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August 1, 2023

There's a 30-Ton Pipe Organ in Madison and You Should Hear It

City Cast Madison

There's a 30-Ton Pipe Organ in Madison and You Should Hear It

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There’s a giant among us and it lives at the Overture Center for the Arts. It’s a 30-ton pipe organ.


It cost more than two million dollars, contains more than 4,000 pipes and is used in performances ranging from Latin Jazz to Bach to collaborations with the UW-Madison Wind Ensemble.


The man who knows it best is Greg Zelek, the principal organist for the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He’s the curator of the Overture Concert Organ, and he oversees all of the orchestra’s organ programming. Host Bianca Martin sat down with Greg to learn all about why so he’s moved by organ music… and why he thinks you’ll be, too. 


Learn about the upcoming season of organ concerts. 


The next free farmers’ market concert is Saturday, August 19th.


Thanks to listener Dee for suggesting this episode. 


Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram


Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. 


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