Charles McManis
Encyclopedia
Charles W. McManis was an American organbuilder.
McManis was born in Kansas City, Kansas
and received A.B. and Mus. B. degrees from the University of Kansas
. He served as an apprentice with Austin Organs, Inc.
and in 1938 started his own organbuilding shop in Kansas City. While serving in the U.S. military in Europe in World War II he studied organs in England and France; these were described in several articles he wrote for The American Organist. He was a charter member of the Organ Historical Society
, and helped found the American Institute of Organbuilders. During his career, which spanned roughly sixty years, he built or restored nearly 140 organs across the U.S. He specialized in voicing techniques that used pipe nicking. In the 1940s he experimented with making pipes from aluminum tubing. He officially retired to California in 1986, but in 1989 rebuilt his 1957 organ at St. John's Episcopal Church in Waterbury, Connecticut, which had been damaged by a tornado.
McManis died in Burlington, Vermont at the age of 91.
McManis was born in Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
and received A.B. and Mus. B. degrees from the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. He served as an apprentice with Austin Organs, Inc.
Austin Organs, Inc.
Austin Organs, Inc. is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Hartford, Connecticut. The company is one of the oldest continuously-operating organ manufacturers in the United States...
and in 1938 started his own organbuilding shop in Kansas City. While serving in the U.S. military in Europe in World War II he studied organs in England and France; these were described in several articles he wrote for The American Organist. He was a charter member of the Organ Historical Society
Organ Historical Society
The Organ Historical Society is an international organization primarily composed of pipe organ enthusiasts and those who enjoy its music, and professional restorers. The main activities of the Society include promoting an active interest in the organ and its builders, particularly those in North...
, and helped found the American Institute of Organbuilders. During his career, which spanned roughly sixty years, he built or restored nearly 140 organs across the U.S. He specialized in voicing techniques that used pipe nicking. In the 1940s he experimented with making pipes from aluminum tubing. He officially retired to California in 1986, but in 1989 rebuilt his 1957 organ at St. John's Episcopal Church in Waterbury, Connecticut, which had been damaged by a tornado.
McManis died in Burlington, Vermont at the age of 91.