The current organ as of 2025 in need of replacement at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph.
In 2019, the Cathedral of Saint Joseph began a campaign to replace the existing pipe organ. We caught up with Jared Ostermann, cathedral music director, and asked him for an update.
When did the organ project start, and why is a new organ needed?
I arrived at the cathedral in the fall of 2012 and found that there were significant issues with the pipe organ that needed to be addressed, just for basic functioning and reliability. We did some short-term refurbishment and began researching options for rebuilding and refurbishing larger portions of the instrument. However, the potential work was extensive enough and cost estimates were high enough that we soon began to think bigger. An organ is a musical instrument, not just a machine, and we wanted to aim for world-class artistry and inspiring beauty in our instrument, not just greater mechanical reliability. So, why not replace the instrument, investing in a world-class instrument custom-made to fit the restored cathedral, both visually and acoustically? In 2019, after years of dreaming and researching, we finally signed a contract with Juget-Sinclair Organbuilders in Montreal, Quebec. Because they are a workshop of artisans making one instrument at a time, that contract marked the beginning of a six-year wait for our new instrument. Now we are less than a year away; the new organ will be installed in September 2025.
How much of the organ is built “in the workshop” and how much is built at the cathedral?
The organ will be fully completed and playable in the workshop. Then, it is carefully disassembled and packaged for its trip by truck to Sioux Falls. It will be rebuilt here in our loft over two to three weeks, and then “voiced” for two to three months of continuous work. In the voicing process, each individual pipe is played and countless tiny adjustments are made to match the instrument exactly to our cathedral acoustics.
You took a trip to see the premiere of the organ built before the cathedral’s. What can you tell me about the trip and how do the two organs compare?
In October 2024, Father Morgan and I and some of our organ committee traveled to Richmond, Virginia, to visit the Catholic cathedral there. We attended the inauguration of their new organ, the Juget-Sinclair instrument right before us in line. It was a wonderful experience and gave us many ideas for our own inauguration. Olivier Latry, the principal organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, played the inauguration in Richmond, and more than 2,000 people attended the concerts. We hope to make just as big of an impression as we unveil our instrument here.
What can you tell me about the projected timeline for the rest of the project, including installation and completion of the new organ?
Installation will begin in September 2025, and we hope to be fully finished with the project by December 2025.
Is there a premiere concert planned? What are some things to look forward to with the new organ (songs you can’t currently play, etc.)?
Although we will complete the organ by December 2025, we did not want to have our main inaugural event in the midst of the South Dakota winter. We are currently discussing plans, hopefully to mark the completion with an organ blessing and solemn vespers in December, possibly followed by featuring the organ during the Christmas at the Cathedral concerts. However, the main inaugural concert will be May 1, 2026, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
I am looking forward to many things with the new instrument. First, of course, simple mechanical reliability, but beyond that, the new organ will feature many, many sounds and combinations of sounds that are not available on our current instrument. This will open up many composers and pieces of music that I simply can’t play right now. The new organ will also be far better for accompanying the choir, cantors and congregation. Every aspect of playing for the liturgy will be more enjoyable and inspiring for our cathedral organists. I also look forward to all the visits we will receive from colleagues and guest artists, eager to tour and play the new instrument. People all over the country and abroad are watching the progress of our project through social media. It will be something truly special.
