02/12/2026
In a few short days, Opus 2805 will be leaving the shop on its way to its new home at St. John of the Cross in Vero beach Florida. This isn’t the first time however, this organ has left our shop. Opus 2805 was known formerly as opus 2600 from Christ Church Greenwich which has been reconfigured with a new specification, higher wind pressures, and broader scales. This project has been the epitome of brilliant design by John T Austin. Mr. Austin knew tonal tastes would change (for better or for worse) but what would remain is the need for good reliable pipe organs. Thus came the Universal Airchest and standard chest parts. He believed an organ that is accessible will be maintained and cared for.
The brilliance in design was then captured by the current senior design engineer Higgins who worked tirelessly to transform this instrument to fit its new role in Vero Beach. In the case of Opus 2805, we were able to reuse many of the wind chests but with some modifications. For example, by swapping a few pipe bars (toe boards), one of the former Great wind chests in 2600 became the new Solo chest in 2805. We are very excited to begin this installation. Stay tuned for updates!