Missouri Classical Music News

When you want to make music that can raise the roof, when you want to make music that allows you to decide what sounds you want to create, when you want to make music that's complex and multidimensional, there's nothing like the pipe organ.

The chance to discover the organ recently brought a capacity crowd of 25 kids, age 12 to 17 from the Midwest, to St. Louis for a weeklong Pipe Organ Encounter sponsored by the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

All of them had studied piano. Some had several years of organ; others had zero experience. After a week of exploring the organ - sticking their heads into organ cases, putting their hands (and feet) on a variety of instruments, learning how organs are made, getting daily lessons with some of the area's best professionals and taking part in a recital - they went home enthusiastic about the "King of Instruments."