Tag Archives: Society for the Preservation of Music Hall

November 27, 2018 · 3:58 pm

HAPPY HOLIDAYS WITH THE MIGHTY WURLITZER | Wed., Dec. 12 | Music Hall Ballroom

CAA_Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer logo

Featuring acclaimed theatre organist Mark Herman;
Guest emcee, Cincinnati Opera Artistic Director Evans Mirageas;
Vocalists, Jennifer Lynn Cherest and Thom Dreeze;
and Nutcracker dancers from Cincinnati’s School for Creative & Performing Arts

CINCINNATI, OH – The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH) is pleased to announce the return of Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer to Cincinnati’s Music Hall Ballroom on Wednesday, December 12 at 10:30 AM and 7:00 PM. This popular holiday concert is regarded as one of the Tri-state’s most anticipated music events of the yuletide season. 

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center and Music Hall Ticket Offices. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4157.

There’s nothing quite like the unique sound of the Albee Theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer − an orchestra and more all in one organ!  Acclaimed theatre-organist Mark Herman will pull out all the stops, with Cincinnati Opera Artistic Director, Evans Mirageas, as guest emcee; vocalists Jennifer Lynn Cherest and Thom Dreeze; and Nutcracker dancers from Cincinnati’s School for the Creative & Performing Arts. This will be a nonstop concert with all of the bells, whistles, and special effects that only an instrument as grand as the Mighty Wurlitzer can create. Relive your memories of yesterday as you create new memories of tomorrow with your friends and family!

“The Winter Holidays are the perfect time to enjoy the warmth of music and light, which can start and stir such wonderful memories,” said Holly Brians Ragusa of The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall.  “Traditions such as our annual Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer concert are special and help us share in the joy and peace of the Season! It’ll be quite a night to discover or rediscover the Mighty Wurlitzer with loved ones in the beautiful Music Hall Ballroom.  Come to remember and enjoy a sense of childhood joy and wonder.”

The Mighty Wurlitzer 
The Mighty Wurlitzer was installed in the ornate Albee Theater on Fountain Square in December 1927 – one of only 2,200 theatre-organs produced at that time to accompany silent feature films.  When talkies took over in 1929, the theatre organ was mainly silenced. The Albee organ was donated to the Emery Theater in 1969 (where it played for movies and other events) and was partially rebuilt by the Ohio Valley Organ Club. It was removed from the Emery in 1999 and put into storage.

The leadership at SPMH thought the historic Music Hall Ballroom would be an ideal location for the instrument, and in June 2007, Ronald F. Wehmeier, Inc., Pipe Organ Service in Cincinnati was contacted to completely rebuild and install the Wurlitzer. A donor foundation funded the entire project in the amount of $1.41 million.  Only a small number of Wurlitzers of this size still exist, and Cincinnati (the home of the Wurlitzer Company) is one of the few cities in the country to have an instrument of this quality.

The Wurlitzer was expanded in tonal colors and effects, from 19 ranks of pipes to 31 ranks (a rank is made up of 61 pipes, and represents orchestral sounds, such as trumpets, flutes, tubas, strings, etc.).  A full array of percussion effects is also present – xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, chimes, and even a large Steinway grand – all playable from the giant three keyboard and pedal console, decorated in 22-karat gold leaf.  Wind for the pipes is provided by a 15 HP high pressure turbine, the electrical switching is controlled by computer, and pipes range in size from 16 feet to the size of a pencil.  In addition, the Wurlitzer is now fully computerized, so that it can be played without an organist through a digital input system.

Mark Herman
One of America’s busiest theatre organists, Mark performs concerts and silent film presentations across the U.S. and abroad. In 2012, he was named the American Theatre Organ Society’s Organist of the Year and is the youngest person ever to receive the prestigious honor. Previously, he was overall winner of the Society’s Young Theatre Organist Competition in 2004.

