Pietro Yon

Pietro Yon ( born August 8, 1886 in Settimo Vittone, † November 22, 1943 in Huntington (New York)) was an Italian- American organist, music teacher and composer.

Life

Yon studied at the conservatories of Milan ( at Polibio Fumagalli ) and Turin, and completed his studies at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Here he studied organ with Remigio Renzi and piano with Giovanni Sgambati. From 1905 he was organist at the Vatican. In 1907, he followed his older brother Constantino to New York, who was organist at St. Vincent Ferrer Church there.

Until 1926 he was organist at St. Francis Xavier Church. During this period he created his most important compositions, including Natalie in Sicilia (1912 ), the Christmas hymn Gesu Bambino (Baby Jesus, 1917) and Humoresque " L' organo primitivo " - Toccatina for Flutes (1918). In 1921 he became an American citizen. In the same year he was appointed honorary organist at St. Peter's Basilica. From 1927 until his death seemed Yon as organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, USA.

He is considered one of the most important Catholic church musicians of the United States in the first half of the 20th century.

In addition, Yon was also a major concert organist and organ teacher sought. Among his pupils was, inter alia, the composer Paul Creston.