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In 1901, the Austin Company installed our first permanent organ (the oak façade that currently supports the visible organ pipes behind the choir is part of that original installation).  In 1930, the Echo organ (above the southwest entrance to the sanctuary) was added.  In 1969, Austin built a completely new organ in the chancel.

Problems with the Austin organ started to appear in the early 1990s, leading to the church's decision to replace the instrument.  Thanks to the generous financial support of Mrs. Dorothy Park, who donated funds in memory of her late husband, Mr. Roy H. Park, Stephen Russell (at right) was commissioned to construct the new organ.  At the same time, Schickel Architecture of Ithaca was selected to design acoustical renovations to the sanctuary.  The results have been spectacular.

Every aspect of the organ, from its general layout to the voicing of each individual pipe (all 5,000 of them) was accomplished with the unique features of our sanctuary in mind.  The outcome is truly a gift for the ages, something that First Presbyterian Church can share with Ithaca and the surrounding area for decades to come.  One can only hope that the generosity of Mrs. Park and the efforts of those involved in this project will be more than repaid by the joy and exhilaration shared by all those who experience our wonderful new organ.

The new Stephen Russell organ was dedicated on the afternoon of May 7, 2006.

For a complete list of the new organ's stops and specifications, click here.