New Organ Installation Begins

On Wednesday, September 3, 2014, a pair of eighteen-wheelers pulled in to 10600 Preston Road carrying exciting cargo: the Chapel’s new organ. 

 

The organ’s delivery is one of the final steps in a project that began over two years ago. In that time, a special committee, including Choirmaster Tinsley Silcox and Organist Glenn Stroh, worked exhaustively to select the best instrument for the St. Mark’s Chapel. The organ was designed and constructed at the factory of pipe organ builder Orgues Létourneau in Québec, Canada, before being disassembled and delivered to Dallas by truck. 

 

Now, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, the thousands of individual pieces laid out on the Chapel floor are being meticulously reassembled in the correct order. After assembly is complete, the organ will go through a final, extensive “voicing” process to tune it to the Chapel’s acoustic surroundings.

 

The new organ was made possible thanks to a generous gift by Tony and JoAnne Roosevelt on behalf of their family. The Roosevelt's two sons, Toby ’81 and David ’89, attended St. Mark's and their daughter, Liz, married alumnus Seth Kelly ’84. The Roosevelts have been an ardent supporter of the Chapel, helping fund the original construction 20 years ago and, more recently, funding the installation of the Roosevelt Family “24-Bell” Carillon. The Roosevelts, and the new organ, were featured in the The Pride (Winter 2013).

WFAA News recently aired a story about the new organ installation, available to watch here.