The Pasquerilla Spiritual Center will have a new instrument to add musical flavor to worship experiences of all denominations and solemnity to memorial services.

Yesterday afternoon, about 300 people gathered in Worship Hall to witness the dedication and inaugural playing of a new organ.

Sharon Mortensen, director of the Penn State Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs, opened the dedication.

"The organ adds splendor to religious and secular celebrations at Pasquerilla," Mortensen said.

Penn State spokeswoman Karen Zitomer said the organ, which weighs 7.5 tons and has 2,091 pipes, was the dream of the late Rev. James D. May.

"He was an organist, pianist, played harpsichord, and really inspired the building of the organ," Zitomer said. "Although he didn't live to see that come to fruition, he planted the seed."

Zitomer said May was a Roman Catholic priest at Penn State from 1969 until his death in 1993.

"The private donors saw this as a way to honor his memory," she said.

Mortensen also honored Sue Paterno, a member of the university's organ dedication committee, for Paterno's vision and commitment to the idea of having an organ in the spiritual center.

Ann Marie Rigler, associate professor of music at William Jewell College, played seven selections affiliated with different religions chosen because they represented the multi-denominational mission of Pasquerilla. Rigler was a music instructor at Penn State from 2001 to 2004.

The Penn State Concert Choir also performed along with Rigler.

Zitomer said that the funds came entirely from private donors, and the university did not donate any funds for the project.

The organ is built to look like a traditional organ, but it is also computerized and programmable, Zitomer said.

"It's a beautiful mix of the very traditional organ design and state-of-the-art programmability," she said. "It's a landmark piece that's going to be there forever."

Bob Smith, assistant director of the center, said student organists could potentially use the organ, not just university staff.

"The organists have to be approved by the university; someone couldn't just walk in off the street," Smith said. "They would have to go through the process, and as long as that happens, everything is OK."

Dave Lieb, executive director of university development, said about 10 of the 51 donors were local donors. The amount raised by the donors was about $400,000.

Zitomer said the organ, which was not originally drawn into the spiritual center's plans, was installed over the summer The university's organ was designed by James Oleg Kruhly and Associates of Philadelphia and was built by Orgues Létourneau Limitée of Quebec, Canada.