St. Andrew’s United Church marks the 100th anniversary of its Casavant pipe organ with a focus on education and entertainment.
The Chatham church kicked off Organ Week on the weekend with special activities and will continue with noon recitals.
“It’s a chance to really showcase what the instrument does,” music director Devon Hansen said Monday. “It’s definitely very special. This is the largest organ this side of London.”
Installed in 1923, the organ is the fourth to be installed at St. Andrew’s in the church’s nearly 190-year history.
With about 2,500 pipes, the organ was built by Casavant–Freres in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. and includes some original pipes from the 1902 Karn organ.
Saturday featured Pedals, Pipes and Pizza for students to learn, play and build a mini working organ, while adults had a chance to explore the instrument on Sunday.
Hansen, who didn’t start playing the organ until he was in university, said the aim was to show youth another musical path in addition to piano.
“There’s going to be lots of opportunities as organists retire,” he said, noting that scholarships are available.
While many playing aspects are similar to piano, there is more work with the feet on the pedals, he said.
And although much of the performance work is in churches, the repertoire of songs is always growing.
“There’s actually a ton of new music being written,” Hansen said. “So, like jazz for organ. It’s not like you’re just going to play stuff that was written 300 years ago.”
Hansen performed at the church Monday, with recitals continuing this week, from noon to 12:45 pm Performances include a Royal Canadian College of Organists recital on Tuesday, William Lighart on Wednesday, Dr. William Carroll on Thursday and Hansen again on Friday.
The Saturdays at 7 Pedals and Pipes concert, performed by Dr. Norah Duncan IV, a professor and chair of the music department at Wayne State University, caps off the week.
Duncan has performed extensively in the US and Europe. His accomplishments include serving as music director for Pope John Paul II’s 1987 visit to Detroit.
Donations will be accepted at the door with all proceeds going to restoration work for the organ. For more information on Organ Week, visit standrewschatham.org/organ