{{short description|Canadian organist and director of music}} '''Rachel Mahon''' is a Canadian organist who has served as Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral, England, since 2020,<ref>{{cite news |title=Appointments |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2020/28-february/gazette/appointments/appointments |accessdate=24 April 2020 |work=Church Times |date=28 February 2020 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="CBC2020">{{cite news |last1=Rowat |first1=Robert |title=Meet the new director of music at England's Coventry Cathedral |url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/meet-the-new-director-of-music-at-england-s-coventry-cathedral-1.5466459 |accessdate=25 April 2020 |work=CBC |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=6 March 2020}}</ref> having previously held positions at Truro Cathedral, St Paul's Cathedral and Chester Cathedral.
==Early life and training== Mahon was raised in Toronto, Ontario, where her parents were both choral directors.<ref name=np/> She sang with the girls' choir of Grace Church on-the-Hill and later the Oratory Children's Choir.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.organixconcerts.ca/2010/bios/Rachel_Mahon.html|accessdate=25 March 2014|title=Rachel Mahon|publisher=Organix 10}}</ref>
She initially began studying piano, but switched to organ in 2005 after hearing the Toccata from ''Symphony for Organ No. 5'' by Charles-Marie Widor.<ref name=np/> Mahon won a scholarship from the Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO) to begin studying with Melva Graham, and in 2007 continued under Andrew Ager. She received the degree of Bachelor of Music in organ at the University of Toronto School of Music under John Tuttle.<ref name=rcco/>
==Career== Mahon held organ posts at St. James Cathedral, Trinity College and Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto before moving to England for a post at Truro Cathedral in Cornwall.
In September 2014 Mahon became the first female organ scholar at St Paul's Cathedral, London.<ref name="CBC2020" /><ref name=np>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-musician-rachel-mahon-named-first-female-organ-scholar-at-st-pauls-cathedral-in-london|date=23 March 2014|work=National Post|title=Canadian musician Rachel Mahon named first female organ scholar at St Paul's Cathedral in London|author=Edmiston, Jake}}</ref> As the William and Irene Miller Organ Scholar, she was responsible for directing choir rehearsals, performing for church services, playing in recitals and acting as assistant choir librarian, among other duties.<ref name=sp/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-26705331|work=BBC News|title=Truro Cathedral organist takes up St Paul's post as first woman|date=23 March 2014}}</ref>
She later served as Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral before becoming Assistant Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral in 2018. In February 2020, it was announced that she would succeed Kerry Beaumont as Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral.
Mahon is a performing professional musician and has performed with a number of choirs, including the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Larkin Singers, and the Tallis Choir, among others.<ref name=rcco/><ref name=sp>{{cite web|url=http://www.stpauls.co.uk/News-Press/Latest-News/A-Cathedral-first-as-new-organ-scholar-is-appointed-to-St-Pauls|publisher=St Paul's Cathedral|date=20 March 2014|title=A Cathedral first as new organ scholar is appointed to St Paul's}}</ref> She is also one of the Canadian organ duo Organized Crime, which "attempts to reinvigorate the instrument by arranging popular music for the organ, playing scores to ''James Bond'' and ''Star Wars'' wearing five-inch stiletto heels and blue sequined spandex."<ref name=np/><ref name=rcco>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcco-ottawa.ca/orgelfest2013/competitor.html|accessdate=25 March 2014|title=Competitors|publisher=National Organ Playing Competition}}</ref><ref name=canam>{{cite news|url=http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/toronto-musician-to-become-first-female-organist-at-iconic-cathedral-1.1757359|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407195448/http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/toronto-musician-to-become-first-female-organist-at-iconic-cathedral-1.1757359|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 7, 2014|date=2 April 2014|work=CTV Canada AM|title=Toronto musician to become first female organist at iconic cathedral|author=Mangione, Kendra}}</ref>
==Awards== Mahon has won several awards for organ performance, including first place at the 2012 RCCO Toronto Competition for Young Organists, second in the 2013 Canadian National Organ Playing Competition, and a number of awards from the Kiwanis Music Festival.
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://rachelmahon.co.uk/ Rachel Mahon homepage] * [http://www.organizedcrimeduo.com/ Organized Crime] * [http://www.larkinsingers.com/ The Larkin Singers] * [http://www.rcco.ca/ Royal Canadian College of Organists]
{{S-start}} {{Succession box | title=Director of Music, Coventry Cathedral | before = Kerry Beaumont | years = 2020 – present | after=}} {{S-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahon, Rachel}} Category:Living people Category:Canadian choral conductors Category:Canadian women organists Category:Musicians from Toronto Category:University of Toronto alumni Category:21st-century Canadian conductors (music) Category:Canadian women conductors (music) Category:21st-century Canadian women musicians Category:21st-century Canadian organists Category:Year of birth missing (living people)