More Than Music in Theair

Built to memorialize Anna Margaretta Heinz, the mother of H.J. Heinz Company founder Henry John Heinz, the Gothic Revival chapel—captured here on a snowy winter day—was dedicated in 1938. More than Music in theAir

Heinz Chapel’s newly temperate interior provides greater comfort for concertgoers and Dave DiCello a healthier environment for its organ.

oliday concerts held in the beau- Prior to the renovation, the facility had no tiful, glowing Heinz Memorial cooling system to provide relief from BY MARY GILBERT HChapel in Oakland this season Pittsburgh’s summer heat and humidity. In PHOTOS BY MELODY FARRIN should be especially memorable winter, its outdated, inefficient, original boiler for their comfort. Performances by the often pushed out excess steam heat that threat- University of Pittsburgh’s a cappella Heinz ened organ pipes, wooden pews, and the prized Chapel Choir and Women’s Chorale stained-glass windows. Radiators emitted Ensemble, among others, come in the wake unwelcome and inopportune sound effects in of a five-month project earlier this year to the form of loud creaks, clangs, and hisses that install a long-awaited modern climate-con- disturbed the serenity of solemn occasions. trol system. The new system, which removes Pipe organs perform best and stay in tune humidity from the atmosphere and main- longer with consistent temperature and tains a constant, comfortable, year-round humidity, and organist Nicholas Will says he temperature, has improved circumstances for experienced some “frustrating moments” all who use or enjoy the 75-year-old historic whenever adverse conditions made organ stops landmark. unavailable. Heinz Chapel, which serves as Pitt’s spiri- Those environmental issues challenged tual center, was closed from January to June of not only the fabric of the structure, but also this year in order to complete the work. The the 100,000-plus guests who annually visit the undertaking required planning a year in chapel for weddings, recitals, and other obser- advance and $3.5 million allocated from the vances. university’s capital projects budget. It was “In summer, the stones would heat up like deemed essential to ensure both the long-term an oven and the hot air would remain inside,” preservation of the building itself and its treas- Will recalls. ured musical heart, the masterful Reuter Opus The nondenominational, Gothic Revival 2176 pipe organ. chapel was bequeathed by Henry John Heinz, “Updating the system had been on every- founder of the H. J. Heinz Company, to one’s radar for years,” says Pat Gibbons, direc- honor the memory of his mother, Anna tor of Heinz Memorial Chapel. Finally, “a per- Margaretta Heinz. After he died in 1919, his We Can Make Your Car Last Longer fect storm of funding, opportunity, and effi- children added to their father’s gift to ensure • Complete Automotive Service cient HVAC technology...all came together.” that his vision came to fruition, and ground was broken in 1933. The completed structure State Inspection • Emission Tests was dedicated in 1938. Opposite: The console of Heinz Chapel’s 4741 Baum Blvd.• Pittsburgh,PA 15213 Reuter organ, which is back in service after a The design, by architect Charles months-long hiatus. Klauder––who also designed Pitt’s Cathedral 412-682-1866 Mention SHADY AVE and receive $20 off your first visit. 3 4 S H A D Y AV E HOLIDAY 2015 3 5 More than Music in the Air

of Learning and Stephen Foster Memorial––is “an original invocation of...French neo- Gothic,” according to Gibbons. It features a Risk management is not modified cruciform plan, stone vaults, high ceilings, repeated arches, handcarved wood- a do-it-yourself job. work, and soaring stained glass. Despite the building’s magnificence, grumblings about the Risk is a delicate issue. You know you should find the right inability to regulate its internal temperature balance between risk and opportunity, but how does that and humidity began soon after it opened and translate into investment choices? intensified over the decades. Addressing the problem presented a diffi- The Rosenberg Group cult logistics puzzle. Ultimately, workers dug at Morgan Stanley As Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors, we have the trenches in the lawn of the neighboring experience, knowledge and resources to help you maintain Cathedral of Learning and laid 1,900 feet of Colin M. Rosenberg, CRPC® that balance within your investments. As your Financial pipe to bring in chilled water lines from Executive Director Advisors, we will help identify risk, recognize how it Bigelow Boulevard. They also removed the old Wealth Advisor boiler parts and installed more than 2,000 feet 412-803-2103 could affect your portfolio and work toward minimizing of ductwork for both warm and cool air flow. [email protected] Keen to preserve the architectural integrity of its impact. These are times that demand professional the building, designers made use of existing guidance. Meet with us to learn more. Marc T. McCarey, CRPC® vents and cleverly concealed equipment in matching woodwork. Financial Advisor The soaring stained-glass windows of the interior are the chapel’s most striking visual feature. 412-434-8557 [email protected]

