Monday, October 13, 2008

University of North Texas will inaugurate new $1.5-million organ with three-day conference Oct. 20-22

By Pegasus News wire

DENTON — A new $1.5-million concert organ, a centerpiece to UNT's Winspear Performance Hall, will be officially inaugurated during a three-day conference Oct. 20-22 featuring concerts from internationally acclaimed performers.

The Richard Ardoin-Paul Voertman Concert Organ -- stretching nearly 35 feet tall at the center and weighing 8 metric tons -- was built in front of the pentagonal glass wall in the 1,025-seat hall inside UNT's Murchison Performing Arts Center, located along the north side of Interstate 35E at North Texas Boulevard.

"The UNT College of Music has a long and celebrated history as one of the top music schools in the nation, and the addition of this world-class concert organ further enhances our reputation as one of the best," said Dr. Jesse Eschbach, chair of the keyboard studies division at UNT. "The reputation of the organ program here was eclipsed for many years because of the instrumental situation, but we began filling in the gaps in 2003 when the French Classical Organ was installed in the Main Auditorium. Now, with the addition of this latest organ, we are establishing our reputation once and for all as a university for the nation's most talented organ students."

The conference Oct. 20–22, Monday–Wednesday, will celebrate the inauguration of the organ during a series of master classes, lectures, and concerts. Noted organists will lead the master classes at 9 each morning, when students from across the country will have the opportunity to play the instrument. Lectures about organ music will continue throughout the day. Master classes and lectures are limited to registered conference attendees.

Public concerts will be held each evening at 8 to highlight the organ in performance by acclaimed artists James David Christie, Dame Gillian Weir, and Maitre Jean Guillou. Concert tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for seniors, non-UNT students, children, UNT faculty/staff and groups of 10 or more; and free for UNT students with ID. Buy two tickets and get the third free. For tickets, call (940) 369-7802 or visit the Murchison Performing Arts Center web site.

The conference will focus on the works of:

Johann Sebastian Bach on Oct. 20

music of the 19th century on Oct. 21

music of the 20th century on Oct. 22

Installation of the organ began in late July 2007 by Wolff and Associates of Laval from the Canadian province of Quebec. The instrument features 3,801 pipes and 60 stops on three manuals and pedals.

The installation of the organ was supported by a $1.5 million Voertman-Ardoin Memorial Fund created by Denton philanthropist Paul Voertman.

The new concert organ complements UNT's existing organ collection, which includes:

• the 1985 Bedient French Classical Organ in the Main Auditorium
• the 1949 Möller, Op. 7676 in the Main Auditorium
• the Rieger tracker in the Organ Recital Hall in the Music Building
• the 1962 Hofmann organ in the Concert Hall in the Music Building
• four practice organs on the third floor of the Music Building

The Oct. 22 concert with Guillou is part of the UNT Fine Arts Series.

Source: UNT

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