SIGN THE PETITION HERE: https://c.org/kqLDWZ2F7v
Sadly, plans have been made at the highest levels of the University of Alberta to remove the 1978 Casavant Memorial Organ from Convocation Hall in the Old Arts Building. These plans were confirmed when Joachim and I met with Dean of Arts Robert Wood and Faculty Manager Eva Glancy on April 2nd. While hall renovation plans have not yet been revealed, second floor accessibility and increased seating capacity were given as the primary reasons for removing the organ.
We emailed the President and asked for an independent qualified accessibility report and stats on typical audience sizes along with how many seats will be gained in an effort to see whether all could be accomplished while keeping the organ. We also suggested making the donor aware of the plan to remove the organ since it could be unpopular.
There are SO many reasons to keep the organ including its importance as a Memorial; its significance as first and largest mechanical action organ in Western Canada designed during the time Gerhard Brunzema was Casavant’s artistic director; its continuing value as a performance, educational and research instrument regardless whether there is an organ program; and its replacement value quoted as 3 million dollars.
To share comments and support you can write to:
President Dr. Bill Flanagan: uofapres@ualberta.ca
Provost Dr. Verna Yiu: provost@ualberta.ca
[Arts] Faculty Manager Eva Glancy; glancy@ualberta.ca
Dean of Arts, Dr. Robert Wood: rtwood@ualberta.ca
Chair of Music, Dr. William Street: wstreet@ualberta.ca
Board of Governors Kate Chisholm: boardchair@ualberta.ca
Dean and Vice-Provost of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chris Andersen: cta1@ualberta.ca
Chancellor Nizar Somji: chancellor.somji@ualberta.ca
In addition, in case imminent renovation plans go through, this beautiful instrument needs a new home. If you know of any potentially interested venues with space including a balcony for the Rückpositive, please message Eva Glancy and me.