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Cathedral Organ Campaign
raised thus far:
$708,125 of million dollar goal
Thank you, Bishop Duca, for your support,
encouragement
and approving the generous gift from the diocese of $100,000.
Please consider making a contribution
to the Organ Fund
Cathedral Organ
Dec 09 Bishop Duca approves Campaign to complete the
Cathedral Organ!!
Imagine this organ in our loft!!
Expensive Project?
How can you Help?
Levels of Giving -- Organ Budget
Scope of Work
and Tentative Timeline
Note
from Justin Ward, Director of Liturgy and Music
Organ Committee Members
Organ
Consultant Hired
Cathedral pipes in storage
An Organ project has been explored as the Cathedral is continually evaluating how to offer liturgy and music at a Cathedral Standard. The current organ that sits in the gallery is only partially complete. The previous organ project concluded with only less than half of the organ having been installed. The Cathedral has completed an
extensive process of securing bids from several established firms as we evaluated how best to bring a completed organ of quality to our Cathedral. The Cathedral is proud to announce that
Parkey Organ Builders of Duluth, GA will complete the Cathedral organ. We hope to have the
54 rank organ installed by
June 2011, in time for the 25th Anniversary celebration of the
founding of our diocese.
Click here for the new organ's specification.
The ceiling in the Cathedral is made of a material which absorbs high frequencies, but reflects low frequencies. It was selected to provide clarity for the spoken word in an era before the technological advancements of our current electronic sound systems. Unfortunately, the current material dampens the carrying power of all music, particularly in the treble range. Many of the great Cathedrals and churches have retro-fitted their original materials to the benefit of both music and speech. Learning from these precedents and relying on the expertise of our consultant, we are seeking to devise the best solution to the problem at the Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans. For both choir and congregation, this change will have great impact on both the musical and liturgical experience.
For more information or to find out how you can contribute to the project, please contact
Justin
Ward, Director of Liturgy and Music.
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Expensive?
The completion of a pipe organ is an expensive thing to
be doing at this time. One can question it
easily. But there are good reasons for embarking on this
venture. We have a great love and a reputation for good music
here at the Cathedral, as a parish and as the mother church of the
Diocese of Shreveport. Music is desperately needed
today in this noisy world to give us peace and inspiration. In
providing this completed and excellent Organ for St. John's and
Shreveport, we are doing a good thing, an important thing, and a
valuable thing. It is a good investment. Our decision to
complete and restore our instrument not only honors the devotion
past and current families demonstrated with their gifts and
memorials through the years, but it preserves and continues at a
higher level the Cathedral's musical heritage for the next
generations. Furthermore, we are blessed with an accomplished
musical director, Justin Ward, who continues to build the tradition
of music at St. John's. Neither he nor the fine musicians who
join us for worship and other concerts can fulfill their potential
without a complete pipe organ. Our musical ministry enhances
our liturgies which in turn enhances our parish's other ministries
as a visible sign of the vitality of the Cathedral Parish -- a sign
for ourselves, our surrounding area, and the entire Diocese of
Shreveport.
WHY not a less expensive ORGAN?
The price tag of an electronic (also
called digital) organ may appear advantageous in the short-term,
though it is expensive over time. The lifespan of a digital
organ is far shorter than a pipe organ. Electronic organs also
require maintenance and upgrading. Although they cost less per
instrument, they do not represent a real savings over time compared
to a well-maintained and musically superior pipe organ.
Furthermore, electronic organs are inferior musically. They are
mass-produced to generate generic sounds over loudspeakers that
merely simulate those made by windblown pipes. Individual
notes may sound quite real, but the sound of multiple notes played
together is significantly different than that of a pipe organ and
can be recognized even by many with untrained ears. An
electronic organ lacks the richness, beauty, and fullness of sound
that a good pipe organ provides and that we want in our Cathedral.
With restoration and proper maintenance,
our pipe organ can grace our spiritual home for five to seven
decades with music of a quality commensurate to our devotion to our
parish and pride in its beauty.
