Church organist Feddema keeps playing beyond eightieth anniversary

Succeeded father at age nine

DAMWOUDE, The Netherlands – Dutch musician Arnold Feddema recently celebrated his eightieth anniversary as organist of the local Reformed church. Playing twice on Sundays, over one hundred official services a year, Feddema estimates he accompanied the GKNs congregation more than eight thousand times. The figure does not include all the weddings and funerals he observed from the organ bench.

The long-time organist started accompanying church services at nine years of age when his father, who had been playing for five years, was appointed elder.

His interest in the organ was kindled when Feddema Sr. started taking him up to the organ bench when he was four years old. Jr. was awed by the huge pipes and kept asking questions about them. At age six he took his first organ lessons, completing and passing his MO government teaching exam nearly forty years later. Feddema was appointed co-director at a popular music school in the area in 1968. He still teaches organ to about ten students a week and plays at functions whenever asked.

A fan of Bach’s compositions, Feddema has no retirement plans and hopes to keep playing for many years to come.