Jacksonville, FL

Riverside Presbyterian

This installation represents a close collaboration between the church, the organ consultant, and our team. The previous Möller organ, placed in a split chancel configuration, had become virtually unserviceable. Its original design had not accounted for long-term maintenance, and when the windchests required releathering, the technician determined the work was nearly impossible to complete. He recommended full replacement as the most practical solution. This began a multi-year process of identifying the right builder and approach.

R.A. Colby was selected from a field of five firms to provide an instrument that would offer mechanical reliability, tonal depth, and lasting quality. A primary goal was to allow harmonically balanced sound to reach the entire room without forcing the pipework to over-speak from within the chancel. We recommended relocating the Great division from the chamber onto the main axis of the room, where it could speak freely and fully support the space. While there was some initial concern that this might obstruct the stained glass window—a focal point of the chancel—the final design complemented the architecture and enhanced the visual balance. The carved casework integrates seamlessly with the existing detail.

Once that decision was made, the committee asked what further improvement could be made. Our response was simple but critical: improve the organ’s access to the room.

At that time, the organ chambers projected only into the chancel, making it difficult to support both choir and congregation. We proposed opening the fronts and sides of the chambers to allow direct projection into the nave. While the concept was well understood, the execution was daunting. The walls in question were ten inches thick and load-bearing. With help from a church member who worked in architecture and construction, the proposal was evaluated thoroughly. The team determined the openings could be created on both sides of the chancel, though at considerable cost. The committee chair was committed to building the best instrument possible and approved the work. Fortunately, the project came in under budget and yielded a dramatic improvement. The organ now surrounds the congregation with sound and speaks clearly throughout the sanctuary.

The organ was also engineered with independent tonal and mechanical levels to allow for straightforward service access. This keeps mechanical noise to a minimum and makes future maintenance far more efficient and cost-effective.

The result is a superb instrument, both musically and technically. We invite you to visit Riverside and experience it firsthand.