Maintaining a pipe organ matches our
style of worship and the Catholic tradition, and will help to
attract well-qualified musicians and instrumentalists who care
deeply about music. It enhances our musical ministry and
beautifies the interior space of the church.
Fortunately, our task is to complete our
organ, not to start from scratch. Although our completion
project will be expensive, a new pipe organ would cost significantly
more. In the future, a new instrument will not be needed,
simply restored from time to time, thus our children, grandchildren,
and great-grandchildren will benefit from our stewardship today.
They will not have to start from scratch, but they will receive a
fine instrument well worth the investment to preserve it for future
generations.
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How Can You
Help?
Personal giving:
This is an exceptional need, and we ask that all members of the
Cathedral Parish give prayerful consideration to the importance of
this project in our individual and parish and diocesan lives, and
that they pledge commensurate support.
This support, over and above our annual
stewardship, is a gift to sustain our worship now and to strengthen
the parish’s future. Most of all, we ask you for your
generosity.
Recommendations:
If you know of a possible source of support, a foundation, a local
business, a music devotee, please share your thoughts with Fr. Peter
or Justin Ward.
Enthusiasm: Please share
your belief in this goal with others. Your enthusiasm will
inspire us all, for we are a congregation that cares for one another
and takes deep satisfaction in realizing our dreams together.
We welcome pledges that may be fulfilled
between now and December 2014, on an annual, quarterly, or monthly
basis, or on another schedule of your choosing.
Levels of Giving -- Organ
Budget
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ORGAN
COMPLETION PROJECT
|
|
June 2010 through
Dec 2014
|
|
Four & 1/2 Year
Project
|
|
PLEDGE PAYMENT
CHART
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
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Annual
|
Monthly
|
Weekly
|
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PLEDGE
|
Payment
|
Payment
|
Payment
|
|
$100,000
|
$22,222
|
$1,852
|
$427
|
|
$90,000
|
$20,000
|
$1,667
|
$385
|
|
$80,000
|
$17,778
|
$1,481
|
$342
|
|
$75,000
|
$16,667
|
$1,389
|
$321
|
|
$70,000
|
$15,556
|
$1,296
|
$299
|
|
$60,000
|
$13,333
|
$1,111
|
$256
|
|
$50,000
|
$11,111
|
$926
|
$214
|
|
$40,000
|
$8,889
|
$741
|
$171
|
|
$30,000
|
$6,667
|
$556
|
$128
|
|
$25,000
|
$5,556
|
$463
|
$107
|
|
$20,000
|
$4,444
|
$370
|
$85
|
|
$15,000
|
$3,333
|
$278
|
$64
|
|
$10,000
|
$2,222
|
$185
|
$43
|
|
$5,000
|
$1,111
|
$93
|
$21
|
|
$4,000
|
$889
|
$74
|
$17
|
|
$3,000
|
$667
|
$56
|
$13
|
|
$2,000
|
$444
|
$37
|
$9
|
|
$1,000
|
$222
|
$19
|
$4
|
|
$500
|
$111
|
$9
|
$2
|
The Organ Campaign begins January, 2010 and ends December, 2014.
If you would like to make periodic donations, please indicate
amount below.
Our total pledge for the Organ is $ _______________
which includes today's gift of $__________ and
54 equal monthly payments of $ ______________.
Method of payment: □ Cash □ Check
□ ACH □ Credit Card
Pipe Organ Campaign Budget:
Organ: $841,000
Acoustics: $147,000 Administration: $12,000
Gifts may be made in honor of or in memory
of a loved one.
All gifts are tax
deductible.
To donate or make a pledge to this campaign,
please use the blue Gift/Pledge envelope in the church
and office...
or email our pastor,
Fr.
Peter Mangum
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Scope of Work and Tentative Timeline
Scope of Work
- Completion of the Organ
- Cathedral Acoustic enhancements
- Choir Loft Space Reconfiguration
Tentative Timeline
June 2009 Organ Committee established
Aug 2009 Consultant Review of current organ
Sept 2009 Organ Builder Selected
Nov 2009 Parish Pastoral Council Approval Resolution
Finance Council Resolution
Dec 2009 Bishop Duca signs Approval of Project
Organ Completion Campaign Begins
YEAR 2010
Pledge Drive and Fundraising
June 2010 Removal of Visser Organ Construction of Organ begins
Apr 2011 Congregation invited to help unload pipes!
