Strength to Strength Campaign Report

Back in Tune

Until recently, despite the best efforts of Trinity organist and Director of Music John Tuttle, the College Chapel organ had been hitting a few sour notes.

It became obvious a few years ago that the instrument, installed in 1954, was badly in need of restoration, to the tune of $250,000.

Thanks to donations, good luck and hard work, the organ is now performing much better. In the summer of 2008, Tuttle arranged a donation of used pipes from the Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto – and proceeded to install them himself, with help from a local organ builder – saving the considerable cost of replacing half of the Chapel’s 1,400 pipes with brand new ones, or sending them back to their birthplace in Quebec for cleaning.

Today “the organ is just miles ahead of where it was, with a lovely ensemble sound that carries throughout the Chapel,” Tuttle says. The repairs so far have been generously supported by just over $50,000 in donations, but more work is needed, particularly to rebuild the console – including keyboards, pedal boards and stop knobs.

“Frankly, we’ve worn it out,” Tuttle says. “The keys clack and rattle, and don’t always make contact, and because of the dilapidated pedal board, the organist is never sure how many notes he’s going to get, if he gets one at all.”

Not only is the Chapel a place of celebration and contemplation, it is also used to train divinity students. “I think it’s essential that young priests have exposure to the very best of church music,” Tuttle says.