Young organist making beautiful music at churches
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 45 minutes AGO
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at [email protected] or 406-892-2151. | November 4, 2026 11:00 PM
At age 7, Leif Homme taught himself to play the baby grand piano. At age 9, he taught himself to read music and started playing the organ.
“I was able to read music and have had no trouble since then,” he said in a recent interview.
By age 15, he was playing the organ for Immaculate Conception in Kalispell, a small Catholic church.
He went on to play organ at other churches as well, including St. Richard Catholic Church in Columbia Falls and St. Charles Borromeo in Whitefish. Today, at 25, he his now the music director at both churches.
His Saturdays and Sundays are busy, to say the least.
Homme loves it. He loves music. His faith, he said, has great influence on his work and his work reflects his faith, full of youth and energy and spirit.
“I try to select music that will help lift the minds and hearts of congregation to God at Mass,” he said.
Homme also enjoys traveling to other churches and has played the organ at the Cathedral of St. Helena in Helena, the Cathedral of St. Johns in Spokane and even the vaunted Salzburg Cathedral in Austria.
“It was fantastic,” he said. “The bigger (the organ) the more fun they are to play.”
In addition to playing the greats like Bach and Beethoven, he also occasionally writes his own pieces.
“Usually it’s improvisation,” he said. “Making it up as I go along.”
He plays a favorite, “Power of Life” by Mons Leidvin Takle; his fingers deftly glide over the keys as the music reverberates through the halls of St. Richard on this Friday morning, charged with life and energy.
“People like that one,” he says with a smile.
Homme is working on his professional certificate from the American Guild of Organists.
It could lead to bigger things.
“We’ll see what God has in store for me,” he said.
He continues to hone his craft, practicing a couple of hours a day. He said anyone interested in music needs to practice and practice.
And have passion.
“Don’t stop. Don’t look back. Keep learning new things,” he said.
Homme will be giving a free concert of some of his favorite songs at St. Richard at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15. The public is welcome to attend.
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