New church organ to debut on All Saints' Day

A new pipe organ at Roseville Lutheran Church will have its inaugural performance on November 1, with Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem, in honor of All Saints' Day.

"This instrument will bring a fresh, vibrant new voice for leading the congregation’s singing in worship, and enhance the accompaniment of music presented by our choir," said John Helgen, music director at RLC.

The church hopes the organ will "anchor and enrich RLC's music ministry" as well as offer opportunities for community concerts, music festivals, recitals, and other musical performances.

In 2022, RLC decided it was time to replace the church organ, due to needed repairs that exceeded the organ's value. By November 2024, RLC raised over $900,000 from private donors to fund the project, according to church website documents.

The new J.F. Nordlie Opus 63 pipe organ was assembled from restored pipes from a Holtkamp #1762, gifted from an Episcopal church in Alabama, eight restored ranks from RLC's old Möller organ, and six new ranks.

That's a total of 3351 pipes and 59 ranks. A rank is a collection of pipes, one for each key on the keyboard.

"The Holtkamp #1762 was the last design of Walter Holtkamp Sr. and represents an important part of America's organ building history," said RLC music volunteer Scott Henry.

The design was left unfinished on the drawing board upon Holtkamp Sr.'s death in 1962, according to notes in the Pipe Organ Database. You can see photos of the original organ as installed at St. Luke's Episcopal in Mountain Brook, AL on that site.

The last "large contract" that Holtcamp Sr. completed before his death was the organ at St. John's Abbey.

The new and restored pipes were built in a new casing by the J.F. Nordlie Company of Sioux Falls.

"Congregational involvement saved RLC thousands of dollars and helped develop a sense of ownership, inclusion, and pride in the project," said Henry.

Volunteers assisted the organ builder's team to uninstall and pack up the donated Holtkamp organ in Alabama, which took six days. They also helped uninstall RLC's previous organ and assisted with the installation of the new organ.

“The new organ has a large dynamic range and a variety of sounds, from powerful trumpets to quiet flutes and strings," said Helgen.

Inaugural Performance

On Sunday, Duruflé’s Requiem will be performed by a multi-voice and instrumental ensemble, lead by Conductor Bradley Ellingboe. Performers include organist Louise Bass, vocal soloists Robin Joy Helgen and Andrew Kane, an 80-voice choir comprised of the RLC choir plus other local singers, a 14-piece string orchestra, and harp.

"Duruflé’s Requiem is universally celebrated as one of the most moving and exquisite religious masterworks of the 20th century. Critics laud it for its theme centering on rest, light, and comfort," according to a press release.

All Saints Day is a Christian holy day to remember and honor those who have died in the faith.

The program will also include a congregational hymn and two choral anthems—“The Souls of the Righteous” by Thomas Pavlechko and “This Host in Shining Robes” by John Helgen, accompanied by organist Andrew Jacob from Augustana Lutheran Church in West Saint Paul.

The concert is free, but donations will be accepted in the form of a "free will offering" during the performance.

The performance will be held on November 1 at 3:00 p.m. Roseville Lutheran Church is located at 1215 Roselawn Ave. W., Roseville.

More upcoming concerts

December 12 | 7:00 p.m.

National Lutheran Choir Concert accompanied by organist Dr. Gregory Peterson. The renovation of the Basilica of Saint Mary brings the Christmas Festival to RLC this year. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available from the National Lutheran Choir.

December 19 | 7:30 pm

RLC Christmas Concert: with choir, brass, bells, organ and orchestra. Free will offering.

April 4, 2027

Organ Dedication, Recital and Reception: One-worship service, 2 pm recital by Aaron David Miller with reception to follow. Free will offering.