Accomplished musician to break in Park Ridge church’s new pipe organ
By JENNIFER JOHNSON jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com May 5, 2011 12:48PM
St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Park Ridge will dedicate its new pipe organ on May 22. | Photo courtesy of St. Andrews Lutheran Church. | Contributed photo
Updated: November 24, 2011 3:34AM
St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Park Ridge will dedicate its new, custom-built pipe organ during a special religious service and musical performance May 22.
The service will begin at 10 a.m. at the church, 260 N. Northwest Highway. At 3 p.m. that day concert organist Stephen Tharp, who was baptized at St. Andrews, will perform in a free dedicatory recital. The recital will feature the music of Bach, Mendelssohn, Vierne and Chicago composers. A reception will follow the performance.
Tharp has performed all over the world at prestigious venues that include Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, the Royal Albert Hall in London, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow and many others.
St. Andrews welcomed the arrival of its custom-built pipe organ in January. It was shipped to the church in pieces and was assembled during a one-month period.
The pipe organ was purchased by the church following a three-year fundraising campaign that raised $675,000.
“Our new pipe organ at St. Andrews is a work of art in our community,” said David Christiansen, minister of music. “It sounds and looks magnificent.”
Comments Click here to view or make a comment