The capacity Lincoln Hall audience celebrating the 20th Anniversary of ARCA’s first Wurlitzer concert on Sunday, November 9 jumped to their feet in a standing ovation for “Grand Master of the Organ” JONAS NORDWALL – one of the phenoms in the organ world, an extraordinary keyboardist and artist who is called a legend for a good reason. Jonas is an organist’s organist in terms of repertoire and technique about which organ enthusiasts still marvel – and for whom audiences wax rhapsodic.
As one of ARCA’s Wurlitzer fans and donors said who was amazed by the rich variety of his program, interesting program commentary, technical prowess and lyrical poignancy, “Wasn’t that the best thing you’ve ever heard?”
This is a consummate organist who has played for a hundred thousand people and more in his fifty years touring the world to Japan, Europe, China and Australia (many times) and playing on the four console-51 rank Wurlitzer in Portland’s Organ Grinder restaurant for decades – as well as being a church organist his entire life.
The richly varied concert program Jonas performed on the newly restored McKissick Mighty Wurlitzer ranged from “Mama Mia”, “The Way We We Were”, and a 50’s medley to “Fireside Fancies” by Joseph Waddell Clokey and ending the first half with his singularly famous arrangement of “Pinball Wizard” which utilized to the max the percussion battery on hall’s visible percussion shelf.
In the second half, Jonas was joined by mezzo-soprano Kathy Soroka in “Hello, Young Lovers” and Copland’s “Shall we Gather by the River” which she dedicated to the visionaries and founders of ARCA and to Paul McKissick who built the organ and Dr. Arthur and Patricia Steffee who bought it for Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts and its performance venue, Lincoln Hall.
The second half also featured the message of faith and hope in the Thanksgiving hymn, “Now Thank We All our God”, “Plaisir d’amour”, “10 cents a Dance”, and a Rodgers and Hammerstein Carousel medley with “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” For an encore, he performed “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Executive Director John Soroka announced that the Wurlitzer Restoration fund had moved from 86% to 88% of its goal thanks to two checks received that day. He thanked all who had given so generously to underwrite the work of ARCA’s brilliant theatre technician, Jason Wiles, in restoring the organ.
Gratefully, Jonas Nordwall – a mentor to Jason since his youth – arrived early and consulted with Jason about voicing, tremulants and more, as the major influence he has been throughout his career on the design and manufacture of both pipe and electronic organs.
A champagne toast to the Wurlitzer’s 20th Birthday was enjoyed with mini-birthday cupcakes from The Crow’s Cupboard in the Red Brick Gallery closing reception of the exhibit of Rafi & Klee – INTERWOVEN: The Art of Growth and Connection.
ARCA’s VP and President, Tom and Nancy Hovis, graciously entertained the artist at The Allegheny Grille after the concert.
It was a glorious celebration of the 20th Anniversary of ARCA’s Mighty McKissick Wurlitzer and we eagerly await Jonas Nordwall’s return to Lincoln Hall and Foxburg in the future.
