ALLEN ORGAN INSTALLATIONS

When St. Anne's Episcopal Church decided to replace their decades-old Aeolian Skinner pipe organ, the Minister of Music, David Allen, obtained quotes from various pipe organ builders and considered adding a digital console to augment the pipes. David was impressed when he first heard the Allen combination pipe-digital instrument at Trinity Church in Manassas, Virginia, and was compelled to contact the Allen Organ Company to learn more.

Allen representative Ken Saliba escorted David and the St. Anne's organ committee to hear the Trinity Church instrument and an Allen custom organ at Christ Church, Georgetown. After experiencing these demonstrations the committee posed the question; "Do we really need pipes at all?"

Freed from the restrictions of pipes, a custom four-manual, 82 stop Allen digital organ was designed and installed. David Allen commented, "This new organ makes me so happy. The innovative placement of the speakers helps the organ provide wonderful support for congregational singing. A colleague of mine described the organ as 'wrapping its arms around the congregation'".

"It has been designed to English cathedral specifications", he continued, "This could only be possible with the use of the current digital technology, given the space limitations of our organ chamber. Allen's obvious expertise in the digital field, matched by the quality of their workmanship, has provided St. Anne's with a magnificent instrument that will bring us joy for many years to come", David concluded.

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