Scott Montgomery is the First Prize Winner of the 2006 American Guild of Organists National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance (NYACOP). The 2006 NYACOP finals were held during the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) in Chicago. At that time, Scott was also honored as recipient of the Lillian Murtagh Memorial Award. Prior to his 2006 First Prize at AGO’s NYACOP, Scott had competed successfully in numerous other competitions as early as 1993, with the Indianapolis AGO competition and the Illinois State Music Teachers’ Association Organ Competition, and continuing in 1997 as winner of the AGO Region V Competition. He appeared in the “Rising Stars” concert at the 1998 Denver AGO National Convention, and earned second place at the 2002 Arthur Poister National Organ Playing Competition (Syracuse, New York). A native of Illinois, Scott Montgomery began piano lessons at age eight, and, fascinated by both church and theater organs, by age ten, he was playing the organ in various churches. In 2007, Scott Montgomery is Director of Music and Organist for Holy Cross Catholic Church in Champaign, Illinois. He completed a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance at the University of Illinois in May, 2005 and, in 2007, he pursues a Master of Music degree as a student of Dr. Dana Robinson. His teachers have included (for organ) Karen Cook, Kim Hess, Kerry Heimann and Michael Keeley; and (for piano) Karen Cook, Kenneth Drake and Samir Golescu. His career activity is detailed at his website: www.ScottMontgomeryMusic.net