Aaron Hawthorne
Aaron Hawthorne is an in-demand silent film and concert organist from North Lanarkshire, Scotland, with a Master of Arts degree in Music from the University of Glasgow. He is well-known for his accessible and engaging organ recitals, concerts, and silent film accompaniments, performing throughout the UK, mainland Europe, and the USA.
Aaron started his career as an organist at Motherwell Cathedral and has continued to hold positions as principal organist at various churches in the Diocese of Motherwell. Aaron has also been a house organist at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in Glasgow since 2017, as part of a team who play for the daily lunchtime organ recitals there.
Aaron’s passion for theatre and cinema organs began during a family trip to the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool when he was in his early teens.
In 2019, Aaron’s talent was recognized on the international stage when he won the Young Theatre Organist Competition at the American Theatre Organ Society’s annual convention in Rochester, New York. This followed his win of the UK title two years earlier. A few months after this achievement, he received the Ian Sutherland Award from the Cinema Organ Society, an award given to a player who “shows outstanding talent and promise as a theatre organist.”
Aaron has also been involved in several organ preservation societies including the Cinema Organ Society and the Scottish Cinema Organ Trust. In addition to his work as an organist, Aaron works as an Arts Development Officer for the local authority of North Lanarkshire Council, with a remit for Music, a role in which he advocates for the accessibility of community arts.
Aaron has completed five UK tours of silent films, including “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925) in 2021, “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” (1922) in 2022,”The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923) in 2023, and mixed tours in 2024 and 2025. These performances have been praised for engaging new audiences with the magic of silent films and the unique sound worlds of the pipe organ.