WE'RE LIFTING UP!
Finial installation capped off by celebration
According to Thea Tjepkema, FMH board member and chief organizer behind the effort to restore ten finials and one lyre to Music Hall, “Without those finials lifting up Music Hall to the sky, to the heavens, it’s not a Gothic building.”
During a celebration at Washington Park’s Porch on a steamy day this past June, several dozen Music Hall board members, volunteers, architects, including lead architect, Ken Jones, and the artisans of Ayra Design and SSRG were on hand to mark this accomplishment.
After board president Peter Koenig welcomed all who helped organize the efforts and the event that day, Thea’s story continued. “During the 2017 restoration of Music Hall, I kept looking at the broken finial to the left of the rose window. It bugged me to death. From 2017 to now, I have been researching at my home, at my computer, working in NYC, had the drawings and the 3D designs made. And it’s beautiful.”
She reminded the audience that the craftsmen at Arya Design are as much artists as those in 1878 who held a chisel and hammer and put their creative souls into these finials. “They’re gorgeous and perfect—the word Arya has been waiting for.”
Mindy Rosen, who took the helm as executive director of FMH two months prior to the pandemic, congratulated the steadfast, committed FMH volunteers who were “always there for me. We had a lot of fun during Zoom happy hours. You don’t stop at anything not even a pandemic. And you’ve welcomed me with open arms since day one.” She closed by handing out a gift of Music Hall wine and FMH-logo etched wine glasses to all of the volunteers, thanking each one in person.
Finally, Ken Kreider, FMH board vice president, thanked Mindy, who “managed to hold onto our tours and education, expanded them, and restarted them. You made my job easy. I think it’s because everybody likes you.” She was gifted flowers by FMH board member and special events coordinator, Holly Brians Ragusa.
It was an evening to elevate the talented work of so many individuals, past and present, to hoist a glass in celebration, and to raise our eyes up to the sky. Music Hall is lifting up its neighborhood, its city, and its community once more.
