Tuesday, 25 September 2018
An organ kit for schools
A couple of years ago I came across a Youtube clip of a very neat two-octave, two-stop, organ that comes as a kit to be taken into schools. The video is here - Dutch with English subtitles. It is very well made and suitable for a wide range of ages. Plans have been made available by a Dutch organ builder and I am now embarking upon the construction of this kit. It will have a slight British accent however in that I shall use wooden pipes of traditional English stopped diapason design rather than the suggested gedackt, as well as an open flute. I will post updates of progress from time to time (although I will be fitting it in around other work...)
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ABOUT TIME!
ReplyDeleteThough a Yank, I read an article on the organist shortage on your side of the "pond." A survey (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5568461/Churches-reveal-huge-shortage-new-organists.html) showed that about 50% of organists are at least aged 70, less than 4% of other organists are under 40, and 96% of churches accompanied their congregations with anything other than their functioning organs. Oftentimes, it's either a praise band or a PA system.
Trouble is, churches reported that backing tracks rush congregations and the PA systems often don't provide enough bass. But as a fan of organ music and its role in worship, the organ adapts to congregations' tempos and provides very sufficient bass - all the reason why it's the most effective musical instrument for CONGREGATIONAL SINGING!
Tops to being part of the solution to this organist shortage - with you building sets for Orgelkids UK, I SINCERELY hope more young people will be exposed to organ music as well as become future organists of their churches' instruments!