A future for organ culture

by Peter Ouwerkerk | Photo's: Ronald Knapp | Het ORGEL | Year 115 | (2019) | Issue 1

The article discusses the question of what is needed to guarantee the future of organ culture. Does the organ have a chance of survival without the religious (Christian) context?

Introducing cosmetic innovations is insufficient to guarantee the continuation of secular Dutch, European, or even world-wide organ art. Two important themes are equally, if not more, important: broadening the organ horizon, and enlarging the growth of youthful organ lovers. Although these seem to be different angles, they are joined together in the activities of the Internationaal Orgelfestival Haarlem.

Consider the Yount-Talent-Class and the Orgeldag voor Kids. In the preparation of the projects for children in Haarlem two aspects stood out: a professional expertise in pedagogy and didactics, and a professional PR campaign.