Organ music to provide background for fundraiser

Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 | 7:15 a.m.

Where: Doc Rando Hall, UNLV Beam Music Center

When: 1-5 p.m. Saturday

Where: All Saints Episcopal Church, 4201 W. Washington Ave.

When: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday

Where: LDS Las Vegas East Stake, 4040 E. Wyoming Ave.

When: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday

Admission: Free

Hold onto your pipes, bellows and pistons.

On Saturday about 20 organists will be blowing out Bach, Handel, Buxtehude and other composers in an organ marathon taking place at three locations.

"The intent is to get people introduced to the organ," says Steve Wright, dean of the Southern Nevada chapter of the American Guild of Organists. "We have a lot of good classical music in the community. We want to be as attractive to the community as possible."

The event also is a fundraiser for the Raymond Barnes Memorial Scholarship Fund. Barnes, the founding dean of the chapter, died last spring. The chapter has about 70 members and presents monthly recitals. At least 140 pieces of music will be performed . The informal event is free, but donations will be accepted. Audience members can come and go from the concerts as they please.

Wright, who will be playing works by Bach, Handel and Guilmant, says the group is expecting a solid turnout: "It's the first time we've done it, but it's not unprecedented in the American Guild of Organists . We actually borrowed it from the Phoenix chapter. They've had pretty good success with it. It's their biggest fundraiser."

What you should know:

Lots o' pipes

The Southern Nevada chapter of the American Guild of Organists lists 23 local pipe organs and 12 residential, studio and theater organs on its Web site ( members.cox.net/snc-ago/ ). Specs and year built are included. The Rudolf von Beckerath organ at UNLV was installed in 2004. It is a mechanical action/electric stop action organ with 38 stops, 53 ranks and almost 3,000 pipes. Translation: Yowsa!

Still kickin'

Despite popular assumption, the organ isn't quite dead. The American Guild of Organists, founded in 1896, boasts 20,000 international members and more than 300 chapters. The local chapter was founded in 1968, has 70 members and a newsletter. Wright says there are nine students studying the organ at UNLV, home of the von Beckerath organ. In March, 1,200 students from the Clark County School District will be bused to UNLV to see and hear the von Beckerath.

Dreamin'

KCNV 89.7-FM Nevada Public Radio airs Pipe Dreams from 8 to 9 p.m. every Sunday. The program produced by Minnesota Public Radio features organ concerts throughout the United States and abroad. For listings, go to www.classical897.org .