:: ORGAN AT INTERLOCHEN The Interlochen Organ Department can boast of successful graduates at all parts of the professional spectrum: on the nationally visible side, we have winners of major competitions and people in prominent music positions; on the less visible side we have alums who, though they have chosen primary careers outside music, fill a huge niche as part-time church musicians. -------------------------- The person most responsible for the success of the department is Robert Murphy, affectionately known as Murf, who passed away in 2001. A charter member of the faculty and Music Director of Traverse City's Central United Methodist Church, his mention invokes intense affection and loyalty from former colleagues, students, trustees and alums. When the renovation is finished, the new organ will be aptly named the Upton-Murphy organ in honor of Murf.

The Interlochen organ program is the only high school program of its kind. Alumni are or have served at some our nation’s most prestigious positions, including the Washington National Cathedral, Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue and Marble Collegiate Church.

A centerpiece of the program is our 1948 Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ. Originally built for Indiana’s Hanover College, the organ was rebuilt and installed in Interlochen's Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall in 1981 and has been running almost continuously ever since. At nearly 60 years old, it had weathered to the point of being almost unplayable.

Recently, Reuter Pipe Organ Company of Lawrence Kansas, along with assistance from Lance Luce of Hammell Music (the Michigan representatives for Reuter) removed the organ for a complete refurbishing. Once again it is time to breathe some new life into this grand instrument.

Thomas Bara, Instructor of Organ at Interlochen, chose Reuter, with tonal director Bill Klimas at the helm, to head the re-building process. "The organ is going to be more than just releathered and refurbished," explained Klimas. "There will be more than 20 new ranks, or sets of pipes added to the instrument." It is getting a total "facelift," including a new facade of speaking pipes that are to be constructed of copper and then flamed colored by hand.

The organ was carefully dismantled and loaded into Reuter's truck for the trip to Lawrence Kansas. The pipes alone occupied 51 boxes. The rebuilding process is expected to take many months, and should be ready for re-installation this spring.

For pictures of the organ rebuilding process, visit the Hammell Music website at  http://hammell.com/Interlochen

INTERLOCHEN’S VITAL ROLE IN A CHANGING WORLD

Throughout history, the organ has been tied to the music of the church. It is an icon of the rich and important role the church has played throughout history in advancing and protecting Western music, art and culture.

We are witnessing a disturbing trend of churches rejecting its best classical heritage in favor of pop culture and pre-recorded music. Like the “chicken and the egg” metaphor, the cause and effect is not clear, but we are clearly in a downward spiral that threatens to extinguish both the organ as a viable instrument and the church’s relevance as a haven for arts culture and education: As churches find it harder to find inspiring musicians to play their organs and lead their music, they turn to recordings and pop music. As fewer young people hear the organs played to their potential, fewer decide to study it. We have a dark cycle that feeds itself. Churches are selling off their organs. Universities and conservatories are closing their organ departments for lack of students. (The latest to close their doors are Northwestern and New England Conservatory.)

Interlochen is a light in this darkness. It is the only place of its kind, where high school students can go to study organ. At Interlochen, through the auspicious confluence of inspiring faculty, talented students, infectious optimism and strong tradition, the organ holds a place of high esteem and visibility.

Interlochen needs its instrument to be worthy of its mission and success. A truly fine pipe organ will be an inspiration, well used and appreciated by Interlochen organ students for many years to come.

To learn more about studying organ at Interlochen, visit www.interlochen.org/academy

If you would like to support the organ project, please contact the Interlochen Development Office at 231.276.7887.