Scott Frank Foppiano

Scott Frank Foppiano, Servant of Christ, loving Son, Brother, Uncle, Godfather and Friend, completed is earthly task on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

Scott F. Foppiano was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1965. He began study of the piano with Mrs. Evelyn Maschmeyer of the Memphis Beethoven Club while a student at the Parish School of St. Paul the Apostle. He soon thereafter began private study of the organ with Dr. John Hooker at Calvary Episcopal Church and subsequently playing for the weekend masses at St. Paul's. During his years at Christian Brothers High School he discovered the Mighty Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ at the historic Orpheum Theatre and was soon featured playing organ overtures and intermissions. 

His family relocated to Charlotte following his senior year and he entered the NC School of the Arts as a Keenan Organ Scholar and student of Dr. John and Margaret Mueller. His formal studies as an Organ Major in Church Music with a double major in Voice also brought him under the tutelage of Mrs. Donna Robertson at Mars Hill University and Dr. Robert Glasgow at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. He holds an Artists Diploma, BMus, MMus and both the Service Playing and Colleague certifications of the American Guild of Organists. He studied organ improvisation with Dr. Gerre Hancock at St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in NYC. He continued private study of classical organ repertoire with Mr. William Whitehead and the study of theatre and symphonic organ stylings with his best friend and mentor the late, great, renowned Mr. G. Thomas Hazleton. 

Critically acclaimed and sought as a recitalist, theatre organist and silent film accompanist, he has played and recorded some of the greatest pipe organs in the US, Canada and Europe. He has been a repeat recitalist at St. Mary’s Cathedral San Francisco; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Chicago; the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee; the Cathedral of St. Patrick, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and the Church of St. Thomas Fifth Avenue all in New York City; Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC and the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ in Portland, Maine. For nine years he served as Senior House Organist at the Fox Theatre in Detroit and at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor. His concerts and live accompaniments for silent films have received national acclaim for quality and precision. To date he has recorded eight digital solo organ CDs with future projects pending. He has been a featured convention artist, and executive board member, of the American Guild of Organists, Organ Historical Society and American Theatre Organ Society at both local and national levels.

In 2001 Mr. Foppiano and his choir made a 14-day tour of Italy where they sang in the Cathedrals and Basilicas of Milan, Assisi and Florence as well as the Solemn Latin Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome under his direction and organ accompaniment. They were presented in concert for the people of Rome at the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatio and the pilgrimage culminated with the choir being presented to and singing to His Holiness Pope St. John Paul II. 

He has served as Organist-Choirmaster for several prominent congregations including The National Basilica Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, MI. He has also been very involved as an adjudicator and coach for the ATOS’ Young Organist Competition and, in 2012, his student won the Senior division and was debuted in Santa Monica at the National ATOS convention. In addition to his ecclesiastical duties as a Church Organist-Choirmaster he maintains an active schedule as a solo performer. During the 2007 ATOS National Convention in New York City he was honored with the title “ATOS Organist of the Year” following his solo recital on the great organ in the Cadet Chapel at the US Military Academy at West Point.  In 2016 Mr. Foppiano returned to North Carolina to be near his family and was Organist and Director of Music at Tryon Presbyterian Church, Tryon, NC.

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS:

Private post-grad study: Dr. Robert Glasgow, Mr. William Whitehead, Mr. Mr. Thomas Hazleton

Private study of Liturgical Improvisation with Dr. Gerre Hancock, St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, NYC, NY

L'Abbaye Saint-Pierre, Solesmes, France                    Study of Gregorian Chant: Dom Daniel Saulnier, OSB

Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI                  Certificate of Liturgical Ministries Administration

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI                            Organ Performance: Church Music                                MMus

Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, NC                                         Organ Performance/Voice; Choral Conducting                 BMus

Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC                   Organ Performance/Voice; Choral Conducting       BMus (yrs 1-2)

N.C. School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC            Organ Performance/Voice; Choral Conducting                   Artists Dipl.

Christian Brothers High School, Memphis, TN

St. Paul the Apostle Parish and School, Memphis, TN

PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS:

American Guild of Organists                                               Royal School of Church Music

The Church Music Institute                                   National Association of Pastoral Musicians             

Organ Historical Society                                                         American Theatre Organ Society

American Theatre Organ Society                                       Phi Mu Alpha - Sinfonia

Scott was preceeded in death by his beloved Mother Betty Foppiano, Father David Foppiano,Jr. and Nephew, Nicholas Lee.

He leaves behind to mourn his passing and celebrate his life, his sister Cindy Foppiano Lee and husband Todd of Boone, NC.  Niece Alyssa Lee and husband Hayden Collins, of Fort Mill SC, nephew Daniel Lee, of Charlotte NC, Niece, Anna Lee, of Concord NC, Aunt Patsy Griffin and cousin Shawn Rowland, of Miller's Creek, NC.  We cannot leave out his beloved companion Miss Rosie, who he doted on unapologetically and was by his side upon his passing.  Mr. Foppiano passed in his home, peacefully in his sleep.

 “I will miss him for the rest of my life.” – Cindy Foppiano

Well done, good and faithful servant; well done.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Scott F. Foppiano Memorial Trust Foundation, 117 Valley View Terrace, Boone, North Carolina, 28607.   

Live stream service 

St. Gabriel live memorial

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