Organist Jacob Gruss is a sophomore at The Juilliard School in New York City majoring in Organ Performance in the studio of Mr. Paul Jacobs. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Gruss was fortunate to develop his musical interest through generous teachers and prominent church music positions. In high school, Gruss was the Director of Music at Otterbein United Methodist Church (Greensburg, PA), Assistant Organist at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral (Greensburg, PA), and Sacred Music Intern at St. Michael the Archangel Parish (Pittsburgh, PA). Currently, Mr. Gruss serves as Organ Scholar at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, NY. Eager to broaden his knowledge of both the organ and its repertoire, Gruss has performed in numerous Masterclasses including those with Dr. John Salveson, Dr. Caroline Robinson, Dr. Gordon Turk, and Dr. Gregory Hand. Additionally, Gruss has pursued education beyond his formal training, studying Choral Conducting, Composition, Organ Literature, and Organ Improvisation. Gruss is grateful to be the recipient of the American Guild of Organists’ Pogorzelski-Yankee Memorial Scholarship, as well as the guild’s 2022-23 Student Commissioning Project Grant in which Gruss will premiere a piece by student composer Owen Johnson.