Eighteen year-old Griffin McMahon is earning a reputation as a versatile organist, pianist, and vocalist of a repertoire crossing both classical and contemporary styles. A passionate and exciting soloist, he has performed at some of the country's most prestigious venues, including: New York's Lincoln Center and St. Mary the Virgin Times Square; Philadelphia's Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center and Curtis Institute of Music; Mechanic's Hall; Boston's Symphony Hall and Church of the Advent; Princeton University Chapel; and on the world's largest functional pipe organ, the Wanamaker Organ at Macy's Center City Philadelphia, among others. Active in both solo and chamber music, Griffin made his orchestral debut as piano soloist with a performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Longmeadow Symphony Orchestra in December 2010. His performances on the “Wanamaker Organ Hour” have been broadcast on WRTI radio numerous times. Griffin currently lives in New York City where he is a first-year undergraduate student at The Juilliard School and studies with Grammy Award winning organist Mr. Paul Jacobs, chair of the organ department. At Juilliard, he is the recipient of the Alice Tully Scholarship and the Juilliard Alumni Scholarship. An active member of the American Guild of Organists, Griffin is professionally certified as a Colleague. He was previously the Organist and Choir Director at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in East Longmeadow, MA, where he worked since age fifteen. He began playing liturgical services at the age of twelve. At age sixteen, he led the Springfield Symphony Orchestra in a holiday work in concert at Symphony Hall, after winning the SSO Conducting Competition. Griffin has also worked with highly respected artists such as Ken Cowan, Peter Conte, David Higgs, Nathan Laube, Renee Louprette, Alan Morrison, John Rose and Christopher Young. Griffin began his organ studies with Mr. Peter Beardsley, piano studies with Mrs. Abigail Thomsen and Ms. Julia Bienkowski, and voice studies with Mr. Peter Thomsen. A native of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Griffin is a graduate of Longmeadow High School, where he was active as a pianist, bassist, and vocalist in the school's renowned Grammy Award and American Prize winning music program. He is also a graduate of Juilliard Pre-College, where he attended every Saturday for three years while maintaining high grades in high school. At Pre-College, Griffin studied organ with Dr. Matthew Lewis, piano with Dr. Ernest Barrnetta, collaborated with string players in chamber music, and was a recipient of the Pre-College's Outstanding Achievement Award. He is the 2010 winner of the Charlotte Hoyt Bagnall Scholarship Organ Competition. Griffin's passions include history, travel, improvisation, collaboration with other musicians, and educational outreach through music. For six years he has been a musical volunteer for the Rays of Hope walkathon for the fight against breast cancer in Springfield, MA, where each year he performs for some 10,000 participants during the walk. During high school, he simultaneously would play rock, jazz and classical piano music at piano bars and restaurants throughout New England while playing pipe organ and directing choir at church every Sunday. He has mentored several children in piano lessons since age fourteen, and intends to continue teaching as well as performing.