Michigan Man Wins Rodgers Organ Drawing

A Catholic church parishioner whose initial love of organ music led him into a 23-year career as a church musician is the winner of Rodgers Instruments' summer convention drawing for one year's free use of an organ in his home.

Dennis Newman, 55, recently became organist in his home parish at St. Helen's Catholic Church in Saginaw, Mich. - the same place where he was first inspired by the sound of the organ and by the Director of Music, Karen Rath. "I came from the pew because I love music. I love the organ," he said.

For many years, he has attended the National Pastoral Musicians national convention to attend master classes and learn all that he can from fellow liturgical musicians. This year, he stopped by the Rodgers booth in the exhibit hall and filled out an entry form for Rodgers' drawing. Several hundred people at the NPM convention and the American Guild of Organists National Convention entered, but Mr. Newman was the lucky winner. He will have an Insignia 548 organ installed in his home for the next year.

"Our cathedral has a Rodgers pipe organ mix, and I love the Rodgers sound," Mr. Newman commented. "I can't believe this. I've never had an organ at home."

Mr. Newman is a versatile musician who also plays guitar, trumpet and piano. For service music, he likes to blend in some of the organ's orchestral sounds such as strings to add texture and beauty to the traditional hymns that his congregation favors.

Although he is already in demand as a substitute organist and a musician for weddings and other special events, he makes time every summer to continue his organ studies. "There's just so much to the organ. You can never stop learning about it," he said.

In addition to enjoying his church music role, Mr. Newman is a commissioned lay minister in the Diocese of Saginaw who's also interested in youth ministry and serving the elderly with music. He is beginning his third year of study for a theology degree at Siena Heights University, Adrian, Mich.

Rodgers is the world's largest builder of stereo imaged church organs and pipe/digital combination organs. Rodgers Instruments Corporation is a member of the Roland Group, headed by Roland Corporation, a world leader in electronic musical instrument technologies and electronic musical instrument sales and manufacturing.