Dreaming while awake.

It’s not often that the Indian Pipe Organ enthusiast gets to attend scholarly meetings about their favorite instrument, and it is even less common that they get to interact with like-minded people. I was blessed to have this opportunity on Saturday and Sunday, so I hope you’ll forgive me for not writing on my blog those two days.

I’d always wanted to attend events held by the American Guild of Organists. These are considered some of the most open and approachable communal gatherings on the organ found around the world. I’d never been able to attend any because they don’t happen in India, there being no AGO office here. Of course, the truth is that the fragmented nature of organ culture in India means that even though one sees sparks of educational programs like workshops, the number of people who truly understand the organ are an often-exasperated minority, surrounded by apathy.

Thus, when I saw that the AGOYO (American Guild Of Young Organists) was hosting a conference online for the very first time, I jumped on the opportunity.

It was truly inspiring. It was especially interesting to learn about the man and the mission behind The Organ Institute, and the passion and expertise of Arthur Howes that was so crucial to pushing American organ culture to the heights it enjoys now. I was especially impressed by the depth of the education and the manner in which the students at The Organ Institute were culturally immersed with trips to Europe and visits to various organs, often multiple instruments per day!

I was inspired to hear that this institute and the people surrounding it even inspired organ-builders! When I heard that Thomas W. Byers would establish the Andover Organ Co because of this, and that Charles Brenton Fisk would later establish and rework Andover into CB Fisk, Inc, this bit of information was life changing. True innovators and pioneers of organ-building were born out of such a culture of the organ! My dreams grew even bigger, and I must say it made me lose my sleep.

Partly because this two-day conference happened at Eastern Time, so I was wishing my fellow attendees a good morning while I myself was keeping awake at 2 am with the help of caffeine. I didn't need any of that by the end of the conference though. The burden of facilitating the growth of organ culture in India is something I am proud to bear. I dream of this when I am awake. If it be God's will, let me be the instigator of the Organ Reform Movement in India and so serve the only true King through the king of musical instruments. Amen.