Mark has been featured on several episodes of American Public Media’s Pipedreams program, and has performed for countless conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society, American Guild of Organists, and Organ Historical Society. On the international stage, he has toured in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is President and Tonal Director of the Los Angeles Organ Company, the Allen Organ dealer for the Greater Los Angeles area. He is in demand as a voicing specialist and tonal consultant for Allen Organs and is proud to be an Allen Artist, showcasing new Allen Organs in the U.S. and beyond. He oversees the care of several notable theatre pipe organs and consults on instruments nationally. Los Angeles Organ Company oversees the installation and care of organs with hundreds of institutional and private clients throughout the west coast.

Evans Mirageas
Evans Mirageas is in his 14th season as The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Opera. Widely considered one of the most talented and respected artistic leaders in the classical music industry today, Evans brings to Cincinnati Opera a broad range of experience in both opera and symphonic music, as well as a long history of successful partnerships with many of the world’s leading singers and conductors.

Evans’ varied career in classical music has included radio production with the nationally-renowned WFMT radio station in Chicago, Artistic Administrator to Seiji Ozawa at the Boston Symphony, and Senior Vice President of Artists and Repertoire for the Decca Record Company. In addition, he is an award-winning record producer, lecturer, interviewer, presenter, and awards panelist. He is also the Vice President for Artistic Planning for The Atlanta Symphony. Since 1999, Evans has served as an independent artistic advisor to conductors, instrumentalists, sing­ers, symphony orchestras, opera companies, and other performing arts organizations throughout the United States and Europe.

Jennifer Lynn Cherest, soprano
Jennifer has been praised as “beautifully expressive and technically polished” by the San Francisco Chronicle in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera with the Merola Opera Program, and has begun to make her mark in the opera world. Since finishing her Adler fellowship with the San Francisco Opera in 2013, she has debuted with such companies as Washington National Opera and Cincinnati Opera, and recently sang the role of Gilda in Rigoletto with Dayton Opera. Learn more about Jennifer at www.jennifercherest.com.

Thomas Dreeze, baritone
Thomas has enjoyed a varied career in music, arts administration, and events management. He performs opera, operetta, oratorio, music theatre, art song, the American songbook, and more. Praised for his baritone voice of wide range and warm-timbre, he has recently performed with the  Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Collegium Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Dreeze is a co-founder of Evans Mirageas Consulting, which offers artistic and strategic planning for classical music organizations and musicians around the world (www.evansmirageas.com).

The School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) Dance Department
The SCPA Dance Department is known for its exceptional courses in ballet technique and style as well as modern dance. As students advance, they are given the opportunity to audition for Dance Ensemble, SCPA’s premier student dance company. Graduates of the Dance Department have gone on to perform with the New York City, Cincinnati, and Atlanta Ballet companies, as well as on Broadway.

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October 10, 2018 · 11:49 am

Wake the Dead Bash with The Mighty Wurlitzer | Wed., Oct. 31 | Music Hall Ballroom

CAA_Wake the Dead Bash logo

Featuring Theatre Organist Trent Sims, Local Mixologist Molly Wellmann,
Music Hall Ghost Tours,
Guest Emcee Brock Leah Spears, and
Cincinnati’s Young Professional Choral Collective

(CINCINNATI, OH) – The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH) will ‘Wake the Dead’ on October 31 from 9:00 PM to midnight at one of the country’s most historic and haunted places – Cincinnati Music Hall. SPMH’s inaugural Halloween Bash will delight adult audiences with spine-tingling tunes — played in Music Hall’s Grand Ballroom on The Mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ by master organist, Trent Sims. Cincinnati’s legendary bartender, Molly Wellmann, will be mixing up spooktacular drinks for guests and ghouls alike.

In addition, Cincinnati’s Young Professional Choral Collective (YPCC) will “crash the bash” with creepy-crawly sing-alongs with local dance and drag favorite Brock Leah Spears as guest emcee.  Throughout  the evening, Cincinnati Research & Paranormal Studies will offer mini-ghost-tours throughout Music Hall, offering an incredible opportunity for Wake the Dead partygoers to tour this haunted venue.

