On Sunday, March 9, 2025, internationally renowned organist and conductor James O’Donnell performed the Inaugural Concert of Palmer Trinity School’s new pipe organ at Trinity Chapel. The instrument, built by Casavant Frères of Quebec, was completed last November and is the only one of its kind in Southeast Florida.
O’Donnell is currently a Professor of Organ at Yale University but previously served a 23-year tenure as organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey. His 90-minute concert program spanned repertoire from the 17th to the 21st centuries and expertly demonstrated the full capabilities of the new instrument. He showcased the organ’s tonal versatility, producing a wide spectrum of enchanting sounds from its 22 stops and 1,625 pipes.
Approximately 200 attendees, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors, gathered for the occasion. Among those present were Dany Wiseman, project director at Casavant Frères; Joanne Schulte, friend of the school and organ consultant involved in the project; and Tina Lane, former board chair and a key supporter of the organ’s installation. Members of the Miami Chapter of the American Guild of Organists were also in attendance and gathered afterwards for a question-and-answer session with O’Donnell.
“This exceptional concert, played by a truly formidable artist, marked a significant moment in the school’s history, establishing the new instrument as a central feature of student life at Palmer Trinity School,” Patrick Roberts, Head of School.
Another opportunity to hear this instrument is scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., when it will be played in concert by Andrew Cooper, who serves as organist and choir director of Palmer Trinity School and director of music at Trinity Cathedral in Miami. This event is free and open to the public.
About Palmer Trinity School:
Palmer Trinity School—a coeducational, independent Episcopal day school—is dedicated to promoting academic excellence that integrates knowledge, compassion, global citizenship, and social responsibility. Providing a supportive environment, Palmer Trinity School serves students from a broad range of socio-economic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds in grades 6-12. For more information about the school, visit www.palmertrinity.org. To follow Palmer Trinity School on Facebook, click here.
