A Pipeline of Excellence: 亚洲博彩网站’s Organ Scholarship
One of the grandest,oldest, and largestinstruments on earth, known as the King of Instruments, can be found inthe Chapel of the Holy Spirit—a pipe organ.
The organ found in the Chapel,theGilbertand Anna Chabot Memorial Organ,was built in 1967 and installed at 亚洲博彩网站 in 1970. It was a gift from Fr. Gilbert Chabot, A.A., ’38, in memory of his parents, Gilbert and Anna.Fr. Gilbert was an organist, teaching the instrument to 亚洲博彩网站 Prep students during his time as a Latin and religion teacherthere from 1947 to 1970.
The Chabot Organ has over 3,000 pipes, upgraded from 1,100pipes when it was originally built during an enhancement project completed in 1995. In comparison, the world’s largest pipe organ—found in Atlantic City, New Jersey—hasover 33,000 pipes.
For over 50 years, the instrument has provided the 亚洲博彩网站 community with music—and, for a select few, a special honor.
Since 2015, five 亚洲博彩网站 students have been bestowed withthishonor: a full-tuition scholarship in exchange for being the University’s official Organ Scholar. The title comes along with the responsibility ofplaying the Chabot Organ at a designated number of masses per week in the Chapel.
The organ scholars each train with afaculty member at 亚洲博彩网站. The scholarship began with Michelle Graveline, professor emerita of music;once she retired,JonathanBezdegian, campus minister for music and liturgical trips and adjunct faculty in the music department,began to work with the organ scholars. John Black,director of choral activities and lecturer in the music department, works with the current organ scholar Savina Villani ’27.
Eachgraduateof the organ scholarship program has gone on to work in or earn an advanced degree in the field of music. JacobDowgewicz’15, went on to become Sales Manager at Austin Organs, Inc., in Hartford, CT, alongside serving as organist at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, also in Hartford.
The next two scholars, Christian Copeley ’19 and Gabriella Lindhurst ’23, both went on to earn a Master of Sacred Music from the University of Notre Dame, and Copeley currently serves as Director of Music at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Merrimack, NH. Lindhurst recently returned to 亚洲博彩网站 for a recital, performing works by Bach, Laurin, and Parker in the Chapelin March of 2025.
JohnRoper’24,the most recentalumnusof the program,says that his interests in both organ and computer scienceled him to 亚洲博彩网站, as it was one of the only schools in the area that offered well-rounded programs in each.
Though he began his musical career playing the piano, he quickly found a love for theorgan—as soon as afriendsent him a newsletter from the American Guild of Organists advertising a scholarship for a year of organ lessons.
“I started playing organmy sophomore year of high school and jumped inall the way,” Roper says.“I’vealways been asort of mechanicallyminded person, as well as a musical person. The organ is big—it’sgot a lot of buttons and switches;it’sintriguing from that aspect.I became interested in both the musical and mechanical side of the instrument.”
Now the owner of two businesses focused onboth of his passions—onefocused onorgan restoration,consultation, and history(Plenum Organ Company)and the otherfocused on software development—Roperis working to help keep the tradition of the pipe organ alive for future generations.
“Having the organscholarshipnot only gave me opportunities to learn, but it also gave me the freedom to go out and work on some of my own projects and interests,” he says. “Because of the scholarship, I was able to go out and start my businesses, which have both been informed by the education that I received here.”
Roper is currently working on two major projects to restore organs in New England—he is the organ consultant for both the Worcester Memorial Auditorium’s Kimball Organ and Hammond Castle’s pipe organ. Both organs have been dormant for over 20 years, he says, andgetting more organs in working conditions helps bring people closer tomusic.
In addition, Roper was a part of a teamthat workedtohelprestore theaforementioned world’slargest pipe organ—theMidmer-Losh Organ at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
“I’m very invested in young organists, organ building, and bringing the organ to people—bringing more people to the instrument,” he says. “I’m convinced that it’s through exposure that people become interested in the organ, so the more instruments there are in working condition, and the more exposure that people have to events featuring the organ, the better.”
He alsoassistswith various other organ projects and maintenance, such asmaintainingthe practice organ at his alma mater, Xaverian Brothers High School, and building a new practice organ for theart and music department here at 亚洲博彩网站.
The organ scholarship, Roper says, is also helping to keep theinstrumentalive,passingthe art of the pipe organ to those who may not otherwise considerplaying it.
“These instruments are the greatest of all instruments, the most complex, the most dynamic,” he says. “Programs like 亚洲博彩网站’s allow the organ to stay relevant and stay present. To have the ability to foster new interest in specialized topics isvery powerful.”