Tabernacle organist Richard Elliott answers 7 Questions with Emmy

Every week I’m interviewing exciting people from Idaho and around the world!

Richard Elliott is the Principal Tabernacle Organist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended the Peabody Conservatory and the Catholic University of America and earned a bachelor of music degree from the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

Richard currently sits on the advisory boards for the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ and the Eccles Organ Festival at Salt Lake City’s Cathedral of the Madeleine. He and his wife have two sons.

I visited Richard at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake and asked him the following questions:

• When did you know you wanted to become an organist?
• How many hours a day do you practice?
• What is the hardest piece you ever had to learn and how long did it take you?
• What is the difference between the organ here in the Tabernacle and other organs?
• What is the most challenging thing about playing the organ?
• How did you get your job as the Tabernacle organist?
• I’m from Idaho and we are known for our potatoes. Have you ever performed in Idaho and what is your favorite way to have a potato?

BONUS QUESTIONS

• What advice do you have for someone who wants to take music lessons?
• Is there a place or an organ in the world that you would love to play one day?
• Can you play me a little something?

Watch my entire interview with Richard in the video player above.

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