The National Concert Hall (NCH) is set to spend an estimated €2.6 million on a new “world-class” pipe organ for the redeveloped main auditorium in the revamped NCH building.
The organ is described as a “work of art” in NCH tender documents and will be the centrepiece of a new main auditorium at Earlsfort Terrace near St Stephen’s Green.
The concert hall is seeking parties to design, build, install and maintain a new pipe organ to replace the 1991 Jones Organ in situ.
The tender states that the board “appreciates that commissioning a programme of work for the organ is unlike other fabric projects”. Moreover, “it is akin to commissioning ‘a work of art’ and we hope to establish a positive partnership, and long-term relationship, with whichever firms win the contract”.
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The pipe organ is part of a multimillion-euro redevelopment of the NCH in Dublin that will double “the home of Irish music’s” economic contribution.
Last October, the Office of Public Works obtained planning permission from Dublin City Council for the redevelopment describing it as “a once in a multi-generational opportunity to provide a vital, world-class, cultural destination for music lovers, artists and visitors to Ireland”.
Asked about the estimated €2.6m cost contained in tender documents, a concert hall spokeswoman replied today: “The build, transport, fitting and fine-tuning makes this an exceptionally complex process. The estimated cost is based on the specification we have sent out, has been benchmarked against international cost comparisons and reflects the complexity and specialist nature of this unique instrument.”
She added: “The installation of a new organ, in the revitalised main auditorium of the NCH will be a centrepiece of this project and a milestone moment for music in Ireland.
“A concert organ is a very large specialist instrument, which is carefully designed and customised to the venue. It is built offsite by a specialist organ builder. The time period for build is a minimum of three years.
“We have retained the services of one of the world’s leading Organ consultants, Dr William McVicker, who has advised on the technical specification as well as the appropriate budget for an instrument of this calibre.”
She added: “The indicative figure of €2.6 million includes for regular site visits for tuning and maintenance over a 10-year period.”
In a nine-page report lodged as part of the Office of Public Works planning application, Dr McVicker stated that “if public money is to be spent on the project, a world-class organ should be expected”.
He said that such an instrument would need to be carefully designed to serve not only the organ repertoire but also to take place in the orchestral repertoire. This would enable it to add subtlety and gravitas to musical textures when required, as well as drama when needed to shine as a soloist in concertos and symphony music.
The tender documentation states that the space allocated to the proposed new organ in the main auditorium is significantly greater than that occupied by the present organ and the most recent 2023 accounts for the NCH provide a €735,460 book value on the current pipe organ.
Closing date for tenders is May 30th and the concert hall intends to sign a contract with the successful tenderer in September. The NCH intends to remove the existing pipe organ in October 2026 and install the new one between November 2029 and April 2030.
