Jean GALARD, titular organist of the great organ at Beauvais Cathedral, passed away on 9 September 2026.
Since 1979, he had filled the cathedral’s soaring vaults with the harmonious sounds of the organ’s many stops, bringing joy to parishioners and all who came to listen.
Let us pray for him and his family.
A musician trained in the great French tradition
Born on 19 February 1949 in Vincennes, Jean Galard studied with leading figures in the French organ tradition, including Noëlie Pierront, Rolande Falcinelli, Jean Langlais and Norbert Dufourcq, at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris. He was awarded a Premier Prix in organ in 1975, followed in 1979 by the Maurice Duruflé Prize for improvisation, awarded by Les Amis de l’Orgue. He was also a recipient of the Fondation de France’s Charles Oulmont Prize. Jean Galard — French Wikipedia
A career devoted to two organs
Jean Galard held the posts of titular organist at both Beauvais Cathedral and Saint-Médard Church in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. An acclaimed improviser, he performed in recitals and alongside major ensembles, including the Orchestre de Paris and the Paris Opera, both in France and abroad. He also took part in numerous recordings, as a soloist and as a chamber musician. Orgues de Chartres
A dedicated teacher
Committed to passing on his knowledge, he taught organ and improvisation at municipal conservatoires in Paris and Beauvais, as well as at the Schola Cantorum in Paris and the Conservatoire international de musique de Paris, where he had been a professor since 2015. He also led masterclasses abroad and served on the City of Paris Organ Commission. Le Paris des Orgues
A passion for the organ that extended to his own home
Jean Galard’s passion also found expression in his Paris home, where he owned an unusual house organ: a Gonzalez model known as the “Unit Baby”, built in the second half of the 20th century. Its electric action is featured in a video on the Orgues de Paris website, in which Galard himself introduces the instrument: