Dr. Elisa Williams Bickers

Dr. Elisa Williams Bickers, FAGO, is the associate director of music and principal organist at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas.  She is also the harpsichordist for the Bach Aria Soloists, a Kansas City chamber music ensemble devoted to performing the works of Bach and composers inspired by him. She performs regularly in recital as a solo organist, harpsichordist, and accompanist, including with the Kansas City Symphony, Te Deum Chamber Choir, and the Grammy-winning Kansas City Chorale.  She has served on the faculties of the UMKC Conservatory and Washburn University as instructor of organ and harpsichord.A native of Clinton, Maryland, Dr. Bickers began her organ studies with the Potomac Organ Institute. She has degrees in church music and organ performance from Texas Christian University and the University of Kansas. Her teachers have included Dale Krider, Joseph Butler and Michael Bauer. She was awarded the 2009 Carlin Award for excellence in teaching, the highest honor possible for graduate students at KU.  She has competed and won prizes in the William Hall Competition, NYACOP, and the International Buxtehude Competition.This year, Dr. Bickers traveled to Bangkok with the Bach Aria Soloists to perform as artist-in-residence at the 2016 Thailand International Composition Festival.  In September, she welcomed a Richards, Fowkes & Co. (Opus 22) pipe organ to her church, which should be completed by summer 2017.  She is also the Chair for New Music for the 2018 AGO National Convention.Dr. Bickers lives in Overland Park with husband Robert, daughter Isabel, cat Friday, and harpsichord Tom.  When not making music, she is most likely found digging in her vegetable garden.