Catholics in Brazil Celebrate with Rodgers Organ

August 20, 2008

In Brazil, the biggest Catholic country in the world, three major Catholic church events this summer featured Rodgers organs.

"Since the visit of Pope Benedictus XVI in May 2007, we've been waiting for an opportunity for closer contact with Catholic churches,” says Amador Rubio, organ coordinator for Roland Brazil, which has installed Rodgers organs in Brazilian Baptist and Presbyterian churches as well as music schools and a synagogue. The opportunity came in a major way in a single week packed with a concert, a Mass in Brazil's largest cathedral, and an outdoor Mass in a stadium.

On June 1, Roland Brazil provided a Trillium Masterpiece Series 788 organ to be played in a concert dedicated to the centenary of the Archidiocese of São Paulo at St. Peter´s Theater. Priests, bishops and the archibishop attended the concert and were thrilled with the pipe organ sound from the Rodgers organ.

On June 6, the organ was played at Sé Cathedral in São Paulo, the biggest cathedral in the country. "The reverberation of the building is superb and the organ sounded fantastic!" says Mr. Rubio. Organist Newton Lima added, “The Cathedral must buy this organ. Our pipe organ is out of order and much money is required to make a complete restoration. The Cathedral deserves this magnificent sound."

To finish the week, on June 8 the organ was at Pacaembu Stadium for an open-air Mass attended by 40,000 people, the final event celebrating the Archidiocese Centenary. Organist Selma Asprino had played a Trillium Masterpiece 788 organ when the pope visited Brazil last year, and she insisted on the same model this time. "It is a very good organ. I have all the stops I need and I feel secure playing this model.” The event was broadcast on national television and radio to be heard by Catholics throughout the country.

“We have no doubts about the quality of Rodgers sound, but it is necessary to create opportunities for people to listen to it," notes Mr. Rubio. "And we have had good opportunities now.”

Rodgers Instruments is the world's largest builder of stereo imaged church organs and pipe-digital organs. Rodgers 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.