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Malcolm Halliday’s dream is about to come true.

The head of Chorale San Miguel has longed for a musical instrument that could equal and enhance the vocal power of his troupe of singers. A pipe organ was his instrument of choice and in November, San Miguelians will be able to share with Halliday and the chorus the realization of that dream.

San Miguel resident Alfredo Lanier tells the story of this pipe organ and the challenges met in getting it refurbished, shipped in pieces to San Miguel, reconstructed and, soon, to be a centerpiece in the classical musical universe of San Miguel.

You can read Alfredo Lanier’s entire story here in his blog about life in Mexico, El Rancho Santa Clara: Mexico through the eyes of two American expats.

Here’s an excerpt:

“In San Miguel, there are more than 20 Roman Catholic places of worship though many of them are open only during high religious holidays like Easter, and none had a first-class functioning pipe organ. That gap was filled by the arrival last month of a small, 150-year-old organ with about 409 pipes, and purchased in the U.S.

“In an impressive feat of logistics the organ was meticulously dismantled, shipped to San Miguel, and reassembled at the Franciscan Temple and Convent of the Third Order, adjacent to the San Francisco Church in the Centro—one of the oldest in the city, dating back to late 18th Century.

“The organ was built by the renowned Johnson & Son Organ Company of Westfield, Mass., which during its life made 860 organs for churches throughout the U.S., Canada, and Bermuda. Fifty-two Johnson organs were installed in Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire, some of which are still in use. A small plate over the keyboard of San Miguel’s organ bears the legend “Opus 447,” or the 447th instrument built by this company.

“It’s a deceivingly small musical jewel that packs a mighty sound thanks to the resonant acoustics of its otherwise austere new home. San Miguel now can boast having a historic organ housed in its own historic church setting.”

Read more here.

Malcolm Halliday and Chorale San Miguel are still working to cover the cost of the organ. You can help by donating here.