Press Release - Organ Historical Society

“We are extremely honored to have Peter Conte open our convention and very excited to
let the public experience the magical sounds of the pipe organ at Masonic Auditorium,” commented
Joseph McCabe, OHS vice president and chairman of the 2009 Cleveland convention.
“Opus 823,” the name given to the four-manual Austin pipe organ whose 32-foot-long pipes
hover over stage left of the Masonic Auditorium, represents the 823 rd organ built and installed by the
Austin Organ Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The organ features 52 ranks (or sets of pipes)
and is composed of five front divisions and a sixth division that speaks from the rear of the
auditorium. Built in 1918 at a cost of $18,000, the instrument now has a replacement value of $1.5
million.
Restoration of the Austin organ begins in May this year and will consist of replacing
deteriorated leather components extending throughout the organ, according to McCabe, who is
overseeing the complex project. The restoration, an effort lead by organ technician Paul
Marchesano, will cost upwards of $20,000 and will be paid for by in-kind donations to the OHS.
Alan Jones, secretary of the 32 nd Degree Masons, which owns the venerable Cleveland
Masonic Performing Arts Center at 3615 Euclid Avenue, commented that the Austin organ wasn’t
the only draw that attracted the Organ Historical Society. “The Masonic auditorium offers some of
the most spectacular acoustics anyone can ask for,” Jones said. “Between Peter Conte’s masterful
organ skills, the beautifully restored sounds of the Austin pipe organ and the symphonic acoustics in
our auditorium, the concert is shaping up to be a very special evening.”
The annual Organ Historical Society convention runs from July 5 through July 10 and
features lectures, tours and performances conducted at several venues throughout Northern Ohio.
The choice of Cleveland as host city for the 2009 convention has taken on a significant
meaning, as several venues along the tour will showcase pipe organs that reside in local churches
that are slated for closure in the coming year. In many cases the future of those pipe organs remains
uncertain.
“Northern Ohio is truly a mecca for world class pipe organs,” explained McCabe. “Some of
the most notable and beautiful organs can be found within a 100-mile radius of Cleveland, including
one of the largest organs in the United States which is located right downtown in the Cleveland
Convention Center.”
This region is home to more than 400 pipe organs which are still in use today, according to
McCabe. The 28 instruments showcased by the OHS during the convention are among the finest
pipe organs in the region.
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Tickets for the free organ concert at Cleveland Masonic and Performing Arts Center
(3615 Euclid Avenue) on July 5 th at 8:00 p.m. will be available beginning May 15, 2009 and
can be ordered exclusively on a first-come basis by visiting
www.organsociety.org/2009/masonic. Additional information is available by calling the
OHS answer line at (440) 646-8720.