2026 YTOC Finalists

Marco Ramirez

Marco is an organist from rural Maricopa AZ. He is an organist at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Chandler as well as St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish in Gilbert, filling in at other churches where needed. A versatile musician, Marco is also a certified Yamaha music educator and teaches a studio of 34 private piano students and one theatre organ student at the East Valley Yamaha Music School in Chandler. As a student, Marco is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Music Learning and Teaching from Arizona State University with just a few semesters left. He currently holds a Beginning Piano Pedagogy certificate from Mesa Community College and recently won the 2025 Maricopa Colleges Artist of Promise award for his composition for string quartet titled Feline Fantasie.

He is a longtime member and recently elected vice-president of the Valley of the Sun Chapter ATOS in Phoenix and regularly plays for local events. Marco has attended a few of the Summer Youth Adventures and has had a passion for theatre organ from a young age when he started to go to Organ Stop Pizza weekly to hear Lew Williams, Charlie Balogh, Brett Valliant, and Glenn Tallar. Marco also works for South Mountain Organ Works of Mesa, AZ learning from Mark Mackeben and assisting in digital and pipe organ repairs around the valley. He hopes to one day assemble his collection of over 20 ranks of pipes, including the famed Beast in the Basement from Leon Barry and other pipework from the late Bill Carr and Tom Fizzell. He enjoys busking with his portable Marco Polo brand reed organ in downtown Phoenix, playing bassoon in the community band, collecting flashy organ shoes, collecting plants, and spending time with his seven cats and four snakes.

Jack Morton

Jack's passion for the theatre organ started at the age of 10 after seeing YouTube videos of Robert Wolfe at the Thursford Collection. In the summer of 2019, his parents took him to visit the collection to hear a theatre organ for the first time. In 2021, he visited the Astoria Centre in Barnsley where he was able to finally play a theatre organ for the first time.

Jack had classical organ lessons from 2021 to learn the basic playing techniques of the organ, but taught himself theatre organ stylings on the side. In 2024, Jack and his organ teacher came to a mutual agreement to part ways after Jack's playing style shifted closer towards the theatre organ. He has now been teaching himself theatre organ techniques, along with guidance from several other organists.

His biggest influence in the theatre organ world is Simon Gledhill, a true master of harmony. Jack has been lucky to hear Simon many times in concert , and has received some guidance from him. He is also influenced by organists Lyn Larsen, Jelani Eddington, and many others.

In 2025, Jack took part in the UK Young Theatre Organist of the Year competition and was announced as the runner up. He was also awarded the inaugural Len Rawle Memorial Trophy for his involvement in the theatre organ outside of playing.

Outside of playing, Jack enjoys working on theatre organs. He is currently aiding the COS with the renovation of the Wurlitzer console from the Troxy Theatre in Stepney, as well as the complete restoration of the Ex-Ritz Nuneaton Compton in St John Vianney RC Church in Clayhall.

Finalists will perform at the 2026 ATOS Convention on Tuesday, July 7, at the Eisenhart Auditorium.
read more about that organ here:
https://atos2026.org/eisenhardt-wurlitzer