Member bio
A native of Longview, Texas, Austin Ferguson studied carillon with Lynnette Geary, University Carillonneur at Baylor University. As a student at The University of Texas at Austin, he led the UT carillon program, playing daily recitals on the Kniker Carillon and instructing members of the student guild. He graduated from UT in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory.
In February of 2017, Austin was named the fourth Carillonneur of Mayo Clinic, where he plays eight weekly recitals on the 1928 Rochester Carillon, the only instrument of its kind in North America owned by a medical center. Under his tenure, Mayo Clinic has garnered a reputation for expanding carillon literature by commissioning multiple new compositions for the instrument, most notably works through the annual “Music for Mayo” Carillon Music Series.
Austin is an active member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, where he is Co-Editor of “Carillon News,” the Guild’s newsletter, and sits on the Legal, Public Relations/Website, Nominations, Arrangements/Transcriptions, and Heritage Music committees. In June of 2023, he ended his first term on the Guild's Board of Directors and began a new role as Corresponding Secretary.
Outside of Mayo, Austin keeps busy serving as Director of Music and Organist at Calvary Episcopal Church (conveniently located across the street from the carillon) and teaching a full piano studio.