David Hicken
David Hicken is an organist and composer whose artistry unites commanding virtuosity with a vivid musical imagination and deeply expressive storytelling. A rare artist who stands both as interpreter and creator, he brings a living voice to the great organ tradition by performing powerful original works written specifically for the instrument.
Raised in a musical family, David began piano lessons at the age of three with his mother, a piano teacher, and later studied clarinet and organ. By sixteen, he had achieved Grade 8 with distinction in piano, organ, clarinet, and music theory through the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, later earning the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM). His formative years were immersed in the English cathedral tradition, where the grandeur of sacred spaces and the dramatic voice of the organ left a lasting artistic imprint.
A three-time prize winner at the Oundle International Organ Festival and laureate of the Huddersfield Organ Festival, David later received a major music scholarship to Stowe School. His early career included performances at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral in London, the cathedrals of Chester and Newcastle, and St George’s Chapel, Windsor. He has appeared as concerto soloist with both the Oxford Symphony Orchestra in England and the Westchester Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles, earning praise for his expressive depth and technical brilliance.
After studies in London with Nicholas Danby, David continued his training in the United States at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where his artistry quickly attracted international attention. A symphonic appearance as featured soloist led to a two-album recording contract, launching his work to a global audience.
David later served as Director of Music at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. During a decade living in Hawaii, he conducted major choral-orchestral works including Vivaldi’s Gloria and Bach’s Magnificat, further broadening his reputation as both performer and musical leader.
As a composer, his published choral work Adoramus te has received international performances, including at the Vatican, Notre Dame Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, and Canterbury Cathedral. While widely known for his piano works, David now specialises in organ, focusing his creative voice on expanding the expressive and sonic possibilities of the instrument.
Today, David is recognised for forging a distinctive new direction in organ music. His compositions blend the structural clarity of Baroque counterpoint and the emotional sweep of the Romantic tradition with a strong sense of atmosphere and narrative. From thunderous toccatas to luminous meditative works, his music ranges widely in character, always crafted to move audiences while showcasing the full sonic majesty of the instrument.
David currently creates and records from his studio in northern Thailand, where dramatic natural surroundings and creative solitude inform the expansive character of his music. Working at the intersection of tradition and modern technology, he captures the scale, colour, and power of the organ with exceptional clarity, reaching a global audience through studio performances and recordings. Live concert appearances remain an important future focus as he brings this evolving organ voice to performance spaces around the world.
Through recordings and digital platforms, David has built a substantial international following, with tens of millions of video views and a rapidly growing audience. His music is performed by organists and pianists worldwide who seek repertoire that is both thrilling to play and immediately compelling to listeners.