Acoustical Enhancements scheduled
June 2011 Installation of New Organ
June - November 2009
Organ Committee Members
Felicia Gilliam, Pastoral Council Rep
Edna Delphin, Finance Council Rep
Graham Walker, School Council Rep
Justin Ward, Director of Liturgy and Music
Fr. Tim Hurd, former organist of St. John's
Fr. Peter Mangum, Rector
Dr. James Dorroh, consultant (see below)
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Note from Justin Ward, Director
of Liturgy and Music
We are very excited to
have Parkey Organ Builders as the builders to complete our
Cathedral organ! After an exhaustive search of organ builders,
the Organ Completion Committee, in conjunction with our
consultant, Dr. James Dorroh, selected Parkey based on
reputation and quality of construction. The new organ will
undoubtedly be one that can effectively lead congregational
song, accompany our choirs, and play all of the major organ
literature in worship and concert.
The main organ will be
in the rear gallery (choir loft) featuring 54 ranks which
translates to 2,781 pipes! The beautiful wooden cases will flank
either side of the large stained glass window in the gallery
(see façade images to the right). The chancel organ will be
placed behind the reredos (large white marble structure behind
the altar), so as to assist the cantor with chanting the psalms.
The chancel division will have two ranks and will include 122
pipes. Therefore, the 54 rank instrument will have a total of
nearly 3,000 pipes!
Along with the
completion of the organ, acoustics will be enhanced.
The improved acoustics in the Cathedral will allow both
the organ and choir to soar throughout the room, and also will
have a tremendous effect on congregational singing.
It will no longer be as times past when persons feel as
if they are singing hymns alone. Our Cathedral space will
finally sound the way that it looks!
It is certainly our hope
that the Cathedral parishioners and many others across the
diocese and community will be enthusiastic about completing this
project. As we continue to strive to offer our liturgies at the
Cathedral standard, we hope that persons of all ages will
contribute to this project on whatever level is possible. At the
dedication of the new instrument, we will publish a dedication
booklet listing all donors to this project. Your tax-deductible
gift may be made in honor or in memory of family and/or friends.
Please prayerfully consider your gift and how you specifically
can be a part of this most exciting time for the Cathedral of
St. John Berchmans. AMDG!
Justin Ward
Director of
Liturgy and Music
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June 2009
Organ Consultant Hired !
Dr. James Dorroh has served as organ
consultant to churches in Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisiana, and
particularly in his home state of Alabama. This Cathedral project
is his eleventh project as organ consultant.
Dr. Dorroh plays recitals throughout the
United States and has been a featured recitalist for two Regional
Conventions of the American Guild of Organists. As an undergraduate
student at Birmingham-Southern College where he studied organ with
Sam Batt Owens, Dorroh was the winner of ten performance
competitions, including regional winner of the AGO Young Artists
Competition and was a finalist in the National Young Artists
Competition.
He holds the Bachelor of Music degree
from Birmingham-Southern, the Master of Music degree from the
University of Texas where he studied organ with William Doty, and
the Doctor of Philosophy degree in historical musicology from
Vanderbilt University. He did post-doctoral organ study in Paris
with French organist and composer Jean Langlais. Dr. Dorroh has also
spent several summers of sabbatical time at Saint
John's College of the
University of Cambridge in England, studying English church music.
Dr. Dorroh is Organist and Director of
Music for Saint Luke's
Episcopal Church in Birmingham. He has taught organ at the
University of Texas (Austin), Birmingham-Southern College, and has
been a member of the Faculty of Music at Samford University since
January 2008. At Samford, he teaches studio organ and service
playing.
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Cathedral Pipes in Storage
We have pipes stored since early 1990s when the
original project was left uncompleted.
Some of these pipes can be used in the new project.
  
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