A Biography of 

John S. Dixon

I was born in England in 1957, and grew up about fifty miles east of London, near the estuary of the River Thames. 

Starting piano studies at age 6, I progressed to pipe organ at age 11.  My first composition for public performance, at age 16, was the score to an original book for a youth theater production.

Although I did not choose to make music my career, I was active in music and theater while studying at Oxford University and later at Harvard, which brought me to America for the first time.

When I moved to America permanently in 1988, I became a member of Providence Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach, where I am now Organist and Composer-in-Residence.

At first, I concentrated on writing for church use: anthems for the choir to sing and organ voluntaries.  In recent years I have started writing for professional performers, including the Virginia Chorale and members of the Virginia Symphony.

Occasionally I may be heard as an announcer on WHRO FM Norfolk, Hampton Roads’ public radio station for classical music.  Working with a library of 20,000 classical music CD’s is a humbling experience for a composer, and I am constantly amazed at how much wonderful music was written by composers who lived short lives and did not have the benefit of today’s technology.

Nevertheless, my intention is to share whatever music I am able to produce with as wide an audience as possible.  Some of my music has been published by Zimbel Press, and you may reach their site at:

 www.zimbel.com   

Much of my unpublished music is available here, on this site.

I reside in Virginia Beach with my wife, Karen, and children Katie and Jack.