Tracey, who was born in Liverpool in 1955, initially studied the organ under the then Organist of Liverpool Cathedral,
Noel Rawsthorne. He subsequently continued his studies at
Trinity College, London, before gaining further experience in
Paris under
André Isoir and
Jean Langlais. In 1980, he succeeded Noel Rawsthorne and, in doing so, became the youngest cathedral organist in the
United Kingdom at that time. He was later appointed Master of the Choristers, in addition to the position of organist, at Liverpool Cathedral. In 2008, he relinquished the position of Master of the Choristers at Liverpool Cathedral to take up the role of Cathedral Organist (formerly known as Organist Titulaire); a role that gives him overall responsibility for the organs and recitals there, whilst affording him time for teaching, recording, writing and lecturing. In addition to his Cathedral duties, Ian Tracey is also Organist (since 1986) to the
City of Liverpool at
St. George’s Hall, Chorus Master (since 1985) to the
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society, Guest Music Director (since 1991) for the
BBC's
Daily Service,
Professor,
Fellow and Organist (since 1988) at
Liverpool John Moores University and a past President (2001–2003) of the
Incorporated Association of Organists. Since 2011, he has been Tonal Director for
Makin Organs &
Copeman Hart & Company Ltd. Ian Tracey is in demand as an organ recitalist in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, and has made a number of recordings, both solo and with orchestra. In July 2006, he was admitted to the
degree of
Doctor of Music (honoris causa) in the
University of Liverpool. This
honorary doctorate was awarded for "his contribution to music". In 2015 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside. Following an announcement of the Cathedral's website, Tracey will retire as the Cathedral's organist in 2026. He will play his last service on October 17th, before concluding his tenure by playing the Centenary Organ Recital that same afternoon. ==Discography==