Joseph Ripka is an internationally respected and acclaimed organist, recognized for his virtuosity and expressiveness. He was the first-prize winner of the Dublin International Organ Competition, the Fort Wayne National Organ Playing Competition, and the San Marino/ Elizabeth Elftman National Organ Competition.
Joseph is in demand as a concert organist and has performed recitals throughout the United States. He received high praise in a review from the Boston Musical Intelligencer for his performance at Holy Cross College in Worcester Massachusetts on the renowned Taylor and Boody Opus 9 instrument. Joseph has performed with the New World Symphony, the Boston Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra under conductors Michael Tilson Thomas, Benjamin Zander, and Alan Gilbert. Mr. Ripka’s recitals have been aired on American Public Media's Pipedreams several times; he was invited by Michael Barone to be the featured artist for the 25th anniversary celebration of Pipedreams in 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 played recitals 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. Joseph’s acclaimed YouTube videos have received hundreds of thousands of views and have earned rave comments from around the world.
Joseph holds bachelor’s degrees in both organ and piano performance from St. Cloud State University, masters degrees in organ and piano performance from the University of Kansas, the Artist Diploma in organ performance from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in organ performance from Yale University. His principal teachers were James David Christie, Martin Jean, James Higdon, Charles Echols, Jack Winerock and Carmen Wilhite, and Yakov Gelfand. He has coached with Olivier Latry, Marie Claire Alain, Wilma Jensen, Jean-Baptiste Robin, John Scott, and Phillipe Lefebvre as well.
Mr. Ripka is the Canon Musician at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Oklahoma City, OK. At St. Paul’s, Joseph is director of a comprehensive choral and music program, including two adult choirs and the Cathedral Chorister program, which he inaugurated in the fall of 2021. He also serves as Diocesan Music Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. Mr. Ripka is the former Director of Music at All Saints’ Episcopal Church and Day School in Phoenix, AZ. At All Saints’ Church, Joseph directed the Adult Choir, Chamber Choir and RSCM Choir. He founded the All Saints’ Church chorister program in 2017 and also directed the All Saints’ Day School chorister program. He 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 nine services in seven days 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. He later returned to play the dedication recitals in January of 2018. Joseph was previously organ scholar at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fairfield, Connecticut, organist/choirmaster at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Kansas City, and organist/choir director at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Parma, OH. During the 2006-2007 academic year, Joseph served on the piano faculty at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Joseph has also served as a jurist for the L. Cameron Johnson Memorial Competition for high school organ students, the North American round of the 2009 Tariverdiev International Organ Competition, and the AGO/Quimby RCYO competitions.
An internationally recognized organist, Mr. Ripka is also a performing pianist and harpsichordist, He has performed professionally as a pianist in numerous duo recitals and chamber-music concerts and as a continuo harpsichordist in concerts and recitals with Baroque ensembles and soloists. Joseph has conducted numerous complete performances of Handel’s Messiah and cantatas of Bach, Buxtehude and Schutz. His repertoire as a keyboardist, conductor and teacher extends from the late Renaissance and early Baroque to the 21st century. Joseph serves as instructor of harpsichord and director of the Early Music Ensemble at Oklahoma City University.
AWARDS & RECOGINITION
2011 recipient of the alumni prize awarded by the yale school of music
2009 recipient of the prestigious artist diploma from oberlin conservatory
2010 awarded the mary baker scholarship in organ by the yale institute of sacred music
2010 recipient of the robert baker stipend awarded to top 1-2% of organists in the us
2010 recipient of the charles ives prize by the yale school of music
2008 SAN MARINO/ELFTMAN NATIONAL ORGAN COMPETITION | 1ST PRIZE
2008 EUROPEAN CONCERT DEBUT WITH RECITALS IN PARIS, AMSTERDAM & THE NETHERLANDS
2008 DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL ORGAN COMPETITION | 1ST PRIZE
“Organist Joseph Ripka ’09 has won first prize at the Dublin International Organ Competition, held on June 28, 2008, at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. In addition to 5,000 euros, his award includes recital engagements in Ireland, the U.K., and continental Europe.
Ripka, from Elk River, Minnesota, is an Artist Diploma student studying at the Conservatory with Professor of Organ James David Christie. “This is one of the most prestigious … international organ competitions,” says Christie. “Joey really deserved this honor … he had the repertoire in his fingers, in his heart and soul.”
Ripka and two other finalists were required to present a 40-minute program for the finals round that included a work by Olivier Messiaen, whose centenary is being celebrated this year. Ripka performed Messiaen’s Transports de Joie, J.S. Bach’s Allein Gott in der Hoh sei ehr, BWV 662, and Max Reger’s Choral Fantasy on “Wachet auf.” ”