Examiner 497

Diplom für alte Musik, DSCM,  LMusA, AMusA

Philip Swanton studied organ under David Rumsey at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before pursuing postgraduate studies in early keyboard instruments at the famous Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland.

After living and working in Europe for 16 years, Mr Swanton returned to Australia. He accepted a teaching appointment at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he has been Head of Organ Studies for the last 20 years. He also tutors regularly at local and overseas organ academies. Mr Swanton was Senior Teacher with the ACT Organ School from 2003 to 2017. He also worked as a Performance Teaching Fellow at the ANU School of Music. For more than two decades, he taught organ, piano and harpsichord at Sydney Grammar School.

Mr Swanton has performed at major festivals and venues, including in Australia, Europe and Mexico. He has made solo recordings for several leading European recording labels and radio networks, as well as for ABC Classic FM.

As a researcher, Mr Swanton has been published in several European organ journals and yearbooks. He regularly contributes articles and reviews to the Sydney Organ Journal. Mr Swanton has also edited early keyboard music for the Stuttgart publishing house Carus.

For more than 40 years, Mr Swanton has been a member of the Organ Music Society of Sydney. He is a keen supporter of its development programs for young students, including the annual Sydney Organ Competition and Young Organists’ Day at Sydney Town Hall. Mr Swanton is also a member of the German Organists’ Association.

Mr Swanton is the organist of a large Sydney suburban parish church. In addition to accompanying Sunday services, he often plays for weddings.