Creating the organ required a collaborative effort between Casavant Freres, one of the best known and most respected pipe organ builders in the world, Kauffman Center architect Moshe Safdie, and Helzberg Hall acoustician Yasu Toyota. For example, the unique façade features fully functional wooden pipes hand-built by Casavant Freres artists, and its design echoes the preponderance of wood in Helzberg Hall, designed by Moshe Safdie. In turn, the gorgeous Alaskan cedar, Douglas fir, and oak in the rest of Helzberg Hall were selected by acoustician Yasu Toyota for their specific resonant qualities, making the hall, musicians, and organ work together as one perfectly tuned instrument. The organ was built in the Casavant Freres facility in Quebec, Canada, then disassembled and transported to Kansas City, where it was installed and underwent extensive testing and tuning. … Continue Reading →
Labels: Casavant Organ, Jan Kraybill, Kauffman Center, Organ Polychrome