United Angelical Free Church just had an organ operation and the church celebrated by holding a concert on their now rich-sounding 1980 Allen electronic organ.

Unlike a pipe organ, an electronic organ is prone to internal problems involving deteriorating wiring and speakers. McIntyre Organ Repair did the repairs for about $2,800.

Freelance organist and Ballard resident, David Lepse, who has attended the church since a baby, said he noticed the organ was "off" while playing it last fall.

"It sounded weak and unbalanced," he said. "The organ needed fresh wiring, and the speakers needed 'reconing.'" That is industry protocol for speaker repair. He said the console card reader also needed repair. This is late '70's technology, and the card reader is a slot that accepts a punch card called a "tone card." Each tone card creates an extra organ stop, so that one card enables the keyboard to sound like a flute, while another, a French horn.

"This has since been replaced by musical instrument digital interface, or 'MIDI,'" said Lepse. "The electronic organ is old technology, but at least now it works."

It may be old, but certainly newer than pipe organs, which he said are repaired completely differently. Lepse, 40, admires the works of Mendelssohn and Bach, who perhaps would have never imagined punch card organs, let alone MIDI technology.

Lepse studied organ under Lester Groom at Seattle Pacific University. Lepse said Groom, who has since passed away, was both a popular and knowledgeable Seattle presence.

Lepse, who performed a variety of music, including a duet with Helen Miller, the church's full-time organist, at the Jan. 20 concert, always wears his "organ master" shoes when on the bench. While these shoes, like the electronic organ, are remnants of days past, Lepse wouldn't play without them.

"They are similar to ballet slippers," he said. "They have very thin soles with a suede bottom, and are made in a place back in Connecticut. I can play without making a lot of noise. I don't want to hear 'clunk clunk clunk,' and the narrow soles don't overhang past one pedal. This allows me to play one note at a time. I suppose one could wear just plain socks, but feet have a lot of small bones that could get damaged."

Steve Shay may be reached at steves@robinsonnews.com