About Jillian Gardner
Jillian Gardner is the Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Huntsville, Alabama, where she serves as the primary organist and oversees both adult and children's music ensembles. Additionally, she is the adjunct instructor of organ at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), the only institution in Alabama offering a degree in organ or church music.​
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In 2025, Jillian co-founded the Huntsville Sacred Chorale, an auditioned professional-level ensemble dedicated to bringing the highest standards of sacred choral music to the North Alabama community. Under collaborative artistic leadership, the ensemble seeks to elevate sacred music performance while fostering artistic excellence among professional musicians in the region.
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Jillian has served on the American Guild of Organists National Board as Councillor for Young Organists, helping lead national initiatives focused on education and professional development, including the creation of the AGO Organ Scholar Program, which provides structured professional growth opportunities for emerging musicians and has helped introduce more than 1,200 young organists to the Guild. She has also served as Dean, Sub-Dean, and Webmaster for several local AGO Chapters. An active member of Leadership Greater Huntsville, Jillian remains deeply engaged in community leadership and arts advocacy throughout North Alabama.
Known for her "solid and satisfying" performances (The Dessert Wind), Jillian brings accessibility and variety to her organ programming. She has been a sought-after artist at venues and conventions worldwide, performing in iconic locations such as Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Grace Cathedral, Washington National Cathedral, the Cadet Chapel at West Point, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Her performances have taken her across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, where she is known for her signature pink organ shoes. She has been featured on the Pipedreams radio program, at conventions of the Organ Historical Society and American Guild of Organists, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and has led workshops at institutions including Baylor University's Summer Organ Institute.
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Jillian's expansive repertoire spans from the Baroque to the 21st century, including her own transcriptions and commissioned works. Her transcriptions Grande valse villageoise from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty and The Armed Forces Salute are published by ECS Publishing and have been widely performed. An accomplished collaborator, she frequently performs with brass ensembles, choir, and symphony orchestras and is highly regarded as both a soloist and accompanist.
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A graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory (B.M.) and Baylor University (M.M and A.D.), Jillian studied under the guidance of renowned organists Dr. Isabelle Demers, James David Christie, Marie-Louise Langlais, and Stephen Best. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including top prizes in the Regional Competition for Young Organists and the Arthur Poister Competition. In 2015, she was named one of the nation's inaugural Top 20 Under 30 organists by The Diapason magazine.
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In her free time, Jillian enjoys hiking mountains around the world, exploring new places and the natural environment, and spending time with her dog, Oliver. She is passionate about the connection between wellness and artistry, advocating for the importance of a healthy mind and body to sustain high artistic standards. For more information and to connect, visit JillianGardner.com. Jillian is represented by Reggie Bahl, Artist Manager of the Lyric Chamber Music Society.
