Palladium Celebrates Historic Skinner Organ and Its Second Act  

With coming renovations of St. Pete’s historic Palladium, one thing remained uncertain: What would become of the theater’s resident instrument, the massive Skinner Organ Opus 552?

The organ, which had been at the theater since it opened in 1925, is admittedly seldom used these days. But when Donna Guillaume, Dean of the St. Petersburg Chapter of American Guild of Organists, found out it was going to be removed, she had one response: “What?”

“Over the years, members of our local organists guild played the Skinner Organ,” says Guillaume. “Barry Stevens was the resident organist [when the building was still the] Church of Christ, Scientist, from 1970 through 1987. I worked there after Barry, and it was my favorite organ in town. The church members were the most attentive to the music of any place I ever worked.” 

When Guillaume heard the organ’s uncertain fate, it came as shock. “I was stunned. Many of us had personal memories of the organ.”

That’s when an idea started to form.

“During this time when it wasn’t known what would happen to the organ, Dr. Tony Napolitano, a chapter member, brought up the idea or recognizing the Skinned Organ for its 100 years of service to the St. Petersburg community, both as an instrument for worship and later for entertainment,” Guillaume explained. “Robert Todd, who’s been key in the life of the St. Petersburg chapter for decades, grabbed onto the idea and coordinated with the Palladium staff, especially Damon Dougherty, to bring the celebration of the Skinner Organ to life.”

The program for the show was a collaborative effort. Guild members got together the first of the year and sketched out their ideas, coming up with a timeline for the organ, starting with 1920s music through the 1990s. The Palladium hosted the event on May 21. 

“Members like Cathy Blanchard, Robert Todd, Barry Stevens, Jack Rain, and Jordan Markham agreed to play,” said Guillaume. “We were thrilled when John and Mary K. Wilson said they would host the program.”

John Wilson gave the audience a little background on the organ’s history: “This building, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, was constructed by George A. Fuller Construction Company and was completed in 1925. The contract for this Skinner Organ was signed in 1925, built and installed and played for the first service in 1926. Ernest Martin Skinner was born in 1866. He was known for building exceptional instruments and innovating many new organ stops and accessory features that have since become standard features on modern organs. His instruments represented the pinnacle of the symphonic style of organ building because he was able to create pipes that imitated orchestral instruments as the French horn, tuba and clarinet. He also refined forms of existing stops to achieve unparalleled beauty like flutes and strings. Skinner is credited with building 800 pipe organs between 1901 and 1942.”

  Mary K. Wilson briefed the audience: “The Opus 552 was built with 32 individual stops, 39 ranks and a four manual console. This organ is in some disrepair, and you may hear some air escaping, a woofing sound or two, or a piston malfunction. The members and guests have worked very hard to create a program to both honor and bid farewell to this mighty instrument.”

And then they did just that. Cathy Blanchard kicked off the music with tunes from the 1920s, followed by Guillaume on the organ and Michelle Rego, soprano, singing a medley of 1930-1940’s songs. Rego is a talented singer, organist, and flautist and Director of Music at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Robert Todd, a former Dean of the St. Petersburg Chapter of American Guild of Organists, performed songs from the 1950s-1980s, known as the Golden Age of organ building. The 1970s and 80s brought back Rego, who sang a soulful rendition of the Lord’s Prayer with Barry Stevens on the organ. Organist Jack Rain closed the 1990s with “Triumphal March” from Aida. Rain is celebrating 56 years as an organist for First Presbyterian Church on Beach Drive. Jordan Markham, organist and choirmaster at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, brought his church choir and accompanied them as they sang the hymn “For All the Saints” to the delight of the audience. 

“People look at an organ, shake their heads and say something like, ‘How can you play your hands and feet together?’ I remember getting a headache when I first tried, but after a while you don’t think about it anymore,” says Guillaume. “Now when I see an old pipe organ, more often than not, I’m not focused on the mechanical aspect of actually playing it. Instead, I’m remembering the feeling of practicing, usually alone in a dim, but beautiful building, hearing air flowing into the wind chests and then to individual pipes. In that space, the sounds of the organ can lift me out of everyday worries and connect me to a space that feels timeless, even eternal. A feeling beyond words.”

While the organ has been maintained over the years, much of its value has been compromised by repairs and modifications. Its worth to those who have played and loved it, however, is priceless. Thankfully, the instrument will have a new home. The Skinner Organ will not be “tossed into the dustbin of history,” said Guillaume. With help from Jordan Markham, the organ will have a new home and a second life at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church on Snell Isle, where it will be lauded and cared for by a grateful new congregation.