Gordon Young

Gordon Young (October 15, 1919 – October 2, 1998) was an American organist and composer of both organ and choral works. Young was born in McPherson, Kansas. His undergraduate degree in music was earned at Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas. Following that he was a scholarship pupil of organist Alexander McCurdy at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia in the 1940s, and later he received his Doctor of Sacred Music from Southwestern in 1964. Young received 18 consecutive composition annual awards from ASCAP. His published works total over 800, and a number of his church anthems such as his Now Sing We Joyfully unto God, and his organ compositions such as his Prelude in Classic Style, have become standard repertoire. Young died October 2, 1998 in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. One of his pieces, Contempora Suite has been approved by the Florida Bandmasters Association for Solo & Ensemble competitions.