Our historic church is blessed to be home to two beautiful pipe organs that enrich worship, inspire concerts, and connect us to a long tradition of sacred music. The 1962 Holtkamp Memorial Organ fills our Meetinghouse Sanctuary with its majestic sound, while the more intimate Moller Organ is perfectly suited to the Woodruff Chapel. Both instruments are lovingly maintained by the A. Thompson Allen Organ Company of New Haven, CT — also the curators of Yale University’s organs — ensuring that they continue to serve our community for generations to come.
The Holtkamp Organ
The Meetinghouse Organ is a 1962 Holtkamp (III/71), Opus 1739, with three manuals and 40 ranks. It replaced the 1918 Estey Organ that once stood at the front of the sanctuary. While the original console remains in use, the organ has seen two major renovations in 1990 and 2015 to improve the pipework and electrical systems. This remarkable instrument anchors our worship, supports congregational singing, and serves as a centerpiece for concerts.
The Moller Organ
Woodruff Chapel houses a two-manual Moller Organ with just a few ranks — modest in scale but perfectly matched to the space. Its warm tone fills the chapel with beauty, making it ideal for smaller gatherings, weddings, and intimate worship services.
Caring for Our Instruments
Pipe organs require continual care and long-term planning. The Holtkamp console will need replacement in the coming years, and the Moller will require significant maintenance as well. If you would like to support the preservation of these historic instruments, gifts can be made to the Organ Fund through our church’s giving page or by mailing a check with “Organ Fund” in the memo. Your generosity helps sustain these treasures of sound.
The Frank Mulheron Organ Series
In 2016, First Church inaugurated the Frank Mulheron Organ Series, designed to showcase outstanding organ talent here in Milford. Minister of Music Daniel Brownell offers several concerts each year as part of the series, and we look forward to welcoming other distinguished organists in the seasons ahead. For information on upcoming concerts, please contact Daniel at musicminister@firstchurchofmilford.org.
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