Interview with
Jerome Butera, editor and publisher of The Diapason
To continue where newsletter left off click here
Jeannine: Who is Jerome Butera? What would you like our readers to know about you?
Jerome Butera: I first started reading The Diapason as a teen-aged organ student of Arthur C. Becker in Chicago. If I had an especially good lesson and had really practiced that week, Dr. Becker would let me read his copy of The Diapason. I still remember what a treat that was to explore the world of the pipe organ through the pages of The Diapason. I soon bought my own subscription, and have kept every issue since, going back to the 1960s.
I continued organ study with Arthur Becker and earned my bachelor’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago, while serving as organist and choirmaster at St. Richard of Chichester Episcopal Church. Becker had studied with Widor, Vierne, and Dupré, and was already retired as Dean of the DePaul School of Music when I studied with him; he was a wonderful teacher.
I had also been a rather serious oboe player, studied with Jerry Sirucek from Indiana University, and played in various ensembles, including a woodwind quintet coached by Donald Peck, then flutist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Next, I earned a master’s degree in organ performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Robert Glasgow; I learned a lot of Franck, Vierne, and Liszt, and thoroughly enjoyed my time at Michigan. I also did coaching with Robert Noehren and worked in his organbuilding shop. After a short time in Cedar Lake, Indiana, as organist at Holy Name Church there, I moved back to Chicago to serve as organist and choirmaster at St. Gertrude Catholic Church, teach organ and church music at DePaul, and pursue doctoral study at the American Conservatory of Music with Robert Lodine. We covered a lot of Messiaen, and my dissertation focused on sonatas by Dudley Buck and Horatio Parker.
Subsequently, I served as organist and director of music at the Park Ridge Community Church (UCC) in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge for more than 20 years, and am currently organist and director of music at Edgebrook Community Church (UCC) in Chicago, where I play a lovely Aeolian-Skinner organ (Opus 1359). I love to play the organ, and practice every day on our house pipe organ, built by the Lauck Pipe Organ Company of Michigan.
I have been married to my best friend Sharon for forty years; we have known each other since first grade. Sharon has served as a middle school librarian and department head in our local school district. She has sung in my choirs, rung in handbell choirs, played recorder in early music ensembles, is a serious crafter and quilter, and loves to dig in the earth, growing all manner of flowers, vegetables, and trees. Her recent passion is raising free-range chickens.
Our children are grown: our son is a math teacher and athletic coach at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, and our daughter has been a children’s librarian in Cleveland, Ohio. Sharon and I are also fledging farmers, and have started up a small organic farm in southwest Wisconsin. I am also a fan of murder mysteries, and began reading them after Larry Palmer’s “Harpsichord News” column in The Diapason featured reviews of murder mysteries that involved the harpsichord in some way.
Jeannine: You have a wide and varied background touching on many aspects of the organ world from teaching organ and church music at DePaul University to serving as a church organist.
How, when, and why did you come to the position of Editor and Publisher of the internationally known monthly organ journal, The Diapason?
Jerome Butera: I was teaching organ and church music at DePaul, and a friend on the music theory faculty, Wesley Vos, was associate editor of The Diapason. The magazine was in need of a new editor, and Wes suggested I apply. Despite my lack of experience in journalism or publishing, Wesley was certain that a knowledge of the organ and church music field was the most important qualification, and that the mechanics of publishing the journal could be learned by doing. His patient and thorough mentoring during my early years with The Diapason, along with his extensive knowledge of the magazine and the organ field, were the only things that kept the journal going. No matter how big a mess I would make of things, or how many crises arose, Wes would always calmly assess the situation, analyze what needed to be done, and map out a solution.
Wes had served as associate editor of The Diapason since 1967. He died on May 9, 2002, at the age of 61, from complications of liver disease. His death was a terrible blow. Wesley was quite a remarkable man—a man of profound faith, dedication, perseverance, and accomplishments. I am forever grateful for his wisdom, generous spirit, and friendship.
I began as editor in 1983, so I will celebrate 30 years in 2013.
Jeannine: The Diapason reaches out to organists of every nature – from student to professional. How do you and your staff work to balance the publication making it accessible and beneficial for each group?
Jerome Butera: Yes, The Diapason is read by church organists, college professors, organbuilders, organ students, choir directors and clergy, theatre organists, hobbyists and lovers of the pipe organ. Each month The Diapason reports the news of the organ and church music fields—people, events, instruments. We try to offer feature articles of a diverse nature, from technical and scholarly to interviews and items of general interest.
Founded in 1909, The Diapason celebrated its centenary in December 2009. What an adventure it was to plan, design, and produce that anniversary issue. The magazine remains dedicated to its mission, as stated in December 1909: “ . . . devoting its pages to the construction of the organ and to those whose life work is the creation of the kist o’ whistles—the grandest of musical instruments.”
