Organists

After a broad and thorough search of applicants that was announced through Church and media channels around the world, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square announced on Friday, April 12, 2019, that Joseph Peeples had been appointed as the newest Temple Square organist. Peeples joins a long line of distinguished musicians who have served as organists on Temple Square, continuing a tradition that stretches back to early pioneer days in Utah. He currently serves with three current full-time Tabernacle organists, Richard Elliott, Andrew Unsworth, and Brian Matthias, and one other part-time Temple Square organist, Linda Margetts.

Prior to his appointment, Peeples was the university organist at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California, where he taught courses in applied organ, keyboard harmony, and music appreciation courses. He gave monthly faculty recitals in Samuelson Chapel on the Thousand Oaks campus. Peeples also served as the organist at First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara, where he accompanied the Chancel Choir. He was previously the organist of Speedway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Speedway, Indiana, and accompanied the nationally recognized collegiate choirs of Brigham Young University. He received his master’s degree in organ performance from Brigham Young University (BYU). While at BYU, he studied organ with Don Cook and Douglas Bush, conducting with Rosalind Hall, and carillon with Don Cook. He has completed coursework for a doctorate at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he studied organ with Janette Fishell, Christopher Young, and Bruce Neswick. Peeples is on the faculty for the annual Brigham Young University Organ Workshop and through the years has taught a wide variety of courses in music theory and musicianship at Pepperdine University, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Brigham Young University.