BonnerSprings.com

Playing an organ is, in a way, a dying art form.

Arthur Rinehart, who has been playing the instrument now for 50 years, says organists are few and far between, so a good organist can always find a job. And there aren’t many people out there begging to learn how to play the complicated instrument.

“Nobody wants to work that hard anymore, because it is hard work,” he said.

Rinehart, who has served as the organist at Shawnee Presbyterian Church for 12 years, will get a chance to show off his skills this weekend in an organ recital beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday at the church, 6837 Nieman Road.

Growing up in Lee’s Summit, Mo., Rinehart said he learned how to play the piano first and was about 14 or 15 when he started playing the organ.

“At the church I went to, they encouraged young kids to play the organ and gave them the opportunity to play in church,” he said. “Once I got into high school, I took over playing at church full time.”

Now an Olathe resident, Rinehart has kept up playing over the years, while he earned a doctorate degree in music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and worked for 30 years as an elementary band and orchestra teacher in the Raytown school district. His wife, Carmen, joined him in his musical service, working as a church choir director and even an organist herself at times.

In addition to playing the organ at churches over the years, Rinehart has played piano for the choir at Bonner Springs High School and now plays for Blue Valley Northwest High School, an activity he enjoys.

“I’ll probably continue until they have to carry me out,” he said.

Of course, playing the organ is still fun, too, Rinehart said. Part of the attraction to playing at Shawnee Presbyterian was the church’s three manual, 38-rank Moller pipe organ, which it obtained from a church in St. Louis.

“Very few churches have an organ that size; even the mega churches don’t have an organ that big,” Rinehart said. “Most have electronic organ.”

Rinehart plays at every service and is often asked to play for weddings and funerals. He has been at Shawnee Presbyterian practicing for the recital every morning this week. One piece he is planning to play is 40 minutes at full length.

“I thought, how hard could this piece be, because I’d already learned one movement,” he joked. “Then I started playing the others and they were just as bad as the first.”

Members of churches where Rinehart has played are invited for the recital, but it is also open to the community. A reception will follow the recital.

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