Kevin Birch

Kevin Birch is a music faculty member at the University of Maine’s School of Performing Arts, where he teaches organ and harpsichord. He directs The Athena Consort, UMaine’s Women’s Choir, and serves as Director of Music at St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor since 1992. His roles include preserving the historic E.& G.G. Hook Pipe Organ (Opus 288, 1860) through the St. John’s Organ Society. Birch holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa, with prior studies at New England Conservatory and Amsterdam’s Sweelinck Conservatorium.

Education:

• Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Iowa
• Studies at New England Conservatory (Boston)
• Studies at Sweelinck Conservatorium (Amsterdam)

Research & Performance: Focused on organ performance, historic pipe organs, and choral music. Active in national conventions of the Organ Historical Society and performances across the U.S., Europe, and South America. Collaborates with UMaine faculty Elizabeth Downing (flute) and Anatole Wieck (violin). Recorded on Organ Historical Society albums Historic Organs of Connecticut and Historic Organs of Boston.

Labs/Teams: Leads The Athena Consort and St. John’s Organ Society, dedicated to organ preservation and performance.