Organist

Judy Bede
office@fairmontchurch.org

Judy has been Fairmont’s organist for many years. She grew up on a farm in Moorhead, Minnesota (twin city to Fargo, ND) with three brothers. As a child, she remembers attending a large Lutheran church, sitting in the front row every Sunday and being in awe of the big pipe organ. Music has been a big part of her life ever since she was three years old when her parents bought an old upright piano for her older brother to take lessons. She was not allowed to take piano lessons until the magic age of seven but started playing on her own before then. Judy remembers how excited she was when her third-grade teacher allowed her to take the piano accompaniment book home for the weekend and she could practice the piano accompaniments for all the songs they were learning in music class.

She went on to receive her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance and music education from Concordia College in Moorhead. It was there that she first studied organ at the suggestion of one of her professors. She remembers how challenging it was at first, but with persistence and practice she overcame those challenges and grew to love the organ.

As a musician, Judy wears many hats. She is not only a church organist, but is also an independent music teacher, an accompanist for soloists, and an officer in many professional organizations. Judy currently has over 20 piano students, teaching Suzuki and traditional piano to students from age 4 to adults. She is also on staff as an adjunct professor in the piano pedagogy department at Cedarville University.

Judy and her husband, Lou, have been married for over 50 years and have three grown children and nine grandchildren. Judy’s hobbies include spending time with her grandchildren, sewing, gardening, biking, and doing volunteer work as a Master Gardener.