Charles Sukup to perform on historic Ames church organ Sunday

Charles Sukup, longtime president of Sukup Manufacturing Co., and two other notable organists will perform a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tracker-action organ at Ames United Church of Christ.

The show starts at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church, 217 Sixth St.

“It was installed in 1972, about the same time ISU was just beginning a program to prepare students who wished to become organists,” said Charles Kniker, a minister for Ames United Church of Christ. “But ISU had no organs on campus. So Professor Martha Folts brought her students to the Ames UCC to practice on the Kney organ.

“One of those students was Charles Sukup.”

Sukup first took piano lessons from his grandmother Bessie Bielefeld. While at Iowa State, he took organ lessons from Martha Folts and Lynn Zeigler. He performed two organ recitals on the Kney organ while studying for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural engineering.

“Charles fondly remembers the dedication concert by Martha Folts of the Kney Memorial organ 50 years ago as a new freshman at Iowa State,” Kniker said.

Sukup, whose parents, Eugene and Mary Sukup, founded Sukup Manufacturing Co. in 1963, served as president of the company for 25 years beginning in 1995. In 2020, he transitioned to board chair.

For the past 53 years, Sukup has been an organist for Zion-St John Lutheran Church in Sheffield, where he lives with his wife, Mary.

Sukup will be one of three guest organists at Sunday’s concert.

Iowa State professor Miriam Zach is the inaugural recipient of the Charles and Mary Sukup Endowed Artist in Organ in the Iowa State University Department of Music and Theatre. She is dean of the Central Iowa American Guild of Organists and director of music at Ames’ St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Michael Surratt served as director of music and organist at churches in the Chicago suburbs of Wilmette, Northbrook, Hinsdale and Oak Park from 1971 to 2022. He has been an organ soloist with several orchestras in the Chicago metropolitan area, taught at Elmhurst University and has played organ recitals in United States and in Europe.

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The free, hour-long “Celebration and Thanksgiving” program Sunday commemorates the church’s organ, which was built in London, England, and Ontario, Canada, by Gabriel Kney.

“Although fairly small by some standards, this organ is distinguished by versatility, a lively tone, careful balance, and ensemble effects to which each of its voices contributes. It is an instrument responsive to the demands of a wide range of organ literature,” a news release from the church says.

The organ is “perhaps the most unique organ in the city,” Kniker said.

“It is a mechanical action or ‘tracker’ organ, similar to many in Europe, rather than electronic," he said.

Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. You can reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ames United Church of Christ celebrates organ's 50th year with concert