The Empire State Theatre & Musical Instrument Museum is proud to announce a special program of music entertainment featuring Dave Wickerham as he performs on the Mighty Syracuse Wurlitzer Unit Orchestra. This special program commemorates the centennial of Wurlitzer Opus 1143 – built in August 1925 in North Tonawanda, New York and shipped to the RKO Keith’s Theatre in Syracuse New York. In 1966 this instrument was saved from demolition by dedicated volunteers and relocated to the New York State Fairgrounds where it was completely restored to original factory specifications and has since entertained countless audiences for nearly 60 years. This celebration marks 100 years of one of New York State’s preeminent and historically significant pipe organs used principally for entertainment and the accompaniment of silent films. The Syracuse Wurlitzer is preserved as an original example of the American theatre pipe organ and honored to be placed on National Registry of Historic and Significant Instruments by the American Theatre Organ Society. In 2016, Wurlitzer Opus 1143 was designated as a National Heritage Pipe Organ by the Organ Historical Society and designated as an Organ of Historical Significance, Worthy of Preservation.
Dave Wickerham was born in Encino, California in 1962. He began playing the electronic organ at the age of four and had his first pipe organ experience at age ten. His musical education started at age seven. When he moved to Arizona in 1976, he became Associate Organist at the famous Organ Stop Pizza Restaurants in Phoenix, Mesa and Tucson. While in Arizona, he continued his musical studies with Roseamond Crowley, one of the few remaining descendants of the Louis Vierne line of organists. He attended the University of Arizona in Tucson on a full scholarship, pursuing classical organ studies for six years with Dr. Roy Johnson.
In 1984, Dave moved to the Chicago area to become Staff Organist at Pipes and Pizza in Lansing, Illinois. In addition to his performance there, he concertized frequently, as well as ministering musically and serving at various churches. August of 1990 found the Wickerham family – Dave, his wife and two young children – moving to Wisconsin, where he was one of the featured Staff Organists at the Piper Music Palace in Greenfield, a position he held for 10 years. In the spring of 2000, Dave ushered in the new millennium with a limited special engagement, as a featured organist at “Roxy’s Pipe Organ Pizzeria,” part of a $26,000,000 expansion phase at the FIESTA Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wickerham’s, Dave, Rhonda, and now three great kids, spent two years there before returning back home to Wisconsin in August of 2001… For the next three years, Dave resumed his position at the Piper Music Palace and was also the Principal Organist at Williams Bay Lutheran Church in Lake Geneva, WI. He enjoys concertizing frequently to many audiences including various chapters of the American Theatre Organ Society. In April of 1999, he took great pleasure being a feature artist in Melbourne, Australia for the convention of the Theatre Organ Society of Australia for which he received rave reviews. He returned “Down Under” for a six-week concert tour in Australia and New Zealand during the summer of 2003 and 2012, as well as October/November of 2015.
Dave also enjoys recording and has recently “sold out” his fourth CD “Sounds of Music” recorded on the famous 5 Manual, 80 Rank Theatre Organ at the Sanfilippo Residence in Barrington, IL. After seven years as Organist – Curator with the legendary Milhous Collection in South Florida, Dave and his youngest daughter currently enjoy living in Upper Michigan in the historic town of Crystal Falls. Dave has three grown kids, two married with children of their own. So, with six grandchildren and concertizing, there are many opportunities for travel.
Founded in 1966, the non-profit Empire State Theatre & Musical Instrument Museum is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents as an Educational Organization. It is located in the Harriet May Mills Art & Home Center on the New York State Fairgrounds. The Wurlitzer organ was built in 1925 for the former RKO Keith’s Theatre in downtown Syracuse where it was used principally for silent film accompaniment and musical interludes. It was saved and reinstalled permanently in the Empire Theatre at the State Fairgrounds as the centerpiece of the theatre and musical instrument museum.
MORE INFORMATION about the museum is available by email at
anVuY3Rpb24gfCB0d2NueSAhIHJyICEgY29t and online at
https://www.facebook.com/SyracuseWurlitzer/ , internet at www.syracusewurlitzer.com or by calling (315) 451-6551 Tuesday-Friday 10:00am-6:00pm and Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm or (315) 345-0879.
WHERE / WHEN: Empire Theatre, NYS Fairgrounds, 581 State Fair Boulevard, Syracuse NY 13209
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Show Hours: Doors open at 6:30pm, concert starts at 7:00pm
ADMISSION: Non-members - Adults $15.00, Children $5.00 - General seating tickets are available at the door prior to the program
Event web site:
https://www.facebook.com/SyracuseWurlitzer/ and www.syracusewurlitzer.com
Refreshments will be served during intermission and special tours of the organ pipe chambers will be held following the program.
Also check out other Arts events in Syracuse, Theatre events in Syracuse, Entertainment events in Syracuse.
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