Author: Thomas Clark

As recounted by David Dahl An Airport Encounter and a Red Cape In 1963, two years after the completion of the Space Needle, I was a graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle. Having encountered my first mechanical action organ in June of 1960, I had quickly become a devoted tracker organ missionary.…

In August 1969, while preparing to begin his teaching career at Pacific Lutheran University, organist David Dahl visited the new Christ Episcopal Church building in Tacoma, Washington. His friend Morris Hauge, a priest at the church and former classmate from PLU, showed him around. David’s immediate thought upon seeing the magnificent Brutalist architecture, designed by…

David Dahl’s late career showcased a rich tapestry of contributions to the organ community, marked by his focus on teaching, composing, and consulting. His journey as a composer began with the publication of “Hymn Interpretations” in 1999, a collection of hymn-based pieces that evolved from an undergraduate course he developed on hymn improvisation. In this…

During an additional third year in the music graduate school at the University of Washington, David Dahl secured a job playing for Sunday night services at University Presbyterian Church, where he accompanied the college-age choir directed by Robert Scandrett. Concurrently, Whitworth College in Spokane, WA, had acquired a new Moller organ and was in need…

David Dahl’s journey through college is a tale of passion, transformation, and a deep commitment to music. His story began when he transferred to Pacific Lutheran College (PLC) in the fall of 1956 as a sophomore from the City College of San Francisco. Captivated by the campus’s rich musical offerings, particularly a 1953 Casavant organ…

David Peder Dahl Malmedal was born on May 22, 1937, four days prior to the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, to a Norwegian-American family deeply rooted in their Scandinavian heritage. His father, Peder Malmedal, hailed from the valley of Malmedal in Norway, where almost everyone shared the Malmedal surname. Before emigrating to America in…