Organ Dedication Recital

Video: Olivier Latry Improvising at the dedication of restored organ at Our Lady of Refuge Church in Brooklyn, NY

On October 18, 2013 Organist Olivier Latry from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris came to an inner city church in the middle of Brooklyn to participate in the blessing of the restored Kilgen Pipe Organ at Our Lady of Refuge Church and then play a recital on the instrument.

The church was packed to capacity that night, video monitor were installed so everyone could see Mr. Latry's and his hands and feet as he played. Fr. Michael Perry, the pastor of the church invoked the pipe organ in the worship of God with short texts, after Mr. Latry improvised a musical statement on the text. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio the Bishop of Brooklyn blessed the pipe organ. Michael Barone the producer of American Public Media's PipeDreams was the Master of Ceremony and engaged and involved the audience in the recital. Most of the people never attended an organ recital, the church remained full through the program and Mr. Latry was called to play the Widor Toccata as an encore. The night ended with Fr. Perry starting the congregation in the singing of the Salve Regina and Mr. Latry came in and accompanied the singing.

The organ restoration was a long shot for happening, but this parish did the unbelievable with the help of many, many friends from around the world.

A view of the sold out nave of Our Lady of Refuge Church in Brooklyn the night of dedication of the pipe organ

Bishop Dimarzio with an aspergillum in his hand blessing the restored Kilgen Pipe Organ at Our Lady of Refuge with Holy Water