A New Schoenstein Teaching Studio Organ

Schoenstein & Co. is building a four-manual, 11 rank organ for Brigham Young University – Idaho, Rexburg, ID. The organ program, led by Dr. Daniel Kerr, is comprised of roughly twelve undergraduate and graduate students. These students perform in Barrus Concert Hall on a four manual Ruffatti organ. The hall and the students both have busy schedules, and it became apparent a new teaching studio organ with the same console layout and controls was necessary for recital preparation.

Space is very limited – typical for a university practice room – and an exact copy of the concert hall organ would be impossible. Thus only the layout and control details that impact how the player feels will be copied – height, shove-in, keyboards, pedal board, pistons, toe studs, expression shoes. Tonally, the priorities are maximum color variety and voices that don’t tire the ear after hours of listening at close proximity. Diapasons gently sing on three-inch wind pressure, and solo voices balance above the ensemble via timbre, not volume. This organ contains Schoenstein’s Audible Pistons feature, making it easy for students to practice piston changes without changing registrations.