With effect from the end of April, Ueli Schaerer, who up to now was our Workshop Manager, is going into well-deserved retirement. Starting on 1 September 2019 he thoroughly inducted his successor, Christian Kroll.
Ueli Schaerer – Committed up to his final working day
At the end of April 2020 our Workshop Manager, Ueli Schaerer, is going into retirement. In 1972-1976 he successfully completed his organ builder's apprenticeship in our house. In his fourth year of apprenticeship he had already undertaken management of the installation of the organ in Wittenbach, and subsequently he worked in the "new organ" department. The focus of his interest moved steadily towards the restoration of historical organs. In Wolfgang Rehn's team Ueli Scherer worked on fascinating restorations, such as that of the legendary Gabler organ in Weingarten.
Following a four year interlude in the emergency services, he very much wanted to return to Kuhn Organ Builders. Between 1987 and 2007 many significant restorations were successfully carried out with his involvement, such as the Welte organ in Meggenhorn castle chapel, the organs in Rheinau monastery, in St. Urban, Schramberg, the court church of Lucerne (the Walpen organ) and in Ulm St. Georg, or the Welte organ in the Museum of Music Automatons in Seewen. He greatly contributed to a total of 49 restorations and 6 historicised, newly built organs.
In 2008 Ueli Schaerer was appointed Workshop Manager. For 12 years, with his judiciousness, sensitivity and great talent for organisation, he ensured the smooth running of workshop and storeroom.
The Supervisory Board, Board of Managers and all employees thank Ueli Schaerer sincerely for his 44 year (!) tremendous input for the benefit of Kuhn Organ Builders. We thank him particularly for his willingness and openness in carefully inducting his successor into the secrets of managing the workshop. We wish Ueli Schaerer all the best and good health for the future.
Christian Kroll – Fascination of organ building is, despite experience, to learn more every day
Having received an excellent introduction from his predecessor, Christian Kroll was able to take up management of the workshop with effect from 1 January 2020.
Christian Kroll has acquired many years of experience in all areas of organ building, and is on the way to new challenges in the continuously changing world of technological and tonal developments of this wonderful musical instrument.
As was already true of his predecessor, the improvement of workflow and the permanent qualification of employees are exceedingly important to him in order to ensure that Kuhn continues to create organs of the highest quality of design, engineering and sound.
Background
– born in 1965 in southern Germany
– apprenticeship in organ building
– further training to qualify as a Master of Carpentry
– many years' experience as a project and workshop manager
in two organ building companies in southern Germany
Favourites
– the quiet of the beautiful Swiss mountains
– the incredibly powerful expressiveness of music,
from Joh. Seb. Bach to Steve Reich
