First Presbyterian Church

Birmingham, Michigan

Year Built: 2009
Manuals: 4
Stops: 50
Ranks: 64

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The Nichols & Simpson organ for First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Michigan replaces a Casavant organ that was built in 1953. The three-manual Casavant instrument was installed in one chamber on the side of the chancel. The Nichols & Simpson organ has 50 stops and 64 ranks of pipes, of which 12 stops or portions thereof are incorporated into the new organ from the Casavant. The pipes of the main divisions of the organ are on pallet-and-slider windchests. Larger pedal pipes and duplexed stops are on individual valve windchests. The church interior was completely redesigned architecturally by Constantine George Pappas Architects of Troy Michigan and acoustically by Riedel and Associates of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The chancel width was opened up, and most of the organ is across the front of the chancel fronted by new casework designed by Frank Friemel. The Swell division together with some Pedal basses are located in the original organ chamber which was made shallower. The new four-manual console is constructed of American Cherry and features manual keys with coverings of bone and rosewood. The drawknobs are of rosewood with bone faces inset for engraving. The tilting tablets are of bone. The five expression shoes are solid rosewood. The wind pressures for the organ range from 4″ for the Great division to 6″ for the Solo division, with the separately enclosed Tuba stop on a wind pressure of 15″.

Those who contributed to the realization of the organ include: