John Gillespie (8)

American harpsichordist, pianist and music pedagogue Born: January 2, 1921 - Greencastle, Indiana, USA Died: December 1, 2003 - Santa Barbara, California, USA John E. (Jack) Gillespie, received his early education and degrees at DePauw University, Indiana. Like others of his generation he saw service in the U.S. Army during World War II in Belgium and France, as a chaplain’s assistant. After the war, he spent two years at the Conservatoire Nationale de Paris, studying organ, then studied at the University of Southern California where he earned an M.M. degree in piano in 1947, and an M.A. in musicology in 1948. A Fulbright Grant returned him to Paris for two years of study at the Sorbonne preparatory to doctoral studies at USC, where he received the Ph.D. in musicology in 1951. John Gillespie was appointed Assistant Professor of Music at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and soon assumed the chair of the department. He made a series of recordings of a wide range of harpsichord music, played on his own concert Pleyel harpsichord, an acquisition during his Paris studies. In retirement, John Gillespie continued his research and writing and performing. His research interests were not limited to the Western tradition: he devoted a long period of study and writing to music of more exotic cultural traditions, especially resulting in a detailed essay and extensive set of recordings of music of the Egyptian Coptic Church. In the Santa Barbara community, he had a long association as organist for All Saints Episcopal Church, and until shortly before his death he served as organist for St. George’s Anglican Church in Ventura.