St Dominic Music News & Events - 2008

March 1st - The Pipe Organ INformance® was a great success!

Mr. C. J. Sambach presented three wonderful programs to the students of St. Dominic, parishioners, students of the School for the Deaf and Blind, and guests from as far away as Orange Beach. In the first program of its kind at St. Dominic, parishioners and guests were able to learn intricate details about the workings of the Church's only official instrument, an instrument so treasured that it has its own special blessing from the Vatican to be used in liturgies. We would like to thank the American Guild of Organists Mobile Chapter for selecting St. Dominic as one of its venues for this program.

February 28th - The Pipe Organ INformance®

The Mobile Chapter of The American Guild of Organists will be offering a unique, different, and very special program developed by concert organist C.J. Sambach. He will be performing his highly entertaining and humorous educational program The Pipe Organ INformance® on Thursday, February 28 at 9:00, 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at St. Dominic Church and at 6:30 p.m. at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church. The program times at St. Dominic are designed as field trip assembly programs for area school youth but are also open to the public. Heralded as a modern day Pied Piper, C.J. has earned a national reputation as a performer who wins friends to the pipe organ, and is especially interested in reaching our youth. In these INformances, C.J.j will explore the instruments vast tonal resources, present charming musical compositions, and explain its many fascinating facets. All ages will enjoy these unique programs. For more information, contact Paul Hanebuth at 434-1573 or cathmusic@bellsouth.net.

Our Organ Project

Having recovered from Hurricane Katrina damage, our new pipe organ is finally being installed! You can see the progress by looking up into the rear gallery of the church. The biggest pipes will be on the east and west side gallery walls. These pipes will produce some of the lowest tones or bass sounds of the organ. The largest of these pipes is 22 feet tall.

The majority of the pipes will be located on the back wall of the gallery around the stained glass window and in the east organ chamber over the cry room.

March 1, 2008 - The organ is complete! Well, almost. All pipework is up and playing. We still have some touchup work to do with tuning and voicing, but these are minor issues to be dealt with over time as we get used to the instrument in the room and how it interacts with the liturgy. Plans for the casework to enclose the windchest that support the pipes has been finalized and is underway. Keep looking up!

Pipes in the aisle!