Benjamin Cornelius-Bates

Dr. Benjamin Cornelius-Bates, organist, composer, improviser, grew up in Alaska. He did not study organ until he attended the University of Montana with Nancy Cooper. In addition to Dr. Cooper, his organ instructors have included Rachel Alflatt and Dr. Ann Labousky, who also guided him in organ improvisation. As a composer, he was first mentored by Denis Bédard and subsequently studied with Drs. Matthew Heap, David Taddie, and Joseph Dangerfield.

Ben has competed internationally as an improvisor in France, Germany, and Michigan. He has had numerous organ composition commissions including Sonata No. 1 for the American Guild of Organists National Convention, Dyptich for Katia Farn in Birmingham, England, Sonata No. 3 for Carson Cooman at Harvard University Chapel, among others. Recordings of his compositions and improvisation can be found on his YouTube page.

Those are not the only interests though! He has also been creating arrangements and editions of historical women composers. Ben recently produced an edition of Elizabeth Stirling’s organ music that can be found on IMSLP as well as several arrangements of music by other women composers. Ben recorded two albums with his band The Stuarts in the late ‘90s and more recently released several electronic music albums. He also wrote the score to the film Gore Orphanage and contributed music to the movie Handyman from Hell.

• D.M.A., West Virginia University
• A.D., Duquesne University
• M.M., Duquesne University
• B.M., University of Montana, Missoula

• Music Theory
• Composition
• Organ, Harpsichord, Piano
• Improvisation
• Arranging and Editing