Samuel Prowse Warren

Samuel Prowse Warren (February 18, 1841 – October 7, 1915) was a Canadian organist, composer, conductor, music editor, and music educator. A founding member of the American Guild of Organists, he served as president of that organization in 1902. He worked as an organist in New York City for thirty years, holding posts as organist at the Unitarian Church of All Souls, Grace Church, and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. At the time of his death he was organist at the First Presbyterian Church in East Orange, New Jersey.

Life and career Born in Montreal, Warren was initially trained as an organist by his father, the organist and organ builder Samuel Russell Warren (1809–1882). A child prodigy, he took over the duties of organist at the American Presbyterian Church in Montreal while still in his youth, serving in that capacity for eight years until 1858. In 1861–1864 he studied music in Berlin where he was a pupil of Carl August Haupt (organ), Gustav Schumann (piano), and Paul Wieprecht (music theory). In 1864 he returned to Montreal.

In 1865 Warren was appointed organist at the Unitarian Church of All Souls in New York City. He remained in that position until 1868 when he was appointed organist at Grace Church in Manhattan. He served as organist at Grace Church from 1868 to 1874, and again from 1876 to 1894, with the gap in his service there due to a stint as organist at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church from 1874 to 1876. He ended his career as organist at the First Presbyterian Church in East Orange, New Jersey, where he served from 1895 until his death in 1915.

Personal life and death Warren married Emily A. Millard on January 16, 1867.

He died in New York City on October 7, 1915.