David Stratkauskas – Past Concerts

David Stratkauskas is a native of Vancouver, where he completed his MA in Music Theory at the University of British Columbia, working under the notable theorist, Dr. William Benjamin. During and after his university studies, he was active as an organist and choir director, collaborative pianist and accompanist (working with such choirs as the Surrey Children's Choir and the Vancouver Bach Children's Choir), a jazz pianist, and a conductor of new music, appearing in festivals such as Sonic Boom. In 2003, inspired by his particular love for organ and choral music, David moved to London, where he was organist at St. Michael's Battersea and St. Mary Stoke Newington. Several of his choristers from St. Michael's went on to organ and choral scholarships at Cambridge colleges. In London he also worked as a choral conductor of community and children’s choirs, a jazz pianist, and a teacher.

David returned to Canada in 2010 to take the position of Organist at the Church of Saint John the Divine, Victoria, where he has helped build a vibrant music programme with several choirs and a thriving Choral and Organ Scholarship programme, performing works from the sacred choral canon, alongside new music, such as works by Michael Finnissy, Jonathan Harvey, Tamsin Jones, and Kimberley Farris-Manning. David has directed the St John's Chamber Singers and the Victoria Baroque Players in numerous performances of great Baroque works, including several of Bach's cantatas and motets, Handel's Dixit Dominus, Durufle's Requiem, and Bach's St. John Passion. He has worked with the Victoria Children's Choir since 2011, as conductor of the intermediate-level Recital Choir for many years, and most recently, as Artistic Director and conductor of the Concert Choir and Youth Choir divisions.

As an organ recitalist, he has played concerts in Vancouver, London (UK), and Victoria, including as a featured performer in Organ Festival Canada Online in July 2020, and on the Summer Organ Series at Christ Church Cathedral, which featured pieces by Canadian composers Tony Genge and Jocelyn Morlock (the latter, Premonition, commissioned in 2012 for David by Hugh Davidson).

David is married to Soile Stratkauskas, a baroque flutist and the Artistic Director and founder of the Victoria Baroque.