Preserving the music of the organ

The organ came to Lopez in 2003. They had to take the instrument apart piece by piece and move it up the stairwell of the church carefully maneuvering the pipes and wood decorated with seashell carvings. Before it’s presence at Grace Church the congregation would gather on Sundays to the music of an electronic keyboard, but it did not have the air of sacred, timeless songs that the pipes now provide. Luckily Marge Strensrud, even at 91, is a skilled organist and can harness the power of such an instrument.

September 14, 2015 12:10 pm
The organ on Orcas Island.
The organ on Orcas Island.

The organ came to Lopez in 2003. They had to take the instrument apart piece by piece and move it up the stairwell of the church carefully maneuvering the pipes and wood decorated with seashell carvings. Before it’s presence at Grace Church the congregation would gather on Sundays to the music of an electronic keyboard, but it did not have the air of sacred, timeless songs that the pipes now provide. Luckily Marge Strensrud, even at 91, is a skilled organist and can harness the power of such an instrument.

“She plays like an angel,” said Ginni Keith.

There are three islanders in training to play the organ in case Strensrud wants to take a break or retire. “It takes a lot of work with both hands and feet. In my next life time I would love to do it,” said Keith. “I really admire anyone that can play it.”

But even with the perfect player and space for the instrument there is quite a bit of work to keep the organ working. Each of the 100 pipes must be tuned once a year and throughout the years some of the pipes must be removed and replaced.

So in an effort to keep music of this caliber at Grace, Keith and two other musicians are holding a fundraiser to upkeep their beloved organ.

Keith on trumpet, Mollie Johnson on trombone and Don Breazeal on french horn make up the group Salish Brass. Their benefit concert is Sept. 27, 3 p.m. at Grace Church. Donations are welcome. For info contact Keith at 468-4422 or the church at 468-3477.

The music will be primarily from the Baroque and Renaissance  period.

“We love that period the best,” said Keith.

She added that an interesting element of a brass trio is that all three musicians play consistently, where as in the traditional quintet one or two of the musicians are able to take a break.

“It’s strenuous and musically challenging,” she said.

But their biggest challenge is to blend all three of the brass instruments so that the sound produced is that of one instrument.

Overall they just hope to raise some funds to keep the organ music alive.

“A lot of folks in parish close remember the days of little keyboard, so the organ still seems new,’ said Keith. “Everybody appreciates it.”