Costumes are encouraged but not required.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center or Music Hall Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4157.  Tickets include the ghost tours, light bites, one drink ticket, and pictures at a fun Framester photo booth!

The Mighty Wurlitzer
The Mighty Wurlitzer was installed in the ornate Albee Theater on Fountain Square in December 1927 – one of only 2,200 theatre-organs produced at that time to accompany silent feature films.  When talkies took over in 1929, the theatre organ was mainly silenced.  The Albee organ was donated to the Emery Theater in 1969 (where it played for movies and other events) and was partially rebuilt by the Ohio Valley Organ Club. It was removed from the Emery in 1999 and put into storage.

The leadership at SPMH thought the historic Music Hall Ballroom would be an ideal location for the instrument, and in June 2007, Ronald F. Wehmeier, Inc., Pipe Organ Service in Cincinnati was contacted to completely rebuild and install the Wurlitzer. A donor foundation funded the entire project in the amount of $1.41 million.  Only a small number of Wurlitzers of this size still exist, and Cincinnati (the home of the Wurlitzer Company) is one of the few cities in the country to have an instrument of this quality.

The Wurlitzer was expanded in tonal colors and effects, from nineteen ranks of pipes to thirty-one ranks (a rank is made up of 61 pipes, and represents orchestral sounds, such as trumpets, flutes, tubas, strings, etc.).  A full array of percussion effects is also present – xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, chimes, and even a large Steinway grand – all playable from the giant three keyboard and pedal console, decorated in 22-karat gold leaf.  Wind for the pipes is provided by a 15 HP high pressure turbine, the electrical switching is controlled by computer, and pipes range in size from 16 feet to the size of a pencil.  In addition, the Wurlitzer is now fully computerized, so that it can be played without an organist through a digital input system.

Trent Sims – Theatre Organist
Trent Sims is a native of Dayton, OH, and from the early age of ten he began studying the organ.  In demand on the international concert circuit, he has played concerts on both theater and classical organs across the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. As a featured  organist, Sims has performed on Wurlitzer pipe organs installed in The Music Palace restaurants in the Cincinnati area and Indianapolis. He was also the Guest Artist in Residence at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton for six years, and remains an organist in Dayton.

Molly Wellmann – Mixologist
Cincinnati’s Molly Wellmann is a self-taught mixologist, entrepreneur, and author who has immersed herself in the history and knowledge of craft and classic cocktails and fine spirits. Wellmann, her team, and her establishments have been featured in local-, national-, and internationally-published outlets. She is a practiced public speaker, participating in many cocktail forums and entrepreneurial conferences, and is known for her work with women’s organizations and many other leadership organizations.  Wellmann owns and operates two popular local Cincinnati establishments:  Japp’s Since 1879 in Over-the-Rhine and Myrtle’s Punch House in East Walnut Hills.

Brock Leah Spears – Emcee
Brock Leah Spears (pronounced Broccoli Spears)  is a local dancer turned Drag Queen who after performing with the prestigious Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo in New York City, found her passion for makeup and drag. She currently performs and emcee’s for local events such as Drag Brunch at Tillie’s Lounge in Northside, 21c Halloween Party, Kindervelt 50 Fashion Show, and many other events.  Brock Leah serves with sass and class!

Young Professionals Choral Collective of Cincinnati (YPCC)
YPCC believes in creating connections through choral music. The choir was formed at Below Zero Lounge in Over-the-Rhine in November 2011 and is now made up of a roster with over 850 volunteer singers who live and work throughout greater Cincinnati, ranging in age from 21-45. Under the direction of Artistic Director KellyAnn Nelson, YPCC has quickly found a niche in the vibrant arts community of downtown Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Research & Paranormal Studies (CR&PS)
CR&PS was founded in November 2005 by a group of friends who discovered that they shared an interest in the paranormal. Since then, members of the CR&PS team has traveled to over 20 states to investigate many haunted locales. CR&PS is dedicated to investigating, documenting, and researching claims of the paranormal.

Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH)
SPMH is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, promote, improve and provide education about Music Hall in order to perpetuate Music Hall as the premier cultural center of the region and as a National Historic landmark. 

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April 3, 2013 · 4:15 pm

STEAMBOAT BILL JR. WITH THE MIGHTY WURLITZER on May 9

Featuring acclaimed theatre organist, Clark Wilson, and FREE POPCORN!

 

CAA_Buster KeatonCINCINNATI, OH – The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH) presents its first silent film – Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr., featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer and acclaimed theatre organist Clark Wilson – at Cincinnati’s Music Hall Ballroom on Thursday, May 9 at 10:30 AM and 7:00 PM. The event is being presented in cooperation with the Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Organ Society.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center or Music Hall Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4157.

Music Hall Ballroom’s Mighty Wurlitzer accompanies Buster Keaton in his acclaimed 1928 feature-length comedy silent movie, considered by many film critics as a masterpiece of its era. Originally installed in the ornate Albee Theater on Fountain Square in December 1927, The Mighty Wurlitzer was one of only 2,200 theatre-organs produced at that time to accompany silent feature films. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience The Mighty Wurlitzer as it was meant to be heard – as a live soundtrack for the world’s first movies! FREE POPCORN will be available for munching during the movie!

“Nearly one hundred years ago, The Mighty Wurlitzer was born right here in Cincinnati as a ‘one man orchestra’ to accompany silent movies,” said Don Siekmann, SPMH President. “We are thrilled to bring our beloved Mighty Wurlitzer back to its original life, as it was meant to be heard, featuring one of the nation’s finest silent film accompanists, Clark Wilson, the timeless comedy of Buster Keaton, and free popcorn for everyone!”

Steamboat Bill, Jr.
Buster Keaton is one of the most honored actors, directors, and filmmakers in history. He is best remembered for his work in silent films, his unique brand of physical comedy, and his deadpan expressions that earned him the nickname “The Great Stone Face.”

Steamboat Bill Jr. is a 1928 feature-length comedy silent film co-written by and starring Keaton. Released by United Artists, the film is the last product of Keaton’s independent production team and set of gag writers and was the last picture Keaton would make for United Artists before moving on to MGM. In one of the film’s most iconic moments, a cyclone causes a building façade to fall around Keaton’s character, which his still regarded as one of his best-known stunts. Steamboat Bill, Jr. is regarded as a masterpiece of its era and was included in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. The film inspired the title of Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie (1928), which featured the historic debut of Mickey Mouse.

The Mighty Wurlitzer
The Mighty Wurlitzer was installed in the ornate Albee Theater on Fountain Square in December 1927 – one of only 2,200 theatre-organs produced at that time to accompany silent feature films. When talkies took over in 1929, the theatre organ was mainly silenced. The Albee organ was moved to the Emery Theatre in 1969 (where it played for movies and other events) and was partially rebuilt by the Ohio Valley Organ Club. It was removed from the Emery in 1999 and put into storage.

The leadership at SPMH thought the historic Music Hall Ballroom would be an ideal location for the instrument, and in June 2007, Ronald F. Wehmeier, Inc., Pipe Organ Service in Cincinnati was contacted to completely rebuild and install the Wurlitzer. A donor foundation funded the entire project in the amount of $1.41 million. Only a small number of Wurlitzers of this size still exist, and Cincinnati (the home of the Wurlitzer Company) is one of the few cities in the country to have an instrument of this quality.

The Wurlitzer was expanded in tonal colors and effects, from 19 ranks of pipes to 31 ranks (a rank is made up of 61 pipes, and represents orchestral sounds, such as trumpets, flutes, tubas, strings, etc.). A full array of percussion effects is also present – xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, chimes, and even a large Steinway grand – all playable from the giant three keyboard and pedal console, decorated in 22-karat gold leaf. Wind for the pipes is provided by a 15 HP high pressure turbine, the electrical switching is controlled by computer, and pipes range in size from 16 feet to the size of a pencil. In addition, the Wurlitzer is now fully computerized, so that it can be played without an organist through a digital input system.

