Olivier Latry

“An encore returned us to the disciplined world of Bach, concluding a stunning recital by one of the world’s greatest organists.”
Herford Times

Established as the leading ambassador for his instrument, French organist Olivier Latry has performed in the world’s most prestigious venues, been the guest of top orchestras throughout the world with renowned conductors, recorded with major labels, and premiered an impressive number of works. Appointed as titular organist at Notre-Dame in Paris at the age of 23, and Organist Emeritus at Orchestre National de Montréal since 2012, Olivier Latry is an accomplished, thoughtful and adventurous musician, exploring all possible fields of organ music, with an exceptional talent as an improviser.

Olivier Latry regularly appears in venues like Berlin Philharmonie, Philharmonie de Paris, Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles, San Francisco’s Davies Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Konzerthaus Dortmund, Philadelphia’s Verizon Hall, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, Tonhalle Zürich, MUPA Budapest, Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall in London, KKL Lucerne, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Lotte Hall Seoul, Musiikkitalo Helsinki, Rotterdam’s de Doelen, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, and as a soloist with orchestras such as Berlin Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, NHK Symphony, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Göteborgs Symfoniker, Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, Munich Philharmonic, Dresdner Philharmonie, Philharmonia Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony, RSO Wien, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, and has worked with conductors like Myung-Whun Chung, Andris Nelsons, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Osmo Vänskä, Rafael Payare, Stéphane Denève, Krzysztof Urbański, Fabien Gabel, Christoph Eschenbach, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Alain Altinoglu, Kent Nagano, Edo de Waart, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste.

In 2023 Olivier premiered Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Sinfonia concertante for organ and orchestra with the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris and Finnish Radio Symphony conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen himself. Recent highlights include Swiss, French and North American premieres of Pascal Dusapin’s Waves for organ and orchestra with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. Other past premieres have included Kaija Saariaho’s Maan Varjot for organ and orchestra with Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre National de Lyon, and Philharmonia Orchestra in 2014, and Michael Gandolfi’s Ascending Light with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2015. He also premiered Benoît Mernier’s Organ Concerto for the inauguration of Brussels’ BOZAR new organ in 2017. In 2019, he played the German premiere of Thierry Escaich’s Third Organ Concerto, with Dresden Philharmoniker and Stéphane Denève.

His strong attachment to French organ repertoire led him to record Messiaen’s complete works for organ for Deutsche Grammophon, which he also performed in recitals in Paris, London and New York. In 2005, he recorded a Franck album for Deutsche Grammophon. Among several other recordings, Olivier also recorded Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 with Christoph Eschenbac and Philadelphia Orchestra for Ondine Records. In 2013, he released Trois siècles d’orgue à Notre Dame de Paris with the record label Naïve featuring music written by former and current titular organists at Notre-Dame. In 2016 he recorded a recital on Philharmonie de Paris’ Rieger organ for Warner Classics. In 2019, he started a collaboration with the label La Dolce Volta with an album called Bach to the Future. Recorded on the celebrated organ of Notre Dame, the album features Bach’s transcriptions and original works specially adapted to this extraordinary instrument. His latest album on La Dolce Volta LISZT // Inspirations was recorded on the organ of Philharmonie de Paris and released in 2021.

A former student of Gaston Litaize, Olivier Latry has taught at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris until 2024 , and is a recipient of numerous international distinctions and awards worldwide, including the Prix de la Fondation Cino et Simone Del Duca (Institut de France – Académie des Beaux-Arts) in 2000, and ‘Honoris Causa’ Fellowships from North and Midlands School of Music (UK) in 2006, and from Royal College of Organists (UK) in 2007. He was named International Performer of the Year by the American Guild of Organists in April 2009, and received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from McGill University in Montreal in 2010.