Modern Alchemy: Art & Science of Organ Pipe Metals (Lecture by Catherine Oertel)

More information about this free event and a link to register can be found here:
http://bit.ly/2cHm129

Learn about the fascinating art and science of baroque pipe organs with Chemist Catherine Oertel on Monday, October 3 at 7 p.m. at the Hudson Library & Historical Society. Pipe organs of the Baroque era are the “endangered species” of the musical world and are noted for their ties to significant composers and pre-industrial technologies. Centuries-old organs stand as valuable documents not only of musical history but also of technological history. Today, the natural atmospheric corrosion of organ pipes threatens the ability of these historic pipe organs to produce sound. Oertel will discuss the historical and environmental causes of corrosion, the chemistry involved in restoration and the importance of preserving these historical instruments. Anyone interested in history, science, or music will enjoy this captivating talk.

Catherine Oertel is an associate professor of chemistry at Oberlin College. She teaches introductory and inorganic chemistry as well as an interdisciplinary course on the chemistry of materials used in artwork. Her research in synthesis and detailed structural characterization of oxide-based materials, including those that form as corrosion products on lead-rich objects, is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. Catherine was a postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell Center for Materials Research and the Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, Sweden.

Register for this free program online at www.hudsonlibrary.org or call 330.653.6658 x1010.

More information about this free event and a link to register can be found here:
http://bit.ly/2cHm129