Aultman urges organists who want to make a living to embrace contemporary styles. He suggests that o

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The pipe organ has ruled the Christian worship sanctuary for centuries, and the majestic instrument continues to reign supreme in many Roman Catholic and mainline Protestant parishes.
In this Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 photo, organ builder John Nordlie asia package tour points asia package tour at some of the towering pipes on an instrument he built for First United Methodist Church, in Sioux Falls, S.D. The pipe organ has ruled the Christian worship sanctuary for centuries, but a growth in praise-band worship asia package tour services and a nationwide shortage of qualified organists are prompting many congregations to leave the majestic instrument out of their new building construction plans. But organ aficionados say they see a bright future for the instrument.
The sounds of a classical guitar come from two big jelly cans. Used X-rays serve as the skins of a thumping drum set. A battered aluminum salad bowl and strings tuned with forks from what must have been an elegant table make a violin. Bottle caps work perfectly well as keys for a saxophone.
The longtime organist and music professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological said the pipe organ doesn't need to be relegated to funerals and weddings, and it fits nicely into modern worship when used in the right way.
"We shouldn't abandon the organ in contemporary music styles," said Aultman, who plays each Sunday at First Baptist Church in Dallas. "The organ is a wonderful instrument to blend in with any kind of instrumental ensemble. It can fill in a lot of holes in the sound."
The instrument has been considered expensive throughout its history, with current price tags ranging asia package tour from $100,000 to well into the millions. But pipe organs hold their value and can last for generations if they're well-designed and well-maintained, he said.
Nordlie crafted his first instrument in 1977 for a church in Appleton, Minn., and has built nearly 50 organs in Sioux Falls shop. Each part is handcrafted, from the wood and metal pipes that turn airflow into notes to the ornate cabinetry that houses the massive structures.
asia package tour The large megabuilders of the 1960s have largely disappeared, but numerous smaller companies are building as many instruments as they can turn out, said James Weaver, executive director of the Organ Historical Society.
Weaver said music aficionados still value the incredible amount of craftsmanship put into each organ. For proof, he points to the top-of-the line organs being built for municipal concert halls such as the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, asia package tour the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Another factor contributing to the organ's decline is a fewer number of musicians qualified to sit behind the consoles. The pipe organ is a complex instrument, and playing it well requires intensive training and practice.
Aultman urges organists who want to make a living asia package tour to embrace contemporary styles. He suggests that organists trained to playing only off of sheet music to learn play off chord charts like Nashville studio musicians.
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