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S.W. Randall Toyes and Giftes Where Shopping Becomes a Family Tradition For years, generations have bonded at S.W. Randall Toyes and Giftes. While children enjoy playing with the wondrous items on display, parents and grandparents delight in the traditional toys from their own childhood. Visit one of our three locations and let shopping at S.W. Randall Toyes and Giftes become your family tradition. The Pittsburgh Compline Choir is one of several musical groups that call Heinz Chapel home. Just a few of the Reuter organ’s thousands of pipes. VISIT SANTA AT CHRISTMAS AT OUR Squirrel Hill Downtown Shadyside DOWNTOWN LOCATION! 5856 Forbes Ave. 630 Smithfield St. 806 Ivy St. 3 6 S H A D Y AV E HOLIDAY 2015 3 7 More than Music in the Air

Oakland Yuletide Tour, which includes an organ recital of Christmas carols in the newly comfortable interior. Among those thrilled to return to the improved Heinz Chapel are members of the Pittsburgh Compline Choir, a 24-voice ensemble comprising university students, professional musicians, and passionate amateurs. On Sunday evenings during the academic EXPANDED year, the group, led by director Alastair Stout, performs a 45-minute candlelight service in the chapel that allows visitors to begin each week with reflection. HER BRAIN “We’re glad to be home again,” Stout says. “Heinz Chapel feels great, the system is quieter, so it doesn’t detract from the peaceful atmosphere, and they did an amazing job tastefully BY DISCOVERING tying in the machinery and pipework without disturbing the building’s aesthetic.” Gibbons calls the project “the most impor- tant step the university has taken to ensure the building’s preservation.” She adds, “Heinz HOW IT WORKS. Memorial Chapel was built for the ages, but it still needs loving care and attention to ensure__ At WT, the only thing more it stays here.” __SA Stop knobs control the timbre and pitch of the organ powerful than what students pipes. Information about concerts and events in Heinz learn is why they learn it. Chapel may be found at heinzchapel.pitt.edu. To enable access around the organ, Dave Join us and see the di erence. Richards of Allegheny Pipe Organ Company and his seven-person team dismantled and reassembled the instrument, including the Support majority of its 4,272 towering wood and metal pipes. Richards, who installed the current Give some organ in 1995 and handles its regular mainte- Heinz Chapel nance, possesses a fatherly pride about “his baby” that helped guide the process. You can help support future holiday sparkle. The biggest demand of the entire project improvement projects at Heinz proved to be the cleanup. Despite precautions, Chapel by purchasing seasonal “we didn’t anticipate the frightful amount of dirt,” Gibbons acknowledges. It took crews cards featuring the snow-covered fZi%albehI ^if kk%% ^gbal]gZ%^edkZil la`kn[lmmbImZ^ two weeks to thoroughly clean the entire build- scene by photographer Dave premier destination for people and their vand ehicles. ing, and Richards and his team cleaned the DiCello pictured in part on page organ and pipes three times in as many weeks Give gift cards and pre-paid cards for our superior before they put it back together. “We got out 35. Cards, which are blank wash and detail il services,services, vi available ilable seven days a week. the two decades of accumulated dirt, plus dirt inside, are $2 each or 12 for $18 from the construction,” Richards says. He and and are on sale at the chapel or his wife, Karen, spent eight days tuning the organ and correcting its pitch, which was “a lit- online at heinzchapel.pitt.edu. Where smart meets heart. tle high,” according to Richards. Sales benefit the Heinz Chapel In addition to the holiday schedule of Building Fund. winchesterthurston.org vocal performances, the chapel is open to 4867 William Flynn Highway (Rt. 8), Hampton visitors on December 12 as part of the 724.443.9227 CleanTownUSA.comCleanTowoownUSA.com 3 8 S H A D Y AV E HOLIDAY 2015 3 9