- Welcome to Independent Lens .
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut .
When I hear the word organ,
I wonder sometimes if younger generations
even know what it is,
especially if they don't attend church or hockey games.
Not to worry, this old-time instrument
is alive and well and thriving in Canada,
so much so, that it's the topic of tonight's film, Pipe Dreams .
Pipe Dreams follows five masterful organists
who descend on Montreal
to find out who will be crowned King of Instruments.
The Actors?
The daughter of China's most famous organist,
a New Zealander hoping to become
the first to win three organ competitions in one summer,
an African American from Texas
who has beaten the New Zealander two previous times,
a Pittsburgher with perfect technique who plays risky pieces
and a 19-year-old prodigy
from the same town as his idol, Johann Sebastian Bach.
These talented musicians
compete in Canada's prestigious International Organ Competition.
Not be confused with
Canada's equally as prestigious Organ Donor Competition.
All the competitors of this spirited competition
are under the age of 35.
It's held once every three years and offers $100,000 in prizes,
as well as potential recording contracts.
Director Stacey Tenenbaum
specializes in telling character-driven stories
that appeal to international audiences.
One can see how the characters in Pipe Dreams
caught Tenebaum's eye.
They all have a sense of humor about themselves,
which is refreshing in any competition.
If she ever returns my call,
I will be pitching that organ donor competition idea.
It's a can't miss.
Pipe Dreams starts now
on PBS Wisconsin, your home for independent film.