History Blown Away
It’s time to clean up after more than 40 years of concerts, performances and instruction that have accumulated on the 3,000 piece Holtkamp organ in Utah State University’s Kent Concert Hall.
“This is a vital instrument to the university and a longtime fixture in the Chase Fine Arts Center,” said Lynn Thomas, director of organ studies at USU. “For more than four decades this organ has been perched in the Kent Concert Hall loft and it’s time for a little TLC.”
The organ is unique and special because, unlike many organs today that produce sound digitally, the organ produces sound traditionally through pipes. It is also the largest organ north of Salt Lake City.
“This cleaning will restore the organ to its former splendor,” said Jonathan Rose, a USU senior majoring in organ performance, who is also helping clean the organ.
The Holtkamp Pipe Organ has thousands of pipes and moving parts intricately placed, which must be carefully removed, cleaned and put back in their exact location, said Thomas.
Thomas, Rose and the production services group from the Caine College of the Arts have meticulously cleaned for many weeks to remove the years of dust build-up.
Cleaning the entire organ is a massive undertaking, said Thomas. All together, the project is estimated to take more than 12 weeks.
“When the pipes were removed, 3 to 5-inch long dust bunnies were found within the workings of the organ,” said Thomas. “This impacts the sound range and quality of the instrument greatly. I’m very excited to hear and play the organ after the work is completed and anticipate the instrument’s sound to be remarkably different.”
The renovation will open the use of the organ to sponsored recitals, workshops and other events. Currently USU offers classes where students can study organ literature; however, with a clean, repaired and updated instrument, the organ program is poised to take off in a new direction, said Thomas.
“We hope this project is the start of a new opportunity for USU and its students,” said Thomas. “An organ is, by far, one of the most complex instruments to play. This is a rare treasure to have at this institution and the opportunity now exists to make better use of this gift to enlighten our students with its beauty.”
The organ was built by the Holtkamp Organ Company, a premier organ-manufacturing business in America. The organ was installed at USU in 1973 and was donated primarily by Melvin and Editha Kent. The organ is an essential part of the Caine College of the Arts Organ Studies program at USU.
The Holtkamp organ repair project was made possible through a donation by Paul and Paulette Campbell of Logan. Paulette Campbell is a former organ student of USU.
During the time the organ is being refurbished at USU, a workshop will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, for organists, choir directors and conductors at St. John’s Episcopal Church, located at 85 E. 100 N. in Logan, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Organists will be instructed by Thomas and choir directors and conductors will be instructed by Cory Evans, director of choral activities at USU.
The organ’s refurbishment will end in mid-March and the organ will reopen on March 31 with a rededication concert. Richard Elliot, the chief organist of the Salt Lake Tabernacle, will be featured as the guest artist and will accompany the USU choirs.
For more information on the organ renovation project, the workshop or rededication concert, contact Thomas via e-mail, organist@usu.edu.
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Writer: Kara Rindlisbacher, 435-797-9203, kara.rindlisbacher@usu.edu
Contact: Denise Albiston, 435-797-1500, denise.albiston@usu.edu
Workers in the Kent Concert Hall at Utah State University move the organ console during the cleaning process.
When the pipes were moved, 40 years of dust bunnies were found during refurbishment of USU's Holtkamp pipe organ in the Kent Concert Hall.
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