Jeannine: What changes have you seen in the organ world during your tenure with The Diapason?
Jerome Butera: In the 1980s we saw a growing appreciation for historically informed organbuilding and performance. Builders were moving away from the neo-Baroque styles of the late 1960s and the 1970s, pipe scales and wind pressures were increasing. In the 1990s we moved on from the “Great Sludge Debates” of the 1970s, and witnessed a new appreciation of the work of Cavaillé-Coll, Willis, and Earnest Skinner.
Certainly there are challenges in the world of the pipe organ and church music today. Perhaps there were praise bands and such in 1983, but they were not as pervasive as today. It is interesting to note that while there are fewer pipe organs being built these days, the level of quality is unsurpassed. And while there are declining organ enrollments at the college level, the playing of our distinguished young artists is at an all-time high.
Jeannine: The Diapason is looking toward the future with a new look and feel to the print magazine and is embracing the new trend toward digital publications. Would you like to comment on these changes to The Diapason?
Unrecognized Guid format.
Jerome Butera: Our parent company, Scranton Gillette Communications, remains devoted to print journalism, and we have made significant changes in our production, design, and printing. At the same time, we have redesigned our website have launched three e-mail newsletters each month: classified ads, artist spotlights, and general news, sent on the second, third, and fourth Tuesdays of the month, respectively. We had planned a digital edition of The Diapason, but the response did not justify the effort or expense at this point. We continue to explore this, and may be able to offer that at some point.
Jeannine: What do you see as future challenges/opportunities in the organ world?
Jerome Butera: The challenges are many, and so are the opportunities. We must devote ourselves to the highest level and quality in every aspect of the organ and its related fields. We simply cannot be content with mediocrity in any way. We must continue to attract new audiences to the pipe organ and to develop the present audience. Yes, social media plays a part, but equally important is a personal zeal that we must communicate to our congregations and audiences—a passion for music making of the highest artistic level and for instrument making at the highest artistic and technical level. The organ has one of the largest and most diverse repertoires of any instrument. And the pipe organ has such a fascinating history, with remarkable styles of building in various countries and historical periods. Each of us must be an advocate for excellence. Over its long history, The Diapason has both reflected the activities of the organ world and has attempted to promote the instrument that we love.
Jerome Butera, editor and publisher of The Diapason
To continue where newsletter left off click here
Jeannine: Who is Jerome Butera? What would you like our readers to know about you?
Jerome Butera: I first started reading The Diapason as a teen-aged organ student of Arthur C. Becker in Chicago. If I had an especially good lesson and had really practiced that week, Dr. Becker would let me read his copy of The Diapason. I still remember what a treat that was to explore the world of the pipe organ through the pages of The Diapason. I soon bought my own subscription, and have kept every issue since, going back to the 1960s.
I continued organ study with Arthur Becker and earned my bachelor’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago, while serving as organist and choirmaster at St. Richard of Chichester Episcopal Church. Becker had studied with Widor, Vierne, and Dupré, and was already retired as Dean of the DePaul School of Music when I studied with him; he was a wonderful teacher.
I had also been a rather serious oboe player, studied with Jerry Sirucek from Indiana University, and played in various ensembles, including a woodwind quintet coached by Donald Peck, then flutist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Next, I earned a master’s degree in organ performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Robert Glasgow; I learned a lot of Franck, Vierne, and Liszt, and thoroughly enjoyed my time at Michigan. I also did coaching with Robert Noehren and worked in his organbuilding shop. After a short time in Cedar Lake, Indiana, as organist at Holy Name Church there, I moved back to Chicago to serve as organist and choirmaster at St. Gertrude Catholic Church, teach organ and church music at DePaul, and pursue doctoral study at the American Conservatory of Music with Robert Lodine. We covered a lot of Messiaen, and my dissertation focused on sonatas by Dudley Buck and Horatio Parker.
Subsequently, I served as organist and director of music at the Park Ridge Community Church (UCC) in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge for more than 20 years, and am currently organist and director of music at Edgebrook Community Church (UCC) in Chicago, where I play a lovely Aeolian-Skinner organ (Opus 1359). I love to play the organ, and practice every day on our house pipe organ, built by the Lauck Pipe Organ Company of Michigan.
I have been married to my best friend Sharon for forty years; we have known each other since first grade. Sharon has served as a middle school librarian and department head in our local school district. She has sung in my choirs, rung in handbell choirs, played recorder in early music ensembles, is a serious crafter and quilter, and loves to dig in the earth, growing all manner of flowers, vegetables, and trees. Her recent passion is raising free-range chickens.
