By: Grace Dumas, News of the North
This story has been corrected, the Organ was stationed at the Gross Alaska Theater, not Goldtown.
Longtime Juneau organist and State employee T.J. Duffy will perform his final noon organ concert tomorrow, closing a chapter that has spanned nearly 16 years of weekly performances in downtown Juneau.
Duffy, who has been a fixture of Juneau’s music scene since arriving in 2009, said the concerts have been one of the great joys of his career.
While he is retiring from the series, he emphasized that he is not stepping away from music entirely.
“I have loved giving these concerts.” Duffy said, “But since I’m retiring, I’ve got my sights set on some other things.”
The noon organ concerts trace their roots back decades. The instrument is housed in an office building but it has lived in other locations across the capital city including at Gross Alaska Theater.
The organ was donated to the city on the condition that it remain in Juneau.
Early performances sometimes coincided with visits from dignitaries.
Over the years, Duffy’s concerts have drawn a wide range of listeners, Duffy is a classically trained musician and has played across genres in his career, with his noon concerts showcasing classic rock anthems from Metallica to Twisted Sister.
One memory stands out for him involved a concertgoer who was both deaf and blind.
“He comes to the concerts. And when he does, he likes to press his body up against the instrument and feel the vibrations.” Duffy said.
As he prepares for his final performance, Duffy expressed hope that the tradition of noon organ concerts will continue with a new generation of musicians.
“Organists, we’re a dying breed, what I hope is any promising music student who’s in music school right now, might come up for a visit and consider staying.” Duffy said.
Duffy said his final concert will be a celebration. He plans to invite the audience to sing along and will provide lyric sheets featuring familiar Christmas music.
“I’m really hoping for a big crowd,” said Duffy, “If you love to sing, come out tomorrow.”
The concert will mark the end of an era for a longtime Juneau musical tradition, one that Duffy helped sustain and shape for nearly two decades.
