Tonal Blend and Balance
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church was constructed in the late 1950s. Limited funding was available at the time and an undersized instrument was installed in the rear gallery. Terrazzo floors and hard plastered walls and ceiling created a sympathetic acoustic for this instrument and the organ served the church for many years.
Built for Worship
As the small pipe organ neared the end of its life, the congregation hoped to find a larger instrument to better support parish worship. The congregation was excited when 45 ranks of fine pipework became available from a recently shuttered church; this invigorated the organ project and allowed for the creation of a new three-manual 30-rank instrument within their defined budget.
New Mechanism
The organ plays from an entirely new mechanism. Windchests, reservoirs, and other components were custom designed to fit the available space. A high quality and lightly used organ console was altered to fit the new specification. The visually attractive yet simple façade and case complement the existing architectural details of the sanctuary.
Creative Thinking
A conventional three-manual specification was not feasible due to the space limitations in the gallery. Built on the foundation of a conventional two-manual instrument, the addition of the Solo division allows the instrument to possess stops normally reserved for larger instrument while providing the flexibility of a third manual through judicious unification.