Our children are grown: our son is a math teacher and athletic coach at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, and our daughter has been a children’s librarian in Cleveland, Ohio. Sharon and I are also fledging farmers, and have started up a small organic farm in southwest Wisconsin. I am also a fan of murder mysteries, and began reading them after Larry Palmer’s “Harpsichord News” column in The Diapason featured reviews of murder mysteries that involved the harpsichord in some way.
Jeannine: You have a wide and varied background touching on many aspects of the organ world from teaching organ and church music at DePaul University to serving as a church organist.
How, when, and why did you come to the position of Editor and Publisher of the internationally known monthly organ journal, The Diapason?
Jerome Butera: I was teaching organ and church music at DePaul, and a friend on the music theory faculty, Wesley Vos, was associate editor of The Diapason. The magazine was in need of a new editor, and Wes suggested I apply. Despite my lack of experience in journalism or publishing, Wesley was certain that a knowledge of the organ and church music field was the most important qualification, and that the mechanics of publishing the journal could be learned by doing. His patient and thorough mentoring during my early years with The Diapason, along with his extensive knowledge of the magazine and the organ field, were the only things that kept the journal going. No matter how big a mess I would make of things, or how many crises arose, Wes would always calmly assess the situation, analyze what needed to be done, and map out a solution.
Wes had served as associate editor of The Diapason since 1967. He died on May 9, 2002, at the age of 61, from complications of liver disease. His death was a terrible blow. Wesley was quite a remarkable man—a man of profound faith, dedication, perseverance, and accomplishments. I am forever grateful for his wisdom, generous spirit, and friendship.
I began as editor in 1983, so I will celebrate 30 years in 2013.
Jeannine: The Diapason reaches out to organists of every nature – from student to professional. How do you and your staff work to balance the publication making it accessible and beneficial for each group?
Jerome Butera: Yes, The Diapason is read by church organists, college professors, organbuilders, organ students, choir directors and clergy, theatre organists, hobbyists and lovers of the pipe organ. Each month The Diapason reports the news of the organ and church music fields—people, events, instruments. We try to offer feature articles of a diverse nature, from technical and scholarly to interviews and items of general interest.
Founded in 1909, The Diapason celebrated its centenary in December 2009. What an adventure it was to plan, design, and produce that anniversary issue. The magazine remains dedicated to its mission, as stated in December 1909: “ . . . devoting its pages to the construction of the organ and to those whose life work is the creation of the kist o’ whistles—the grandest of musical instruments.”
Jeannine: What changes have you seen in the organ world during your tenure with The Diapason?
Jerome Butera: In the 1980s we saw a growing appreciation for historically informed organbuilding and performance. Builders were moving away from the neo-Baroque styles of the late 1960s and the 1970s, pipe scales and wind pressures were increasing. In the 1990s we moved on from the “Great Sludge Debates” of the 1970s, and witnessed a new appreciation of the work of Cavaillé-Coll, Willis, and Earnest Skinner.
Certainly there are challenges in the world of the pipe organ and church music today. Perhaps there were praise bands and such in 1983, but they were not as pervasive as today. It is interesting to note that while there are fewer pipe organs being built these days, the level of quality is unsurpassed. And while there are declining organ enrollments at the college level, the playing of our distinguished young artists is at an all-time high.
Jeannine: The Diapason is looking toward the future with a new look and feel to the print magazine and is embracing the new trend toward digital publications. Would you like to comment on these changes to The Diapason?
Unrecognized Guid format.
Jerome Butera: Our parent company, Scranton Gillette Communications, remains devoted to print journalism, and we have made significant changes in our production, design, and printing. At the same time, we have redesigned our website have launched three e-mail newsletters each month: classified ads, artist spotlights, and general news, sent on the second, third, and fourth Tuesdays of the month, respectively. We had planned a digital edition of The Diapason, but the response did not justify the effort or expense at this point. We continue to explore this, and may be able to offer that at some point.
Jeannine: What do you see as future challenges/opportunities in the organ world?
Jerome Butera: The challenges are many, and so are the opportunities. We must devote ourselves to the highest level and quality in every aspect of the organ and its related fields. We simply cannot be content with mediocrity in any way. We must continue to attract new audiences to the pipe organ and to develop the present audience. Yes, social media plays a part, but equally important is a personal zeal that we must communicate to our congregations and audiences—a passion for music making of the highest artistic level and for instrument making at the highest artistic and technical level. The organ has one of the largest and most diverse repertoires of any instrument. And the pipe organ has such a fascinating history, with remarkable styles of building in various countries and historical periods. Each of us must be an advocate for excellence. Over its long history, The Diapason has both reflected the activities of the organ world and has attempted to promote the instrument that we love.