct-to-Digital recordings. He is also listed in
the International Who's Who of Musicians.
His recital tours have taken him throughout America, with engagements in
San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York City,
Birmingham, Iowa City, Des Moines, Worcester, and throughout the eastern
seaboard. He has presented masterclasses at Curtis Institute of Music,
Eastman School of Music, Westminster Choir College, Drake University,
University of Iowa, and Baylor University. Since January 2005, he has
been a Visiting Lecturer in Improvisation at Yale.
Last revised
June 26, 2010