David P. Dahl


David P. Dahl is an American professor, composer, pedagogue, organist, church musician, organ clinician, and advisor. He is also one of the founders of Olympic Organ Builders.

Biography

David P. Dahl was born in 1937 in San Francisco. His parents were of Norwegian ancestry, and Dahl became student at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, founded in 1890 by Scandinavian immigrants. After his education, Dahl remained in Tacoma and joined the music faculty Pacific Lutheran University. At the time of his retirement in 2000, was named and Professor of Music and University Organist Emeritus. Dahl served for 40 years at Christ Episcopal Church in Tacoma, as Director of Music Ministries, until his retirement in 2010.
Dahl has been awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Pacific Lutheran University, and the Bishop’s Cross from the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Organ Historical Society. He has presented many recitals and hymn festivals, both in United States and Europe. He has also performance at the national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and Organ Historical Society.
Dahl has been an advocate for new and historic mechanical action pipe organs. He has been organ consultant for several churches, institutions, and organ builders, especially in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. He has designed specifications for a variety church organs. Along with Glenn D. White, he established Olympic Organ Builders, in Seattle in 1962. During its years of operation the firm represented several German pipe organ firms and maintained a workshop that built several pipe organs. He has been consultant and advisor to organbulder Paul Fritts.

Composer

Through Augsburg Fortress and Zimbel Press, Dahl is a published composer of organ music. His compositions includes several original suites and numerous hymn preludes, intonations, and partitas. His compositional output for organ dates primarily from the years following his retirement.

Discography