The World of Organ Building
For almost 150 years, the Klais organ workshop in Bonn has been producing pipe organs that can be found in churches, concert halls and opera houses around the world. Managing director Philipp Klais is the fourth generation to run the family business and explains why organs are not only technical masterpieces, but also emotional ambassadors.
“The biggest challenge when building an organ is to create an instrument that is not just built for a small circle of highly specialized organ enthusiasts,” emphasizes Philipp Klais. That is also important. But you have to create an instrument „that is able to touch the hearts of all people.“
In the workshop of the company Orgelbau Klais, both new organs and elaborate restorations are created. It usually takes up to three years from the design to the finished organ. After completion, assembly takes a further three to six months, depending on the size. Philipp Klais‘ workshop has worked on over 300 projects worldwide, for example in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, in the Petronas Philharmonic Hall in Kuala Lumpur and in the Arts Center The Esplanade in Singapore. The company is also a training company and trains its apprentices to become organ builders.
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How do you become an organ builder?
If you want to become an organ builder, you must complete an apprenticeship specializing in organ building or pipe building. The apprenticeship lasts three and a half years. Apprentices spend two sessions of six weeks each per school year at a vocational school such as the Fachschule für Musikinstrumentenbau in Ludwigsburg. They gain practical experience at one of the 400 or so organ building companies in Germany, such as Orgelbau Klais.
According to an analysis by the career portal Stepstone, organ builders earn an average of 32,000 euros per year. The salary range extends from 28,000 euros to 37,000 euros.
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Julius Seifert
Julius Seifert was born in Bad Honnef in 2001 and has been a sports enthusiast since childhood. He played basketball and soccer. But he stuck with handball. During his training as an industrial clerk, he realized that he would actually much rather do something in the field of journalism. So he combined his enthusiasm for sport with his career aspirations: as a hall announcer, he presents handball and basketball matches. His big dream: to work as a presenter or commentator at sporting events.
Alexandra Suchan
Alexandra Suchan, born in Sankt Augustin in 2002, began capturing special moments with her mother’s digital camera when she was just a child. Her second great passion is travel: During her school years, she participated in several exchange programs and, at age 15, spent a year abroad on a farm in Canada. After graduating from high school, she headed to Australia, where she worked as a construction worker in Tasmania—always with her camera in hand. Today, she knows that she wants to work professionally with a camera, preferably in nature and with animals.