2020 Performers

Joseph Ripka


Joseph Ripka is the Director of Music at All Saints’ Episcopal Church and Day School in Phoenix, AZ. At All Saints’, he directs an active music program, which includes several adult and children’s choirs in the RSCM tradition.

Mr. Ripka is a distinguished concert organist who has earned a strong reputation as a virtuoso organist through acclaimed performances in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands and France. He has presented New York recitals at St. Thomas Church, St Patrick’s Cathedral, and St. John the Divine, has performed at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. and given extensive concerts in Minnesota, Connecticut, Massachusetts and many other regions of the country.

In 2008, Joseph was chosen as the first-prize winner of the Dublin International Organ Competition by a unanimous decision of all five internationally prominent jurors. In that same year, he also won first prize in the Fort Wayne National Organ Competition and the San Marino/Elizabeth Elftman National Organ Competition. During the summer of 2009, Joseph made his European concert debut with recitals at St. Sulpice in Paris, Bavo Kerk in Haarlem, Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, and Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden, Netherlands. Joseph has since performed at Westminster Cathedral in London, St. Michael’s Church in Dun Laoghaire, St Paul's Cathedral in London, St Columb's Cathedral in Derry, Noorderkerk in Amsterdam, and many more European venues.

Mr. Ripka has performed with the Boston Symphony, the New World Symphony and the Boston Philharmonic, with the renowned conductors Alan Gilbert, Michael Tilson Thomas and Benjamin Zander respectively. His recitals have been aired on American Public Media's Pipedreams, and he was invited by Michael Barone to be the featured artist for the 25th anniversary celebration of Pipedreams in 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Joseph received the Artist Diploma in organ from the Oberlin Conservatory, where he studied with James David Christie, and earned a Master of Music degree in organ from Yale University with Martin Jean. He also holds Master of Music degrees in piano and organ performance from the University of Kansas and Bachelor of Music degrees in piano and organ performance from Saint Cloud State University, MN. Other teachers include James Higdon, Charles Echols, Jack Winerock, Carmen Wilhite, and Yakov Gelfand. He has coached with Olivier Latry, Marie Claire Alain, Wilma Jensen, Jean-Baptiste Robin, John Scott, and Phillipe Lefebvre. Joseph is also a performing pianist, concertizing frequently with his wife violinist Erin Kathryn Ripka as the Ripka Duo.

Joseph is the former organist and choirmaster at Calvary Church (Episcopal) in Stonington, CT and artistic director of Calvary Music School. At Calvary, he directed an active music program, including adult and children’s choirs and a music school with over 100 students and a faculty of 14. During the summer of 2016, the Calvary Choir (RSCM) under Mr. Ripka’s direction, toured the UK singing services at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland and Lichfield Cathedral in Lichfield, England. Joseph was also consultant for a new organ by the Richards-Fowkes Co. of Ooltewah, TN that was installed in August of 2017.