Dorothy Papadakos
Dorothy Papadakos came to international attention as Organist of the world’s largest gothic cathedral, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC from 1990-2003. She is the only woman ever appointed to this prestigious post.

World renowned for her daring and imaginative organ improvisations, her music features a diversity of ethnic flavours & musical genres. Her popular specialty, accompaniments of silent films, brings in rave reviews and sold out audiences.

Ms. Papadakos is a member of the 5-time Grammy Award-winning Paul Winter Consort, internationally acclaimed for its ground breaking world music & environmental awareness.

Ms. Papadakos wrote the new musical POMPEII which broke box office records in its acclaimed sold out world premiere in North Carolina in 2005. She has composed for theatre, ballet, TV & film. Her publisher is Oxford University Press.

An ardent fan of old movies, Dorothy ‘learned at the feet’ of preeminent silent film composer/organist Lee Erwin how to improvise silent films in the traditional theatre organ style. From the great comedies of Charlie Chaplin & Buster Keaton to legendary horror films, Dorothy’s imaginative harmonic language and special effects bring these films to vibrant life. “Watching Papadakos improvise is as dramatic as the film itself...you became engrossed in the film then suddenly realize she’s been playing for over an hour!” Dorothy is in great demand, renowned for her thrilling improvised film scores, in particular Lon Chaney’s 1929 Phantom of the Opera.