When the Italian Baroque organ was installed at the Memorial Art Gallery in 2005, it marked the beginning of the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative (EROI) — a long-range plan to assemble a collection of new and historic organs in Rochester.
First stages of construction for the next phase of the plan — building a new organ modeled after a unique historic 1776 Lithuanian organ to be installed in Christ Church (Episcopal) — begins Tuesday March 27 at 8:15 a.m. when the first beams, made from reclaimed timber that will form a new balcony to hold the organ, will be lifted into place at the church.
What:
“Beam Lifting” for a new balcony at Christ Church that will hold the next organ to be completed as part of Eastman’s EROI project.When:
Tuesday, March 27
8:15 – 9 a.m.Where:
Christ Church
141 East Avenue
(Corner of East Avenue and Broadway)
Background — The new organ will be built for Christ Church as a research project by a joint venture of American and international organ builders. The Episcopal Diocese of Rochester is the main partner and co-sponsor of the project, which involves collaboration with the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture and Göteborg Organ Art Center in Sweden. The new organ, to be named after two legendary Eastman organ professors David Craighead and Russell Saunders, will be installed in Christ church with the simultaneous restoration of the original organ to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The original organ, found in the Church of the Dominicans (Holy Ghost Church) in Vilnius, was fortunately well preserved in a region afflicted by years of war and conflict. It is the only remaining example of a large organ created by Adam Gottlob Casparini and considered to be one of the most valuable musical artifacts of its time in Europe today. Plans call for the new Rochester organ to be inaugurated in Christ Church in 2008.
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