Rick R. Kimpel, Jr. ------------------- I am an electrical engineering student (Bachelor of Science in May 2001), and a musician and physicist at heart. I dabble in composition (see http://www.geocities.com/rkimpeljr/music.html to see what I mean by "dabble"), as well as perform with nearly every ensemble on campus (I think the last count is 8 of them on campus and 3 off). I first started taking organ in fall of 1999, my 10th or so musical instrument to learn or at least try to. I first got the idea to learn organ technique when working on a piano organ duet. I had no idea how to write for organ, so I asked one of the students, and they let me see their introductory organ book. I just kept reading and reading. Dr. David Heller, my teacher (as well as chapel choir director and University Organist at Trinity) is one of the most patient, all the while quite challenging, professors I have met. After one semester, I realized that my forte was not going to be in playing skills. However, I still practice and learn. But I have taken a different turn with my relationship with pipe organs. I have decided to spend time with the technical aspects: trying to improve signaling, coming up with different action styles, thinking up minor and major changes that could be made. I'm planning on getting some time in with Ballard Pipe Organs here in San Antonio to give me a better idea of what I'm dealing with. My first pipe I ever built was from a Pringles can, some cardboard from a quesadilla box, an ozarka bottle, and a straw. It actually produces a nice flutey tone. I probably will have more to do with electronics within organs instead of actually building "pipes" like that one.