American Institute of Organbuilders to Visit Boardwalk Hall

Feb 8, 2016

American Institute of Organbuilders to Visit Boardwalk Hall

The American Institute of Organbuilders (AIO) is pleased to announce an exceptional opportunity for our members to work with the Historic Organ Restoration Committee (HORC) on the restoration of the landmark Midmer-Losh pipe organ at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The AIO and HORC will jointly host a Restoration Symposium February 17-21 2016 bringing together some of the top talent in the pipe organ industry in a collegial, collaborative environment to share information with each other and the Boardwalk Hall curatorial staff while working to bring one of the world’s greatest musical treasures back to full voice.

This symposium, modeled on the very successful series held for the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia, is an opportunity to involve a larger number of full-time professional pipe organ builders and restorers in the multi-year restoration of the great Midmer-Losh pipe organ.

A dozen AIO members will volunteer their time for four days at Boardwalk Hall, concentrating on the high pressure pedal stops of the Left Stage chamber. The organ in Main Auditorium of Historic Boardwalk Hall was built by the Midmer-Losh Co., of Merrick, Long Island, New York. Work on the instrument, Opus 5550, started in May of 1929 and was completed in December, 1932. Time and elements have taken their toll on this remarkable instrument requiring many portions of the instrument to be silenced. The Left Stage Chamber has been silent for more than three decades and at present approximately 25% of the organ is playable. At the completion of the restoration of the Left Stage Chamber roughly 50% of the organ will be fully functional.

The AIO recognizes historical and technical significance of the Midmer-Losh pipe organ at Boardwalk Hall, and is very excited about this opportunity for our members to contribute their skills to this monumental project, experiencing first hand one of the great achievements of American engineering and artistry.

The American Institute of Organbuilders is a professional association made up of pipe organbuilders, organ maintenance technicians, and those in allied professions supporting the pipe organ industry. The AIO’s objective is to advance the science and practice of pipe organ building by discussion, inquiry, research, experiment and other means. The AIO holds an annual convention and arranges several seminars each year for the education of its members.

More information on the AIO can be found at WWW.pipeorgan.org

The Historic Organ Restoration Committee is a 501 c3 chartered by the state of New Jersey for the restoration and preservation of the two pipe organs of Historic Boardwalk Hall. In addition to the actual physical restoration of the instruments, HORC seeks to educate and increase awareness of the unique importance of these instruments as irreplaceable national treasures through programming and tours throughout the year.

More information on HORC, the Midmer-Losh organ and the restoration project can be found at http://www.boardwalkorgans.org

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The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents, investing nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, CRDA’s mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA responsibilities expanded to include land use regulation, clean and safe initiatives, tourism marketing, ownership and oversight of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall, and partnership with the Atlantic City Alliance to brand and market Atlantic City. The former ACCVA, now a division of CRDA, is the first destination marketing organization in New Jersey to achieve prestigious Destination Marketing Accreditation by the Destination Marketing Association International.

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