Mr. James D. Flood, FWTC, FCSM, was born and reared in New England where he received his early training in piano and organ. At age twelve he began playing professionally for church services and conducting choirs. While in high school he was chosen Maine All-State Orchestra pianist for three years in a row; was organist/pianist for the Empire Grove Summer Assembly and Institute; and, among other awards, was winner of the Lincoln County Orchestra Scholarship. Mr. Flood studied at the the Northern Conservatory of Music with Edward Prescott, AAGO, and presented many organ recitals.
Mr. Flood majored in organ at Syracuse University School of Music on full scholarship. While at Syracuse he assisted in conducting the University Chorus, participated in the east coast premiere of Dominic Argento's Masque of th
e Angels, and guest conducted various cantatas and ensembles. He was selected carillonneur for Syracuse University's Commencement Exercises in 1968 and again in 1969, and was graduated with a B.A. in Music. While in Syracuse Mr. Flood was organist at Erwin Street Methodist Church, and organist-choir director at Calvary American Baptist Church and St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
In the early 1970's James Flood moved to the Western New York area to work with a local pipe organ company and also did graduate organ study with the late Squire Haskin. Mr. Flood has installed and tonally finished over two hundred organs in the eastern United States and Canada, including the Chapel at Niagara University; Rockwell Auditorium, State University College at Buffalo; the Arts Center at State University of New York at Stony Brook; and redesigned and rebuilt the organ at First Baptist Church, Niagara Falls, New York.
He has concertized extensively throughout the northeast, Canada, and England. Mr. Flood was selected to play for Dr. David Craighead's organ master class at the Eastman School of Music Church Musicians' Summer Workshop in 1988. In 1989 he was elected a Fellow of the Wessex Theological College. In August 1991 he toured England, playing several programs in historic churches. A practicing church musician for over forty-six years, Mr. Flood has served several churches in the western New York area, including Trinity U. C. C., Ascension Evangelical Lutheran, Cleveland Heights Christian Church, and for many years, First Baptist Church of Niagara Falls, NY.
From 1992 to 2002 Maestro Flood was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra. In March 1991 he conducted a revival of Alfred Gaul's Oratorio Holy City and in May 1991 conducted Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio St. Paul, which was professionally recorded. Mr. Flood has studied advanced conducting with Dr. Eph Ely. From November 14 through 22, 1992, James Flood conducted four performances of the oratorio Eli by Michael Costa in a revival of this major mid-19th century work. On December 12, 1992, he conducted the first gala Christmas Concert of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra at the Greek Theatre of the Niagara Falls Convention Center. On October 31, 1992, James D. Flood was admitted as a Fellow to the Cambridge Society of Musicians.
December of 1995 saw the release of Mr. Flood's compact disc The American Impressionist Organ, recorded on the organ at First Baptist Church, Niagara Falls, NY, and includes early 20th century organ music composed for the large orchestral organs of the day. The CD was favorably reviewed in The American Organist. In December 2008 Mr. Flood's newest CD was released: What Used to Be Played, which is a highly listenable and largely forgotten collection of pieces from a century ago. Both CD's are available from Michael's Music Service or First Baptist Church, Niagara Falls, NY.
Currently Mr. Flood teaches organ and advanced piano at Villa Maria College of Buffalo NY. He is the Director of Music at First Baptist Church, Niagara Falls, NY and is also a violinist and oboist and lives in Clarence, New York, with his wife Donna. James Flood can be reached by e-mail or through the College.
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