OrgelkidsPA
An upcoming event will not only allow families to try a new instrument, but build one.
The Harrisburg Chapter of the American Guild of Organists on March 1 will host organist Vincent Ryan and his OrgelkidsPA program, which allows youth and parents to construct and learn about a pipe organ.
“We are really excited,” said Dan Stokes, a chapter member. “Schools are seeking this out because it really works with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
The Orgelkids program will function as the Harrisburg chapter’s Pipe Organ Encounter Kick Off, to generate interest in their weeklong organ encounter camp in June.
Although the pipe organ may seem like it’s past its peak popularity, Stokes said that the chapter has actually seen a lot of interest from young people in learning the instrument. The group has hosted programs for teens previously. Churches are also in need of musicians with the skill, he said.
Stokes also mentioned the impact that learning an instrument can have on a developing mind.
“Studying music engages both the left and right brain,” Stokes said. “Kids that study music seem to do really well.”
However, even for the musically uninclined, the Orgelkids event is a great lesson in STEAM. Ryan will lead attendees through assembling 133 pieces into a small playable organ.
Ryan travels around the state, bringing his program to students and families. Orgelkids originated in the Netherlands, making its debut in the United States about a decade ago. Ryan started his own program in Pennsylvania in 2018 with a passion of making the instrument, known as the largest in the world, accessible and helping raise awareness and enthusiasm for the organ.
“It really is the best tool that we have to reach children and adults alike about the pipe organ because it’s portable,” Ryan said.
The March 1 kick-off event is free and open to the public, inviting kids of all ages to participate at Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church.
During the kickoff, interested students can get more information on the chapter’s weeklong program for 13- to 18-year-olds. That course will run from June 22 to 27 at Lebanon Valley College, letting students experience college life by staying in the dorms and learning from instructors from across the country.
To find out more about the Pipe Organ Encounter, visit the Harrisburg Chapter of the American Guild of Organists’ website. To learn more about OrgelkidsPA, visit their website.
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