<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV>We had a major disaster at the university last week. In the recital
hall workers are installing a complete audio/visual projection system. As
part of the system there is to be a giant retractable screen above the
stage. Just behind where the screen is going is a huge custom built pipe
organ made in Germany that was installed just a few years ago. Current
value is somewhere around $400,000. On either side of the organ we keep
two concert D’s when not in use, and a Shigeru SK-6 sits along one side wall
when not used.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A couple weeks ago some workers where assembling hardware getting ready to
install the giant retractable screen. Somehow in the process they bumped
into a fire sprinkler. No apparent damage, they just resumed their work
and left. Then over the three day weekend the sprinkler let loose.
At full force water poured from the ceiling. A security camera recorded
the event with water coming down so hard you could not see the organ behind
it. An alarm went off but of course it took some time for campus security
to respond to verify there was a problem, then call and wait for the fire
department to arrive, and then shut the water down.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The organ has suffered detrimental damage. Water poured down through
the open pipes, especially the trumpet resonators which flare out upward making
them perfect funnels. One of the Ds and the SK-6 had covers which were
completely saturated. After inspection it appears they were spared, there
was actually dry dust inside. The water just ran off the sides of the
cover once it saturated like a sponge. Only time will tell how the massive
influx of humidity will have effected them but this past Friday all of the
flanges in the D were loose with the hammers flopping around and a buzz.
The other D just happened to be gone at the time. Due to another event it
had been moved into the other music building for a week. That piano lives
in the hall, I don’t think we have moved it out in at least five years so by
total chance it avoided the entire incident.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A local organ tech arrived on Tuesday. When he opened one of the wind
chests water came pouring out of it. The console lid was so swollen it
wouldn’t open and veneer is now pulling up. At minimum the entire right
half of the organ will have to be completely rebuilt, the tech estimated the
cost to be around $200,000. Next week a couple of the original organ
builders are flying in from Germany to inspect it further. The wood floor on the
stage has wide gaps between the boards and is starting to cup on the
edges. Humidity in Las Vegas is now about 8-9% so soon I would expect to
see the real effects on the pianos as they completely dry out. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And that’s the news from the UNLV Music Department.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Rob Goodale, RPT</DIV>
<DIV>Las Vegas, NV</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>