Richard C. Hamar

One of the few Americans to apprentice at Rudolph Von Beckerath in Hamburg, Richard C. Hamar is considered by many to be a formidable (if not foremost) authority on mechanical action in pipe organs in the Northeast. In recognition of his knowledge and skill he was asked to participate in a discussion panel covering restoration issues for the American Institute of Organbuilders during a their annual convention in New York in 2004.

In his career he has created impressive volume of work, including detailed restorations of many 19th century American instruments, such as J.H. & C.S. Odell Opus 67 at the United Methodist Church of Derby, Connecticut and more recently in collaboration with Dana Hull and Barbara Owen on the Katsbaan organ. Over the years Richard has also been responsible for new organ work as a staffer for various firms in throughout the United States, as well as under his own name. A well-kept secret is his impressive mechanical action installation at the First Congregational Church of Sharon, Connecticut, which was the result of a collaboration with Jeremy Cooper in 1974.

In his recent work for J.H. & C.S. Odell, Richard has contributed substantially to our ongoing restorative projects for Troy Music Hall, the Church of Saint Charles Borromeo and our recent project at Old South Haven Presbyterian. As both an organist and one of the few builders working today with training in the traditional European system, Richard’s approach is at once “old school”, while being musically informed and elegantly thorough.