We have been commissioned to rebuild and enlarge the Aeolian-Skinner organ of 1960 for the Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene TX. In addition to completing the mechanical restoration of most of the original Skinner mechanism, we will be augmenting the Swell, revoicing and augmenting the Great, enclosing and augmenting the Positif (Choir,) augmenting the Pedal, adding an expressive Antiphonal and Tuba, and providing a new custom console. If you compare the present stop list to the one linked here, you can see the many changes and additions. The main organ will mostly appear as it does now. The rear of the church has a handsome wood panel below the "west" window. This panel will be moved forward and the new Antiphonal and Tuba will be placed behind it, each in its own expression box, and speaking up over it. This will largely preserve the present look of the building and not inhibit the views of the many surrounding windows. The new organ will have all the desirable original sounds, and will be expanded to provide the delicacy, color and gravitas so needed in the liturgy and musical life of this parish. We are grateful to Music Director Thomas Pavlechko and all our new friends at Heavenly Rest for their faith in us and we very much look forward to the completion of this new project in late 2025.
