Scott Dettra (born March 17, 1975) is an American concert organist and church musician. He tours in North America and Europe, and is the Organist at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Formerly, he was Director of Music and Organist at the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas, Texas.[1] He is also Organist of The Crossing, a professional chamber choir based in Philadelphia.[2] From 2007 to 2012, he was Organist of Washington National Cathedral.[3]
A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he studied music at an early age, beginning piano lessons at age three and organ lessons at age eight, taught primarily by his father.[4] He holds two degrees from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was a student of Joan Lippincott, and has also studied organ and jazz piano at Manhattan School of Music.[5] He tours extensively as a concert organist, performing at many prominent churches,[6][7] concert halls,[8][9] and universities[10][11] in the United States and abroad.[12] He has been a featured performer at several national conventions of the American Guild of Organists,[13][14][15] the Association of Anglican Musicians,[16] the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and the American Choral Directors Association.[17] Festival appearances include the Lincoln Center Festival, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, the Carmel Bach Festival, the Arizona Bach Festival, and the Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts.[18] As a church musician, he has held positions at Trinity Church, Princeton,[19] Saint Mark's, Locust Street in Philadelphia,[20] Saint Paul's, K Street in Washington, DC, and Washington National Cathedral.[21] Other former positions include Keyboard Artist of the Washington Bach Consort,[3] Assistant Conductor of the Cathedral Choral Society,[22] and Principal Accompanist of the American Boychoir.[9]
He is featured on more than 20 recordings as a soloist, conductor, or collaborator.
Dettra is an avid fan of The Muppets and Star Wars and frequently makes references to both during rehearsals.