Rohlfs Pipe Organ Services
With over 45 years of experience in organ building, from apprenticeship training in Germany to work across New Zealand, Canada, and the United States, I provide specialized services for pipe organs in Southwest Virginia and beyond.
About Me
Thomas Rohlfs
My organbuilding career started over 45 years ago as an organbuilding apprentice in my native North Germany in 1978 with Andreas Andresen, Kiel, a small organ workshop, building tracker instruments. During that time I also attended the Organ Building College in Ludwigsburg, Germany becoming a journeyman in 1982.
In the years following my apprenticeship I gained knowledge and expertise in voicing and tonal finishing, tuning and maintenance and the installation of several new pipe organs while I was with Emil Hammer Orgelbau in Arnum, near Hannover, Germany.
I emigrated to New Zealand in 1989 where I worked with the SIOC in Timaru on the restoration of several significant historic instruments of mainly British origin, including the Wellington Town Hall organ and several significant church organs in New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia.
In 1994 I started my own business in Wellington and by 1999 was maintaining nearly fifty instruments on a regular basis, including the Wellington Anglican Cathedral and the Rieger organ in Christchurch. I prepared instruments for concerts by organists such as Dame Gillian Weir, John Scott, and Christopher Herrick, and for several CD recordings.
In 2004 my wife Tania and I moved to Canada to take up a position as a voicer for Hellmuth Wolff & Associates, where I was involved in the restoration of the 1790 England & Son organ for Holy Trinity Cathedral in Quebec City and the building of the company's largest organ for Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, BC. Here is an article about the instrument. I also built two positive organs during that time, one for the Palais Montcalm for Les Violons du Roy and the other for McGill University.
In 2006 we settled in Rocky Mount, Virginia, where I took up a position with QLF Custom Pipe Organ Components. During that time, I designed and built the three-manual console for Thrasher Memorial UMC, Vinton, VA in close consultation with the organist. The console was later featured in the journal The American Organist. My duties at QLF included technical design work, production management, and the building and installation of several instruments for Lively-Fulcher Organbuilders, most notably at St. John's Lafayette Square, Washington, DC and the Community Church of Vero Beach, FL.
In 2010 I joined the team of Taylor & Boody Organ Builders in Staunton, Virginia until 2013 as Technical Designer during the building of their largest instrument for Grace Church in New York, NY. Here is an article about the instrument. I designed the complete Solo division and wind system, made the four manual keyboards for this tracker instrument, implementing CNC technology into the work process.
Later in 2013 I re-joined QLF as production manager and managing the company for a prolonged period after the passing of the company owner. QLF built and installed the Lively-Fulcher Organbuilders instrument for Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church in Naples, FL. Advanced software modelling and 3D CNC-machining techniques were extensively utilized during building of the instrument. My involvement with QLF waned over time and I have operated Rohlfs Pipe Organ Services full-time since about 2018.
Rohlfs Pipe Organ Services was founded in 2008 to provide tuning and maintenance services in Southwest Virginia, where my company services pipe organs throughout the region.
I am a member of the International Society of Organbuilders (ISO), American Institute of Organbuilders (AIO), and the Organ Historical Society (OHS).
Outside of organ building, I enjoy riding my motorcycle on the byways of Virginia and West Virginia, photography, cooking, observing the wildlife in our region, and of course, music.
Services
Rohlfs Pipe Organ Services LLC specializes exclusively in traditional pipe organs. I do not service hybrid or electronic organs.
Tuning and Maintenance
Regular tuning services are available, typically at the beginning of summer and winter. Services include complete pipework tuning, temperament checking, and minor mechanical adjustments. Touch-up tunings for concerts and general tunings for instruments requiring full re-pitching are also available.
Repair
Comprehensive repair services cover mechanical and electrical systems, pipework, consoles, keyboards, wind chests, key and stop actions, winding systems, and casework. All work uses quality materials and traditional techniques that ensure long-term reliability.
Restoration
Restoration work follows common organ industry practices and guidelines of the Organ Historical Society. Projects often involve collaboration with experts in specialized areas to achieve the highest standards of historical accuracy and craftsmanship.
Rebuilding and Releathering
Rebuilding services focus on creating or maintaining an instrument of musical integrity while ensuring long-term reliability. Releathering work uses traditional materials including hide glue and top quality leather, avoiding synthetic materials to preserve the instrument's substance for future work.
Contact me for detailed information and terms of business.
Projects
2025
First Presbyterian Church, Martinsville, VA - Releathering and fitting of stoppers of PED Bourdon 16/8' pipes.
First Christian Church, Roanoke, VA - Thorough cleaning of Trumpet pipes; restoration of wooden pipes; and general tuning of instrument.
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Restoration of Tibia Clausa bass pipes and action.
2024
Raleigh Court United Methodist Church, Roanoke, VA - Installation of seven additional thumb pistons.
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Complete restoration of Chimes unit.
2023
Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, Martinsville, VA - Replacement of GT Principal 8/4' and GT Mixture IV pipes after vandalism; repair of screen; re-composition of GT Mixture.
Broad Street Christian Church, Martinsville, VA - New stop tablet rail.
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Complete restoration of Glockenspiel unit.
2022
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Restoration of Tibia Clausa pipes on main chest and action.
St. Andrew's Catholic Cathedral, Roanoke, VA - Supply and installation of new façade pipe racks and structure; supply and fitting of new façade pipes.
Hollins University, Hollins, VA - Cleaning, repair and tonal regulation of all reed pipes of the 1960 DuPont Chapel Holtkamp organ.
Rocky Mount United Methodist Church, Rocky Mount, VA - Historic 1927 Skinner organ. Complete cleaning and restoration of all pipework; mechanical and electrical repairs; restoration of tremolo unit.
2021
St. John's Episcopal Church, Roanoke, VA - Repair of water damage to part of the GT division; fitting of new tuning slides to pipework.
First United Methodist Church, Martinsville, VA - Complete rewiring of organ; installation of ICS-4000 organ control system; furnishing of mobile platform for console.
2020
McAllister Memorial Presbyterian Church, Covington, VA - Complete cleaning of the instrument and pipework; installation of piston setter; mechanical repairs and tonal regulation.
Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, Martinsville, VA - Complete cleaning and repair of pipework.
2019
Christ Lutheran Church, Roanoke, VA - Complete cleaning of instrument and pipework; restoration of wooden pipes; pipe repairs and tonal regulation as needed.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Salem, VA - Cleaning; pipe repairs; additional pipe racks; and tonal regulating of the Noack organ.
First United Methodist Church, Martinsville, VA - Removal; cleaning; repair; and tonal regulation of SW and CH pipework.
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Restoration of Harp and Post Horn wind regulator and wind control valve plates.
2018
Roanoke College, Salem, VA - Repair of water damage and cleaning of instrument and pipework.
2017
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Restoration of Tibia Plena pipes and action.
2016
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Clifford, VA - Mechanical action repairs.
2014
First United Methodist Church, Martinsville, VA - Repair of extensive water damage to the organ.
2013
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Clifford, VA - Restoration of wooden pipes and pedalboard.
2009 - 2026
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Tuning and maintenance of the 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater organ.
2009
Byrd Theater, Carytown, Richmond, VA - Restoration of three wind reservoirs and one tremolo.
Contact
83 Tom Jul Ln
Rocky Mount
VA 24151
USA
Phone: (540) 243-1509
Email: [email protected]