Updates for May 2026
31 May 2026The Pipe Organ in China Project: Updates for May 2026
The page for HKG1911 has been updated.
During the month of April, word reached the Project about two new pipe organs in Hong Kong. The first case was a report of a new pipe organ in the 1966 North Point Methodist Church. There was considerable publicity, and an organist from Mainland China, Fang Si-te of the Gulangyu Organ Museum in Xiamen, was invited for the dedication recital on 10 April, which was then repeated the following afternoon and evening.
In fact, what transpired is that an existing Rodgers electronic organ was provided with a 16′ Violone (pipe) stop, a chamade-mounted Festival Trumpet, and a chime division, all involving the rebuilding of the façade. Called an ‘organ division’, this appears to have been provided by the A.E. Schleuter company of Livonia, GA, with local installation help. However, the two pipe ranks and one accessory only created a hybrid organ, and the Project does not cover these instruments for reasons given in the FAQs.
Poster for the recitals at the Chinese Methodist Church, North Point, Hong Kong, on 10 and 11 April 2026. Ticket prices were 2,000 and 1,200 HKD (256 and 154 USD.) There was a free recital for students given on the afternoon of 11 April.
The second report claimed that either a ‘pipe organ’, or something similar to the above-instrument, was installed in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Hebron Church on Austin Avenue in Jordan, Kowloon. However, this turned out not to be the case, and we thank our colleagues at Hong Kong’s Rockson Organ for their help in unraveling all this.
The Project was sorry to learn of the passing of Peter Yue Pit-tat, a former titular Organist of St. John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong, on 20 May. Ave atque vale.
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