“It is very moving to hear such a magnificent work of organ building, and one that has been as lovingly cared for, as the organ in St. Mark’s Church, Beaumont, Texas. “ – Charles Callahan organist and author of the Aeolian- Skinner Legacy

Dating from 1962, the St. Mark’s organ is one of the finest extant examples of this era of the Boston based Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company’s output. Joseph Silver Whiteford (1921-1978) President was responsible for the overall tonal design and the renowned Roy Perry (1906-1978) of Kilgore, Texas did the tonal finishing in person right here at St. Mark's. It is a milestone instrument in a unique series of collaborations between these two gentlemen. The renowned husband and wife team of Nora and Jimmy Williams oversaw the installation for Aeolian-Skinner.

LEARN MORE

The St. Mark’s Organ has been featured on NPR as well as other broadcasts. A CD was made in 2005 in conjunction with the Vermont Organ Academy and was sold internationally.

The instrument features three manuals and 51 ranks over three divisions: Great, Swell, and Positiv. However, the organ is infinitely more versatile than many instruments of its size because of a "Divided Swell" division. The instrument has seen only minor adjustments through the years. The Great now includes a 4' Harmonic Flute. The Swell now has a 2-rank Sesquialtera, and the Positiv had a 4' Principal added.

In May 2024, the Vestry voted unanimously to hire Stephen L. Emery, Incorporated of Quakertown, Pennsylvania to complete the restoration of Opus 1391. Steve enjoys a cherished reputation within the organ world, and he frequently visits East Texas to oversee maintenance on a historic Aeolian-Skinner organ in Kilgore. The Emery team meticulously removed nearly all of 2,830 pipes and organ components in September 2024. The restoration project will take a year, maybe a little longer. St. Mark’s has retained organ consultant Jonathan Ambrosino to oversee the restoration process. The church acquired a 2-manual Johannus digital organ for use in the interim.

Memorial donations or gifts dedicated to the organ's preservation and care are always welcomed.