Faith United Methodist Installs a Custom, 4-Manual Allen Organ

Faith United Methodist, Rockville, MD
Allen Custom
4 manuals

In October, Jordan Kitt’s Music began one of the largest Allen Organ installations in the Baltimore-Washington area. This was a large 4 manual custom built Allen organ in a beautiful colonial style console with mahogany and white finish. It is installed at Faith United Methodist Church in Rockville, MD. Organist Bob Holder and his committee spent over a year listening to various brands of organs. They were impressed with the way the Allen technology allowed note by note, stop by stop voicing. This technology allows a voicer to seamlessly incorporate the digital stops with pipes, making the entire organ fit its environment and the wishes of the organist and congregation.

At Faith UMC, the organ is called on to play many styles of music. The Quantum technology, which gives them four separate specifications, in conjunction with the VISTA module, which opens up the entire world of contemporary music, sequencing, downloading song files from the internet and the ability to customize individual sounds per piston, won the day.

Wooden keys and drawknobs make this organ especially elegant. The organ includes 30 speaker cabinets, a full antiphonal division and has been interfaced with 15 existing pipe ranks. A dedicatory concert is being planned for Friday, May 12, 2006 at 8:00pm featuring Bob Holder, organist at Faith UMC.

Kirkwood Presbyterian Chooses Allen for Renovation

Kirkwood Presbyterian, Springfield, VA
Allen Heritage III-64
3 manuals

Kirkwood Presbyterian Church of Springfield Virginia recently installed their new Heritage III-64. This customized three-manual console was temporarily installed in the sanctuary which is going to be renovated in 2005. This new instrument was the first step in the process. The organ committee, spearheaded by Mr. Mark Wessman, went to hear several instruments and after hearing the Renaissance technology the decision was easy.

During the renovation, the new instrument will be moved to Fellowship Hall and upon the completion of the renovation will be moved back to the sanctuary where it's speaker system will be installed in newly designed chambers.

The Saturday afternoon dedication program was performed by Mr. Thomas Hazelton and was preceded by a seminar on hymn playing, registration, MIDI and improvisation which was attended by many area organists. Congratulations to Kirkwood Presbyterian Church. ~Shown is Kirkwood Presbyterian's new Heritage III at the Dedication concert.~

Historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Baltimore Replaces Moller with Allen Protégé

St. John's Episcopal Church, Baltimore, MD
Allen Protege
3 manuals

This Historic church in the Mt. Washington area of Baltimore was home to a Moller organ from the early 1900's. Facing some major expenses to have the organ restored, Director of Music Richard Lake explored replacing the organ. Early in the fall of 2003, Richard tried digital organs by various builders. He concluded that Allen was the finest sounding organ for the church, and recommended it for purchase. In May of 2004, a new 3-manual Allen Protege organ was installed at St. John's. The speakers are installed in the pipe chamber and the sound in the church is nothing short of fantastic! The organ specification, while American Classic in nature, also offers a French "second-voicing" option. The organ was dedicated in concert on Sunday, October 3, 2004.

Allen Changes Traditional Minds at Visitation Monastery

Visitation Monastery, Frederick, MD
Allen Renaissance
2 manuals

When Fred Markey of Jordan Kitt's was invited to visit this historic landmark in Frederick last spring, he was greeted by Father Vincent Campi. The first words out of Father's mouth to him were, "I want you to know that I only like pipe organs!" When the new Allen organ was installed, Father Campi said "This is the closest sound to a pipe organ I've ever heard!" Well, even without pipes, a beautiful pipe organ sound fills this reverberant chapel every week. Sister Mary Joseph spearheaded the project. Because they also purchased the Smart Recorder, Fred Markey has recorded and e-mailed MIDI files on several occasions which were able to be downloaded and played during Mass. What a great use of technology!

St. James Episcopal Invests in the Future with Upgradeable Allen

St. James Episcopal, Potomac, MD
Allen Renaissance
3 manuals

Fred Markey was involved in the installation in 1983 of the large three-manual Allen organ at St. James in Potomac. When organist Newton Lewis called about replacing the organ, Fred responded with a surprised "Why?" As it turns out, one of the reasons that the church purchased a non-pipe organ 20 years ago was that they would be able to justify the expenditure of replacing the organ at some point should they see the merit. With the addition of MIDI and Renaissance Technology in the last few years, a new organ seemed justified. Renaissance organs are software driven, meaning that the new organ at St. James can be upgraded as time goes on, making a future replacement less likely. The organ console is especially beautiful with wooden key sharps, stops and stop faces as well as couplers. The console is movable and was moved to the front and center when Newton Lewis played the opening concert in February. David Pallett chaired the organ committee just as he did 20 years ago and was helpful in designing the audio system consisting of 24 speaker enclosures.

Clients

Andrew Chapel Methodist
Baptist Temple Baptist
Calvary Baptist
Calvary Chapel
Christ Church Episcopal
Church of Christ
Church of the Ascension
Clinton Christian Assembly
First Lutheran Church of Gray Manor
First Presbyterian
Good Shepherd Ministries
Holy Savior Catholic
Hope Lutheran
Kirkwood Presbyterian
Manassas Presbyterian
The New Church Hillside Chapel
Our Lady Good Counsel Catholic
Our Lady of Hope Catholic
Peace Lutheran
Plymouth Haven Baptist
Shrewsbury Parish Church
St. Andrew's United Methodist
St. Christopher By-the-Sea Episcopal
St. Ignatius Catholic
St. James Episcopal
St. John's Episcopal
St. Mark's Presbyterian
St. Matthew's By-the-Sea United Methodist
Union United Methodist
University Baptist
Visitation Monastery
Wesley Chapel United Methodist
Zion United Methodist