Dr. Michael Ging
Organ Consultant
St. Cecilia Catholic Church
Houston, Texas
Hybrid Organ Project (2024)
The new organ at St. Cecilia Catholic Church is a three-manual hybrid instrument uniting restored pipework from three historic organs with new pipe ranks and digital voices to create a versatile, cohesive, tonal palette for the parish's vibrant liturgical life. Dr. Ging led the project from the initial evaluation of existing instruments through specification development, placement analysis, builder coordination, and final tonal concept approval.
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Working within the fan-shaped sanctuary and significant architectural constraints, Dr. Ging guided the selection of a suspended, polished-aluminum façade, designed to complement the apse and reinforce the visual liturgical environment. R.A. Colby, Inc. executed the design, console, hybrid integration, and façade, while Patrick J. Murphy & Associates provided mechanical design, pipe restoration, chamber layout, and tonal finishing. Walker Technical Company provided their Pipe Organ Enhancement Technology (POET) for digital ranks and the organ's control system.
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The completed instrument comprises 1,753 pipes, 29 pipe ranks, 15 digital ranks, and 38 stops. It was dedicated on November 21, 2024, the eve of the feast of St. Cecilia, with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo presiding.
St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church
Charleston, South Carolina
Digital Organ Project with Pipe Displays (2023)
The new organ at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church was conceived and designed concurrently with the construction of the parish's new gothic revival church building. Working with the pastor, architect, staff musician, and builder well before the sanctuary was completed, Dr. Ging developed the organ's specification, placement strategy, console design, and visual integration to ensure the instrument would serve the liturgy from the first day the parish moved into its new space.
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Inspired by the French Symphonic tradition of Cavaillé-Coll, the instrument features four crafted pipe façades, a four-manual French terraced console, and a dedicated Choeur division discreetly located within the reredos to support cantors and antiphonal singing. Designed to provide the full expressive range needed for chant, congregational accompaniment, choral repertoire, and organ literature, the instrument reflects a holistic approach to liturgical planning that began long before the building's completion.
