Adam Detzner
Adam Detzner joined St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Annandale, Virginia as Minister of Music and Organist in August 2021. In this position, Adam oversees all things musical at St. Alban’s, including an Adult Choir, Bell Choir, and Boy and Girl Choristers, as well as the Muldoon Concert Series. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music (M.M. in Organ Performance and Literature) and Stanford University (B.A. in Music). His teachers include David Higgs, Robert Huw Morgan, and Christian Lane (organ) and Elaine Thornburgh (harpsichord).
Adam’s passion for church music began between college and graduate school, when he served as the inaugural recipient of the Association of Anglican Musicians Gerre Hancock Internship, working as Organ Scholar at Trinity Church, Copley Square, in Boston. While there he was involved in all aspects of the parish’s renowned music program, including working with the boy and girl choristers enrolled in its large Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) program. In September of 2022, Adam launched a RSCM program at St. Alban’s. Adam is passionate about working with children and believes that musical education in a liturgical context is a powerful way to build lifelong disciples.
A dedicated performer, Adam has played for national conventions of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and the Association of Anglican Musicians (AAM). Live recordings of his playing have been featured on the nationally syndicated Minnesota Public Radio program Pipedreams. In 2022 and 2023 Adam was a semifinalist in the International Schnitger Organ Competition in Alkmaar, North Holland, the Netherlands. He was the only American admitted to compete during both cycles and had the opportunity to play a number of important historic organs, including one from 1511. (Coincidentally, Alkmaar is the birthplace of John Leek, who built the organ at St. Alban’s!)
Adam lives in Silver Spring, MD, not far from where he was raised. His partner Karl Robson is also an organist and church musician, serving as Interim Director of Music at St. John’s Episcopal Church in McLean. He and Karl have frequently collaborated for special worship services and are excited to do so with the choirs of St. Alban’s and St. John’s. In his spare time, Adam enjoys watching TV, listening to classical music on vinyl, and walking and running. He is also an avid crossword puzzle solver, with a 12’ 53” average for the New York Times Saturday puzzle.