Pietro Alessandro Yon[1] (August 8, 1886 – November 22, 1943) was an Italian-born organist and composer who made his career in the United States.

He then attended the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, studying organ with Remigio Renzi [it], piano with Bustini and Sgambati, and De Sanctis in composition.

Young, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Manhattan, was in Rome on Vatican business and additionally to seek out a replacement for his organist Gaston Dethier, who was leaving to pursue a concert career.

In 1920, Yon would share the stage at Wanamaker's with Courboin, Leopold Stokowski, and the Philadelphia Orchestra in one of the gala organ recitals performed at the store through the 1920s.

Shortly after his arrival, church authorities began to discuss the possibility of replacing their existing Jardine and Odell organs, which were installed when the Cathedral was built.

By 1927, it was announced that the Kilgen firm of St. Louis, Missouri had been selected to build the chancel, gallery and echo (triforium) organs, with Courboin as tonal designer.

Also in 1927 Yon was approached by Carnegie Hall to assist in the replacement of its outmoded Hillgreen, Lane organ with a 4-manual, 59-rank instrument, also by Kilgen with Courboin as tonal director.

Yon was also a composer, most famous for his Humoresque "L'organo primitivo"- Toccatina for Flute,[5] for organ, and his Christmas piece Gesù bambino.

Yon's pupils included Cole Porter, Georges-Émile Tanguay, Powell Weaver (Kansas City), Edgar Bowman (Pittsburgh), Robert Elmore (Philadelphia),[10] Mary Downey (New York),[11] Henry Seibert (New York),[12] Eugene Phillips (Grand Rapids), Tracy Y. Cannon (Salt Lake City, organist at the Mormon Tabernacle), Helen Knox Ferguson (Dallas), Helen Townsend (Buffalo), Franklin Coates (N.Y.City), Dorothy Mulroney (organist at the Municipal Auditorium Springfield, Mass.

), Alan Bucher (Peekskill N.Y.), Edward Rivetti, assistant organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral, N.Y., Radie Britain (Dallas) and Yon's godson Norman Dello Joio.

[2] As a result, he was unable to fulfill his obligations at St. Patrick's Cathedral and was temporarily replaced by long-time assistant Edward Rivetti.