Clark Wilson
Clark Wilson is one of the most prominent and recognized scorers of silent photoplays in America today. He works exclusively with the Organ in developing accurate and historic musical accompaniments as they were performed in major picture palaces during the heyday of the silent film era.

Wilson began his scoring career in 1980 and has successfully toured North America with hundreds of film presentations at schools and universities, performing arts centers, theatres, film festivals, and conventions. His work has led to performances for UCLA, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, where, in addition to other pictures, he has re-premiered Wings for Paramount Studios’ 100th Anniversary, the Atlanta premier of the restored Metropolis, and annual presentations at the Atlanta Fox Theatre and for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Society at the Walt Disney Concert Hall organ. He is the organist of choice for many of the American Theatre Organ Society’s (ATOS) international convention silent film presentations, and his performances have received the highest marks from colleagues and professionals, one commenting that his was “the finest use of a theatre pipe organ that I have ever heard.”

Clark has been organ conservator and Resident Organist at the Ohio Theatre for the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) since 1992. He is responsible for all music during CAPA’s annual classic movie series, which features one or more major silent films each season. In addition, he has led courses in theatre organ styling and silent film accompaniment at the Indiana University School of Music, and he is heavily involved in the development of a similar degreed program at the University of Oklahoma, the first such program to exist since 1929. In addition to several articles published in Theatre Organ magazine, he has recently authored an article on film scoring for The American Organist magazine, the periodical of the American Guild of Organists.

Wilson has been named in numerous Who’s Who and Men of Achievement editions and was presented with the ATOS Organist of the Year award in 1998. An acclaimed organ technician and consultant, he has also been professionally involved with over 200 pipe organ installations to date and has earned the ATOS Technician of Merit award, the only person to receive both ATOS distinctions. Visit Clark’s website at www.clarkwilson.net .

SERIES SPONSOR
The Walter and Olivia Kiebach Charitable Foundation

EVENT SPONSORS
PNC Bank, Riverpoint Capital Management

MEDIA PARTNER
WMKV-FM

The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall
The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH) is a non-profit organization that provides ongoing financial and volunteer support toward maintaining and improving Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall. SPMH members are volunteers from all walks of life who are dedicated to the continuing preservation of Music Hall as a national historic monument and promoting it as one of the world’s foremost performing arts, entertainment and rental facilities.

CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT: Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr. with the Mighty Wurlitzer featuring acclaimed theatre organist, Clark Wilson

WHEN: Thursday, May 9, 2013 • 10:30 AM & 7:00 PM

WHERE: Music Hall Ballroom

PRICES: $25 / $20 (seniors, students, and groups of ten or more)

INFO: Music Hall Ballroom’s Mighty Wurlitzer accompanies Buster Keaton in his acclaimed 1928 feature-length comedy silent movie, considered by many film critics as a masterpiece of its era. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience The Mighty Wurlitzer as it was meant to be heard – as a live soundtrack for the world’s first movies!

TICKET INFORMATION – tickets on sale now

  • www.CincinnatiArts.org
  • (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
  • Aronoff Center and Music Hall Ticket Offices
  • Group Sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4157

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April 11, 2012 · 8:43 am

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD WITH THE MIGHTY WURLITZER on May 10

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD WITH THE MIGHTY WURLITZER
Presented by the Society for the Preservation of Music Hall
May 10
Over-the-Rhine

Feel surrounded by the sounds of cinematic memories, as the majestic Mighty Wurlitzer magically transports you to the golden age of Hollywood musicals. Revisit the grandeur of famous movie themes and enjoy the exuberant spirit of your favorite hit songs – starring the Mighty Wurlitzer and internationally-acclaimed theater-organist Jelani Eddington, and featuring rising new talents from Northern Kentucky University’s Department of Theatre and Dance, Carmyn Howe and Seth Wallen.

  • Thu, May 10 at 10:30am & 7pm

Official page with online ticketing |

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