# Rachel Mahon

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{{short description|Canadian organist and director of music}}
'''Rachel Mahon''' is a Canadian organist who has served as [Director of Music](/source/Director_of_Music) at [Coventry Cathedral](/source/Coventry_Cathedral), [England](/source/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](/source/Truro_Cathedral), [St Paul's Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral) and [Chester Cathedral](/source/Chester_Cathedral).

==Early life and training==
Mahon was raised in [Toronto](/source/Toronto), [Ontario](/source/Ontario), where her parents were both [choral](/source/choir) directors.<ref name=np/> She sang with the girls' choir of [Grace Church on-the-Hill](/source/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](/source/Symphony_for_Organ_No._5_(Widor))'' by [Charles-Marie Widor](/source/Charles-Marie_Widor).<ref name=np/> Mahon won a scholarship from the [Royal Canadian College of Organists](/source/Royal_Canadian_College_of_Organists) (RCCO) to begin studying with Melva Graham, and in 2007 continued under [Andrew Ager](/source/Andrew_Ager). She received the degree of Bachelor of Music in organ at the [University of Toronto](/source/University_of_Toronto) School of Music under [John Tuttle](/source/John_Tuttle_(organist)).<ref name=rcco/>

==Career==
Mahon held organ posts at [St. James Cathedral](/source/Cathedral_Church_of_St._James_(Toronto)), [Trinity College](/source/Trinity_College%2C_Toronto) and [Timothy Eaton Memorial Church](/source/Timothy_Eaton_Memorial_Church) in Toronto before moving to England for a post at [Truro Cathedral](/source/Truro_Cathedral) in Cornwall. 

In September 2014 Mahon became the first female organ scholar at [St Paul's Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral), [London](/source/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](/source/Chester_Cathedral) before becoming Assistant Director of Music at [Coventry Cathedral](/source/Coventry_Cathedral) in 2018. In February 2020, it was announced that she would succeed [Kerry Beaumont](/source/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](/source/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](/source/James_Bond)'' and ''[Star Wars](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Coventry_Cathedral) | before = [Kerry Beaumont](/source/Kerry_Beaumont) | years = 2020 &ndash; present | after=}}
{{S-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{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)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rachel Mahon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Mahon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Mahon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.