The Allen Organ in the chapel of John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School
John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, Western Australia's largest independent school,
shares its chapel with the Anglican Parish of St. Paul's (Mirrabooka).
Commissioned in May 1999, this landmark structure in Perth's northern suburbs combines clean,
modern lines with warmth and resonance. Its reverberation has made it alluring to many
of Western Australia's top musicians, who perform there with increasing regularity.
Singers, in particular, marvel at the resonant features. The school's Department of Music
regularly hosts Sunday afternoon recitals, which are as much a showcase of the Chapel's
acoustic properties as they are of the artist's talent.
A three-manual Allen organ lends consistently wonderful support to the liturgical ceremonies and choral festivals presented by the school. Additionally, organ recitals are presented on the instrument. The organ has also been upgraded with an
Allen MDS Expander II which allows the addition of ranks (such as an eight-foot Spanish Trumpet, or Bells
and other percussion stops), making the organ a truly exciting vehicle to explore the repertoire of the
twentieth, and, indeed, the twenty-first century.
The presence of the organ in the chapel is not only a demonstration of the school's support for music as a major part of the school curriculum, it is also a reinforcement of the school's commitment to providing a valuable and much-loved service to the neighbouring suburbs and community. One of the annual musical highlights is the Festival of Lessons and Carols, held annually in the evening of the first Wednesday in December. This event features organ and other fine music in preparation for Christmas.
Organ Specifications
| GREAT | CHOIR | SWELL | PEDAL |
|---|---|---|---|
Gemshorn 16 |
Holzgedackt 8 |
Gemshorn 8 |
Contre Bourdon 32 |
GENERAL |
|||
Bass Coupler (Couples the Pedal stops to the lowest note played on the Great). |
|||