John Paul Farahat fosters a diverse career as organist, accompanist, and conductor. He holds the post of Principal Organist of Saint Basil’s Roman Catholic Church, the collegiate church of the University of Saint Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, where he oversees the historic 1919 Casavant Frères organ (opus 800). He furthermore assumes the music directorship of extra-ordinary services and university functions.

Active as a concert organist, Mr. Farahat’s notable past engagements include the ORGANIX festival and the Cathedral Church of Saint James in Toronto, the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in New York City, as well as Saint Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Buffalo and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

John Paul Farahat is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Performance (Organ) from the University of Toronto in the studio of Kevin Komisaruk, with whom he has also studied the harpsichord and improvisation. He has coached with Peter Williams and Olivier Latry, as well as received direct masterclass instruction from Thomas Murray. He has also studied conducting with Ivars Taurins. Mr. Farahat is an alumnus of St. Michael’s Choir School, Toronto, and a former boy chorister of Saint Michael’s Cathedral.

-March 2013