Salt Lake City, Utah, December 3, 2013 – First United Methodist Church (FUMC) is launching the 3300 Pipes crowdfunding campaign to restore their 106 year-old pipe organ to its full voice. FUMC’s instrument is the oldest organ in three states with more original parts in their original places. The restoration will preserve the organ’s historic nature by integrating over 2,000 pipes and components from the 1915 organ that originally accompanied silent films in the American Theatre, Utah’s largest movie palace of its time. The organ restoration is a key part of a planned renovation that will allow FUMC to offer a flexible, inviting, intimate venue for community events, musical and other artistic performances. The crowdfunding campaign will launch online at www.3300pipes.org on December 8.
Crowdfunding is a kind of fundraising that relies on numerous smaller donations from individuals, as well as support from businesses and community organizations. The 3300 Pipes campaign will run for 45 days, during which FUMC’s goal is to raise $100,000 to augment funds already received for the restoration. Momentum is building in advance of the December 8 launch – FUMC members Doug and Ginger Smith have offered a $10,000 challenge grant if $25,000 is raised on Day One of the campaign.
The 3300 Pipes campaign’s launch is timely, because the organ is in urgent need of restoration. The combination of age, use, and inadequate maintenance has caused many of the organ’s wind chests – its “lungs” – to leak air. This causes some of the pipes to sound when they should be silent, a phenomenon called ciphering. Mr. Scott R. Mills, FUMC’s Principal Organist, describes ciphering as sounding like “a rogue soprano singing a different song within an otherwise beautifully coordinated choir.”
Mr. Mills recalls a recent incident while playing the organ for the funeral of a beloved church member. “I was playing the ‘Adagio’ from Mendelssohn’s Sonata I in F Minor in October and some pipes began to cipher.” In response, he frantically made adjustments, but “I was unable to play the music the way it was meant to be played.” The effect was similar to silencing part of a symphony. “Sadly, such misbehavior by the organ’s pipes happens more and more frequently,” Mr. Mills says.
The completed organ will combine two of the oldest organs in the Intermountain West to create a unique “heritage” instrument. The preservation of these historic instruments will protect a significant connection to religious, musical and cultural history in Salt Lake City, as well as providing the community with a truly unique venue in the heart of downtown.
For more information about the organ and how to contribute to the 3300 Pipes campaign, the community is invited to visit www.3300pipes.org. Businesses interested in supporting the campaign can contact Tricia Kritzberg at tkritzberg@gmail.com.
