About Wakeley Pipe Organs

Wakeley Pipe Organs was established in 1998 by Ian & Carmelita Wakeley. From small beginnings in our first workshop in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, we have established ourselves as one of Australia’s leading Organ Building firms, offering the highest standard of work, from historically sensitive restorations through to innovative experimental commissions.

We strive for excellence by fostering a good work ethic throughout our team. We are a dedicated group of craftsmen and women committed to producing high quality work with the finest attention to detail.

Our sympathetic approach to the conservation and repair of historic organs has played an important part in the preservation of many organs. Some of these instruments include those found in our portfolio.

Our company is committed to the Tuning, Maintenance and Repair of organs at the highest standard.

We are a member of:

Our Team

Ian Wakeley

With a background in choral singing, Ian undertook his apprenticeship in Organ Building with Australian Pipe Organs in 1987-1990. After qualifying, he remained on staff at APO, specialising in the areas of pipe making, voicing and tuning. He undertook organ studies with the late Lindsay O’Neill and has sung in many choirs including St Andrew’s Brighton and Christ Church Brunswick. In 1998 he established Wakeley Pipe Organs in order to fill a niche in Victoria in the area of restoration. Since establishing Wakeley Pipe Organs, Ian has developed a reputation for a flexible and innovative approach to organs and organ building. He is sought after as the builder of choice for a wide range of projects, from sensitive restorations of important historic instruments, to international projects such as the Gulangyu Organ Museum, to highly experimental projects such as the Morgan Fisher organ.

Carmelita Wakeley

Jeremy Smith

Jeremy Smith was born in Launceston in 1973. At the age of 5 he began learning the piano, his interest in organs developing after he commenced organ lessons with William Pierce at St John's Launceston. In 1992 he arrived in Melbourne to begin an apprenticeship with Australian Pipe Organs, where he trained in pipe making, tuning and maintenance, and all aspects of organ building, and continued his organ studies under Lindsay O'Neill. Jeremy now has over 18 years experience in the organ building industry. Among the instruments he has worked on have been the organs in St Patrick's Cathedral Melbourne and the Melbourne Town Hall. Since 1997 Jeremy has held the position of organist at St James' Church, Dandenong.

Keith Denmeade

Keith is an Electrical Engineer and Choral Musician, who has been with Wakeley Pipe Organs since their inception in 1999.  He has an extensive background in Electronics and Information Systems, holding a Diploma of Electrical Engineering from Swinburne University, where he was also on the staff (1980-1996) as their Computer Systems Officer.  Previous to this he was a Technical Officer at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratory (1974-1980). Keith has an extensive background in choral music, stretching back to 1960, where he has been a chorister at Holy Trinity Surrey Hills (1960-1966), Choir Director at St Francis ’ Mooroolbark (1980-2003), and is currently back at Holy Trinity Surrey Hills, singing tenor under the directorship of Hugh Fullarton. He has also studied the violin under Darren Hain and Joanne Wallwork, and is the Uncle of Dota Williams, master violin maker. Keith also transposes and produces orchestral scores for the Dandenong Ranges Orchestra. Keith ’s musical experience and expertise and skill in electronics and computer systems has led him into a fundamental area of support in Solid State Logic™ and electro pneumatic systems for Wakeley Pipe Organs. Other areas of support that he provides are in action repairs and restoration, tuning assistance, and general construction on site.

Justin McDonnell

Justin is an organist and choral musician who holds a B. Theol from the University of Melbourne, where his area of speciality is Systematic Theology & Classical Languages. His studies have taken him throughout Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, and he brings a deep understanding and appreciation of cultural and artistic history from around the globe to the field of organ building. He is currently undertaking organ studies with Jennifer Chou, and is the organist and senior chorister at St Aloysius’ Caulfield. Justin has worked on organs in New South Wales, Scotland, Tasmania, Western Australia and Victoria, and joined the team at Wakeley Pipe Organs in 2008.  He holds a passion for the techniques and history of organ building and woodwork, and combines this with his musical expertise and educational background, creating a unique and imaginative approach to historic restoration of important instruments.

Ben Briggs

Ben joined the staff at Wakeley Pipe Organs in 2006, and at present has a particular interest in tuning, re-leathering bellows, general restoration and electrical components. In addition to his organ work, he also runs  Pitch Perfect - his piano tuning and restoration business, a member of the Victorian Guild of Piano Technicians since 2005. Ben is an accomplished pianist born into a third generation musical family. Master classes with international pianists such as Roger Woodward have refined his expression through music. During his studies towards a B.Mus at Monash Conservatorium in 2000 he studied under Max Cooke and Darryl Coote.

Kate Buttery

Kate is an artist and performer who has been involved in Organ Building since 1990.  She has worked with organs in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and studied organ performance with Christopher Wrench at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Kate is an accomplished and sought after choral singer, having sung in some of Australia's leading choral ensembles, including Vox Nova and Canticum in Brisbane, The Choir of Christ Church St Laurence in Sydney, and the Choir of Trinity College, Christ Church Sth Yarra, and The Palestrina Project in Melbourne.  Kate’s artistic practice now extends across visual, performance, sound, video and digital art, and she is currently working towards the completion of her degree in the La Trobe University Theatre Department. She is a performer and the webmaster at Eagle's Nest Theatre in Brunswick, and performs regularly in independent theatre in Melbourne.  You can see some of Kate’s work at her website. She has also recently launched her new web design business, uWovEn weB.

Karina McDonnell

Karina is a glass artist, currently finishing her Batchelor of Fine Arts at Monash University. In 2010, she was a finalist in the National Student Art Glass Prize for which her work was exhibited at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. Originally from Perth, Karina studied pipe organ for 3 years with Sandra Cohne. During this time, her interest began to develop in organ building, and her musical training has often crossed over into and informed her practise as a glass artist. She has worked for Wakeley Pipe Organs since 2009, and enjoys the challenge of the learning curve that organ building presents, and her interest in the field is constantly evolving.