Jonas Nordwall amongst several of 6,700 pipes within the Mary L. Collins Memorial Pipe Organ. PHOTO: Cameron Perkins Photography
When at 16 he gave a command performance on the accordian before King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden, Jonas Nordwall’s eventual career as one of the most celebrated virutoso organists in the world was the last ambition he had pondered for his future. While he began his musical studies at age four, his lifelong love of the pipe organ bloomed in high school where he perfected the craft to become equally talented in both classical and theatre genres of musical presentation.
guests at homes of friends like Phil Maloof, his favorite venue was located on Portland’s Skyline Blvd. at the estate of Howard Vollum, Tektronix founder and father of Oregon’s ‘Silicon Forest.’ Vollum built a music pavilion on his property that was the rival of a concert hall, and Jonas regularly led ‘music salons’ with divas like Opera Star Gloria Cutsforth Allen as they recorded albums of Vollum’s favorite tunes that still live on today.
Nordwall joined Portland’s First United Methodist Church (FUMC - the oldest church congregation in the city) music staff in 1971. As organist for what is commonly known as one of the finest music ministries in the United States, he also has over 30 highly-acclaimed recordings on a variety of labels. In addition to his musical performances, Nordwall has been a major influence in the latter 20th century design and manufacturing of both pipe and electronic organs. He has performed in North America, Japan, Europe, China and Australia. Notable national television appearances include the Today Show and Good
In the present time, he is still enhancing the Mary L. Collins Pipe Organ at FUMC after it earned the title as the largest pipe organ in the Pacific North- west funded by a grant by both the Collins Family and their foundation. Debuting in 2007, it contains 6,700 pipes and 114 ranks and was rebuilt and sig- nificantly expanded to include non-traditional musi- cal effects. It is considered the most technological- ly advanced instrument of its kind in the world. “Generosity has fueled the expansion of opportu- nity and appreciation of the pipe organ in recent times,” Nordwall suggested. “We are lucky to have an instrument of this magnitude that everyone can
pipe dreams
Morning Australia . As organist for the Oregon Symphony Orchestra during the tenure of Maestro James DePriest, Nordwall was a soloist for several concerts and recorded with the orchestra on the Delos label. Mastering an instrument like the organ opens many pipe chambers along the way to a smattering of individuals with the financial wherewithal to install them in private residences. While he delighted
claim as a musical treasure of the city.” With almost 60 years of invention and a host of stories in his ev- er-expanding repertoire, he hasn’t contemplated retirement and just produced a concert to pay tribute to the now-closed popular Organ Grinder Restaurant in Portland where he was senior organist to hon- or its would-be 50th anniversary in 2023. “Why would anyone quit when there’s so much more to do?”
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