Darwin Wolford: Mormon Musician
Darwin Wolford is a composer, organist, and former music professor. He was Director of Organ Studies at Brigham Young University–Idaho before his retirement in 2004.
Wolford was born in 1936 in Logan, Utah. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, his Master of Music degree and his PhD in organ composition from the University of Utah. He began piano lessons at the age of eight and studied piano with Irving Wasserman. During college he studied organ with Robert Cundick and Alexander Schreiner and composition with Leroy Robertson, John LaMontaine, and Ned Rorem.
He has published more than 350 compositions for choir, orchestra, organ, piano, and other instruments. Wolford’s works are among those heard performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Wolford is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served for many years as a member of the General Music Committee. He was a member of the Executive Hymnbook Committee and assisted with the publication of the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also helped prepare the Latter-day Saint Children’s Songbook.
