High Holiday Preparation

Historically, every August has been the month to begin intense rehearsals For the High Holiday Services at Temple Emanuel, Denver, Colorado.
The amount of music to be prepared for Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur services is quite staggering.
In this year, of Covid-19, the task has become even more staggering.
With all worship services to be streamed, all choral and instrumental selections needed to be recorded and filmed.
Fortunately, our Allen Touring Organ was able to offer extraordinary musical and audio flexibility to assist in this new and challenging process. We moved the “Beautiful Beast” (so named by the Temple’s Audio Technician) into the main sanctuary in early August to accommodate the rehearsal and recording schedule.
Since most audio recording involved direct output, into multi-trac master recording, the Temple’s 56 rank Austin pipe organ could not be used. The pipe’s inconsistent tuning, and distance from the other musicians proved a logistical impossibility.
Location of the Allen console was easily accomplished with its movable dolly platform. Clergy, instrumentalists, and choir members were all impressed with the organ’s realism and dynamic presence.
While we are still in the process of recording and editing, stay tuned for updates and links to the services.
Shalom
www.EmanuelDenver.org

New Custom ALLEN Church Organ for Summer/Fall “Tour”

New Custom GeniSys Allen just unwrapped!

This Custom 3-manual GeniSys Allen Organ was designed to fill the specific needs of a busy 2020 Summer and Fall Concert Schedule.
Sadly, we are all facing a challenging season with Covid-19 overshadowing everything we do……
Performances and gatherings of the Colorado Symphony, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Bravo!Vail, Higher Things Lutheran Conference, Knights of Columbus Equestrian Conclave have all been cancelled or postponed.
And so, this grand instrument temporarily resides in our garage…..a welcome addition to the lawn mower, snowblower, and garden tools.
On the lighter side, the neighbors are enjoying our impromptu concerts!
Several churches have expressed interest in hosting this extraordinary instrument in their worship space….as COVID is managed or subsides.

While we all await a safe re-opening of Colorado, please be assured of our service and support to Religious Institutions and Organists throughout these times.
Wishing you all a safe and happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

Church Organs in the Time of COVID.

With COVID-19 still present across the country, it’s been a challenging time for religious institutions. Some have closed altogether, some have closed temporarily – many are streaming services, which is where MervineMusic has been focused as we support churches in and around Colorado to navigate the Corona Virus Pandemic without losing precious engagement with their congregations. Thanks to Allen Organ Company’s proprietary technology, church organs keep on inspiring religious communities across the state, but that’s not to say this has been easy.

Church Organ Technology

In reference to technology, church organ streaming performance requires both video and audio technology, of course. We at Mervine Music have worked with a number of Colorado churches recently to modify their organ’s audio systems to have a more successful, more effective and well-balanced signal for their stream. In order to stream with the highest quality sound, church organs require excellent maintenance and ongoing service – which has been challenging for some Colorado churches during these unprecedented times.

The process of caring for a church organ with love and attention to detail increases the connection an audience feels with the music, the service, perhaps even their faith.

For us personally, life behind the screen has been a learning curve for everyone. In addition to the usual perspectives and issues that church musicians face, you also have to think cinamatically as to what people are viewing on their home screens: for better and for worse. Streaming church organ services and performances has enabled us to create some meaningful moments in the way of videos and presentations for the watching and listening community and congregation. Improvisation on “Slane

Recording vocal and instrumental ensembles in segments (multi-tracking) has been a way to involve congregational members of a music ministry. We’ve managed to hold onto the “magic” that choral and organ music brings to Colorado churches. For this, we are so grateful.

Moving forward, as communities begin to introduce public worship, and since singing is identified as a high transmitter of COVID, the roles of the organ in providing inspirational, motivational and spiritual elements within the liturgy is even more significant. Until a cure or vaccine exists for all of us, we continue to focus on our service and support of church organs in Colorado – with repair, maintenance, and performance to bring us all closer together; to one another and to our faiths.

Selected Allen Organ Installations

Sacred Heart Cathedral Pueblo, CO

Sacred Heart Cathedral Pueblo, CO   Custom 3-manual/Pipe Combination  www.SHCathedral.net

Pax Christi Highlands Ranch, CO

Pax Christi Catholic Church Highlands Ranch, CO  2-manual DK Console   www.PaxChristi.org

Lifebridge Community Longmont, CO

Lifebridge Community Longmont, CO  Custom 3-manual for Blended Worship    https://lbcc.org

Two Organ Concert First Plymouth Church Englewood, CO

Two Organ Concert First Plymouth Church Englewood, CO      Pipe and Allen Side by Side