Organ Farewell Celebration

St. Peter’s historic E.M. Skinner organ (affectionately called “Margie”) will begin extensive repairs beginning the end of June. The week before this work begins, we will send Margie off in style with a live mini-concert at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 16.

All are invited to either attend in person (we will gather outdoors to listen through the open church windows) or virtually on our YouTube Channel. St. Peter’s Music Director Dr. Darryl Roland and organist Matthew Boatmon will play several of their favorite festive organ pieces (about 15 minutes of organ music).

Advance registrations are required if you’d like to join us in person! Please click here to RSVP. When you arrive, please enter through the main Pine Street entrance gate. We ask all visitors to stay masked and maintain social distance from one another during this outdoor event. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to Thursday, June 17.

The week following this farewell concert, the A. Thomas-Allen Company, the premier restoration and preservation experts of E.M. Skinner organs in the world, will begin its work. They will disassemble our 90-year-old historic instrument and transport it to the company’s headquarters in New Haven, CT. There, they will spend the next year meticulously cleaning the pipes, rebuilding the mechanical components, and restoring the organ to its original tone and beauty.

This work is being funded in large part by generous grants: $500,000 from the Wyncote Foundation and another $50,000 from the Bradley Foundation. These grants will cover the majority of the repairs; St. Peter’s will seek additional grant money and donations to cover the remainder of the work. To learn more about the organ’s restoration work, click here to read a wonderful article written by Joe Dzeda, co-owner of the A. Thompson-Allen Company.