Organ/Piano

Main Sanctuary Pipe Organ

The Pipe Organ in the Main Sanctuary was designed and custom built by the Keats-Geissler Organ Company from Acton (now located in Guelph) under the direction of owner Dieter Geissler himself.  It was installed in the Spring of 1988 after several years of fund raising for the project.

When the church was built in the 1960’s the organ/choir loft was designed around the possibility of someday installing a Pipe Organ so there was plenty of room for the casework and the pipes.  The choir seating space was rebuilt and cantilevered out to accommodate the large console and provide additional, more flexible choir space.

The organ is a 2 manual instrument with 26 ranks and approximately 1,600 individual pipes.  About 60% of the pipes came from an older Warren organ and have the warm rich sound of older pipes.  The balance of the pipes, including the visible façade pipes on the exterior of the casework, were new in 1988 along with the organ console.  Mr. Geissler retired in 2010 and passed away in 2013.  The organ is now lovingly maintained by Jens Geissler, who took over the company from his father, and his team of organ tuners.

The Main Sanctuary Pipe Organ was first heard on Palm Sunday 1988, and continues to add a great deal to our worship at St. Mary’s.

Chapel Pipe Organ

St. Mary’s historic Chapel was built in 1872 and surely had a variety of organs/pianos to help lead the worship over many years.  Undoubtedly at least one pump organ served the purpose, complete with foot pedals to pump air into the blower and candle stands to light the music for the organist!

Quite unexpectedly in 2007, St. Mary’s was approached about receiving a donation of a small Pipe Organ (originally constructed by the Dubay Organ Company from Burlington with used parts) from a church in Richmond Hill, as they were replacing it with a more modern instrument from another church in Richmond Hill.  As the electronic organ in the Chapel was virtually unusable due to electronic problems, the Wardens were agreeable to the donation.  The Chapel was undergoing a major refurbishing at the time to bring it back to life, so the pipes and console were stored in the basement of the church for several years.

In 2010 the instrument was installed in the Chapel by the Keats-Geissler Organ Company, with whom we had much experience from the Pipe Organ in the main sanctuary.  It was decided to mount the pipes on a newly constructed platform over the main door and to install the console at the front.  However, as part of the agreement with Keats-Geissler, the small Dubay console was replaced with a larger 2 manual console with full pedal board made by the Shantz Organ Company from Ohio.  Keates-Geissler continues to maintain the Chapel Organ.

The Chapel Pipe Organ, with its 3 ranks and 212 pipes, was first heard on Christmas Eve 2010, and adds much old world charm to our historic Chapel.

Pianos

We have Yamaha Grand Piano in the Main Sanctuary, Nord Heimer Upright Piano in the Chapel, and Yamaha Digital Piano in Wrixon Hall.