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This past Sunday, March 15, Orio native (Gipuzkoa, Basque Country) organist Loreto Aramendi offered a concert at the Our Lady of Refuge church in Brooklyn, New York. Her performance was the penultimate of a series of concerts to celebrate –and fund− the restoration of the octogenarian organ. “It’s been a great experience,” said the musician to EuskalKultura.com. “I felt at home, the church was full, and they asked me to come back. I’m very happy.”

New York, NY, USA. Despite being 80 years-old, the organ of Our Lady of Refuge didn’t play any melody for decades, due to the corrosion provoked by dust and humidity. The church made a big economical effort to restore the instrument, but "it was really worth it". “They’ve done an amazing job,” said Aramendi. “It’s a beautiful instrument, it has a really colorful sound, and anything can be played with it, baroque, romantic, modern…”

Nevertheless, the Orioan organist made a mostly romantic choice for her performance, “because those sounds sound very good in this organ.” She played Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms, but also Charles Tournemire and Johan Sebastian Bach. “I chose those pieces because I like them but, also, because, in spite of being complicated to perform, people really enjoy them live,” she added. ‘Funérailles’, ‘O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross, BWV 622’, ‘Fantasie et fugue sur le choral ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’’, ‘O Welt, ich muss dich lassen’, ‘Cinq Improvisations pour Orgue’…  The maestro guided the public through a beautiful journey of the history of music.

“It’s been a great experience. I felt at home, the church was full, and they asked me to come back,” admitted Aramendi. She also pointed out that Joe Vitacco, responsible of the church’s organ, and Father Perry have been very supportive and helpful. “I’m very happy and I have also had the chance to see many different organs. I’m going back home with a great feeling and piece of The City in my heart.”

The organ of Donostia-San Sebastian

Aramendi is the main organist at the Basilica of Koruko Ama Birjina, in Donostia, capital city of Gipuzkoa. There is an association that works for the restoration project of the instrument, a piece of art itself, built by the prestigious Cavaillé-Coll in the year 1863. “The organ needs to be restored,” said she, and added that around €600.000 will be needed ($635.000). “At the moment, the process is in the first stage, it is necessary to think very thoroughly who and how will carry out the restoration”.

That’s the reason why, before the Brooklyn show, Dominique Perarnaud, Aramendi’s husband, gave a presentation about the situation of the Donostian organ. “It is vital to work together at the time of carrying through the restoration of an organ. We have to share our experiences,” finished Aramendi, who is enjoying her last hours in the Big Apple, before going back home.