As the members of First Lutheran prepare to celebrate major restorations to their historic Möller organ on November 16, we remember generations of musicians that have shared musical gifts and talents with us over the last century. Matriarch organists from historic Kenyon families such as Merseth, Severson, Gunderson, Foss, and Lozon led generations of family worship within our walls. There is no doubt that their dedication and beautiful music paved the way for the congregation of that era to upgrade and purchase the lasting legacy of that new organ in the 1950s. Church membership at the time continued to grow to approximately 800 by the 1960s, no doubt in part to the leadership of music within the walls of First Lutheran.
Mary Dalbotten, a transplant to Kenyon in the late 60s with her family, remembers fondly when her mother, Gert, began playing at First Lutheran as a substitute for Evelyn Danielson Gunderson. Gert was a trained organist that originally had studied retail business classes in college before changing her major to music. Gert enjoyed choosing and playing classical pieces from the most famous of organ composers. She would listen to weekly organ radio shows and seek out other organists in which she could learn more about her specialty. Mary, especially recalls her mother’s innate ability to change keys, add interludes, and variations to hymns and songs magically out of thin air, with no written notes, simply for the sheer enjoyment of the music.
Gert was dearly loved by all and an inspiration to many between the years of 1967 to 1984. Her miraculous gifts inspired another local musician and organist, Lenice Hoversten.
Hoversten recalls many fond years of music, “I always enjoyed playing (the organ at First) for Easter services. One of my favorite preludes was a piano arrangement of ‘This Joyful Eastertide’ that I played on the organ. It was always fun to use the louder pipes for the hymns.”
Her second most enjoyable Sunday to play was All Saints Sunday. "’For All the Saints’ was always a challenging hymn to play, but I loved it! I was honored to be given the organ music collection of Gert Dalbotten and enjoyed playing pieces she played. When I retired, I gifted this music to my grandson, Kenneth, who is a church organist and musician near Madison, WI.” Since Gertand Lenice's time as organists, there have been other local musicians to grace the pedals of the Moller, including Marilyn Merseth, Lori Burow, Laura Whitney, Marion Voxland, and Anna Thissen.
Jan Strand, an elementary music teacher, music director and organist at Emmanuel church in Aspelund, recalls taking organ lessons from legendary Kenyon piano teacher, Alma Stepperud. Strand would first have her piano lesson at Alma’s house right down the street and then they would walk up to First Lutheran for second lesson on the Mӧller organ. Stepperud, along with other local piano teachers, held annual recitals at First Lutheran for her piano and organ students.
Current First Lutheran organist, Tammy Hanson, is a classically trained pianist that played piano at various locations around the Twin Cities. Then in 2013, a family friend, Lois Estrem, mentioned that First Lutheran was looking for an organist. “At that time, I had only had about a year (of experience) on the organ, but I decided to go for it, because I just like playing music for church! The big difference between playing a piano and playing the organ are the foot pedals and the 3 registers on our organ. Also, on a piano, the expression and volume is played using the musician’s fingers. On the organ you use the volume pedal and you can also use the many different stops to play different sounds. I really missed the organ during the repairs this summer.” Tammy is also the organist at a few neighboring churches, as well.
With final repairs being finished in these last few weeks, First Lutheran is set to celebrate our musical history and thank the community for its support. A Hymn Sing Celebration and Lasagne supper will be held on November 16. Singing begins at 4 pm in the sanctuary followed by a lasagne supper in the fellowship hall. The community is invited!
