Dobson installed this pipe organ in 2013 at Oxford University for Merton College’s 750th anniversary. Photo: Courtesy of Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
Writer: Kylie Petty
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders is hitting a high note: The Lake City company began installing its 100th organ in July at Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, just in time for the school’s 100th anniversary. The installation will likely continue through February 2026, before a series of celebratory concerts by students, faculty and far-flung alumni.
The project marks a milestone for Dobson, too. The 100th organ is the first product of the company’s new workshop, which was built after a fire destroyed the original shop in 2021. In the new space, artisans continue the tradition that Lynn Dobson started in 1974, shaping metal pipes, carving elegant wooden cases and carefully calibrating each component to bring the instruments to life.
It’s quite a feat of artistry and engineering. No less a musician than Mozart once wrote, “To my eyes and ears, the organ will forever be the king of instruments.”
