University of St. Thomas
St. John Vianney College Seminary
St. Paul, Minnesota
Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders
Mocksville, North Carolina
Stoplist
By Jacob Benda
The University of St. Thomas, Minnesota
Named after St. Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1226–1274), the University of St. Thomas is the largest private institution in Minnesota and one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States. Inspired by the Catholic intellectual tradition of uniting faith and reason to explore the world, Archbishop John Ireland founded St. Thomas in 1885 as a high school, college, and seminary to provide high-quality education for Catholic immigrants who were suffering social and economic hardship. His legacy lives on in today’s university—one that welcomes men and women of all faiths and nationalities and is committed to making the world a better place through empathy, understanding, intellectual rigor, and innovation.
The university boasts two seminaries and three campuses (in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Rome); on the St. Paul campus, there are three chapels that house world-class pipe organs in a variety of sizes and styles. The largest instrument on campus, with 41 stops and 56 ranks, was built in 1987 by Gabriel Kney of London, Ontario, and resides in the main university chapel, the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas. Across campus, St. Mary’s Chapel at the St. Paul Seminary enjoys a two-manual mechanical-action organ with 22 stops and 29 ranks, built by the Noack Organ Company of Georgetown, Massachusetts, in 2000. Last but not least, the St. John Vianney College Seminary is elated to have in its chapel a newly installed mechanical-action pipe organ of 14 stops and 16 ranks, built by Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders of Mocksville, North Carolina, in 2023. The entire case is fashioned from quarter-sawn red oak that was stained and lacquered. The keys are made of spruce covered with Santos rosewood (naturals) and European maple covered with bone (sharps). The facade pipes and case trim/ornaments are adorned with 24 karat gold leaf; the drawknobs are of Brazilian rosewood, with head inlay of Baltic amber.
Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders
The organ committee for the St. John Vianney College Seminary considered firms from across the United States; each presented excellent proposals for a situation that required much imagination, given that the space for the organ had not yet been created, outside of blueprints and CAD drawings. After careful consideration, the organ committee—and ultimately the seminary’s rector, Fr. Jonathan Kelly—accepted the proposal presented by Tom Lewtak, president of Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders. Many things stood out about the Lewtak proposal, but the factors that impressed the committee most were Lewtak’s innate sensitivity to the musical and liturgical needs of SJV, an outstanding case design that was coherent in relation to the architectural and aesthetic nature of the new chapel, a tonal design and interior layout that allowed for maximum versatility given the acoustical environment, a commitment to genuine mechanical-action instruments that are built to last, and the distinct ability to find creative solutions. Lastly, a visit to the Lewtak workshop convinced the committee that an instrument of the highest quality would be produced in their state-of-the-art facility.
Tom Lewtak, an organist with two master’s degrees in organ performance, was inspired to become an organbuilder at the age of 16 when he witnessed the construction process of the monumental organ at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Gdańsk, Poland, by the esteemed German firm of Hillebrand. His journey into the craft continued during his five years at the Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland, where he delved into the intricacies of organbuilding and design. Subsequent years led him to Denmark and Norway, where he apprenticed with Carsten Lund Organ Builders of Copenhagen. A pivotal phase of his education involved acquiring voicing skills from Mogens Pedersen, chief voicer for the legendary Frobenius Organ Builders for over 20 years.
In his role, Tom is responsible for tonal design, pipe scaling, voicing, windchests, and action design. His artistic vision is manifested through the sound of the organs crafted under his guidance, showcasing a unique blend of expertise and firsthand experience gleaned from working with the best in the field.
A Pipeline to Heaven
The installation of the new Lewtak pipe organ was completed on November 22, 2023 (the Feast of St. Cecilia), with the instrument dedicated and blessed by Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda (Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis) on April 30, 2024, to a capacity crowd of seminarians, benefactors, and friends of the seminary. The evening included music by Bach, improvisations on Adoro te devote (St. Thomas Aquinas), and the Polish hymn “Serdeczna Matko” (in honor of Tom’s Polish roots) played by the author. The organ dedication and blessing marked the completion of a monumental chapel/seminary renovation that began nearly a decade ago.
Seminarians were involved in the November 2023 installation from beginning to end, from unloading the truck (containing 980 pipes and countless other materials) to learning about the intricacies of organ design, as Tom mentored the young men while assembling the instrument. Several of the seminarians now possess basic knowledge to help care for the organ, which is a resident of their home.
“I learned so much about the intricacies of the mechanics that go into making beautiful music, which has made me appreciate it more,” said Gregory Maloney (SJV class of 2027).
“When people ask me about SJV’s new organ, I often have to check myself, because I am bursting with so many stories about the intricacies and function,” remarked Andrew Lehnen (SJV class of 2026).
“Our organ is not only an amazing instrument and network of engineering and design but also a beautiful work of art that will be passed down for generations at the seminary,” said Aiden Nicholas (SJV class of 2027). “It’s a true engineering marvel. It was super cool to be able to help assemble or fix certain parts. Whenever I hear the organ being played, I think, ‘I helped build this!’ It was an awesome experience that I will never forget.”
Jacob Benda is director of music, liturgy, and sacred arts, and organ area professor, at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.
