Ark Voicing Ltd

Formed in 2015 to provide organ building services, specialist skills in the area of tonal design and voicing, and new organ building.

Simon Brown has been organ building for over 20 years though his interest began many years before as an organist in the south of England.

After studies in engineering acoustics and music he trained as an organ builder at the workshops of Kenneth Tickell in Northampton, UK. Simon has always been interested in the correlation between two working methods used by craftsman: the application of empirical learning and experimentation based on scientific theory. 

Simon has spent many years undertaking all aspects of new organ building. In 2004 he took over as head voicer at Tickell’s, and became responsible for tonal aspects of all new organs.

Ark was started in 2015 to make it possible for Simon to work with more clients on a wider range of projects. Although Ark is based in Northampton (UK) we are able to work anywhere in the world.

Simon has an honours degree in Acoustics and Music (BSc) from the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) at the University of Southampton, UK.

As well as playing the organ, Simon still investigates the connection between art and science through modern organ building. To date, he has been responsible for voicing and tonal finishing around 30 new organs, as well as carrying out tonal work for the restoration of fine historic instruments. Simon has worked on projects in various countries around the world including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sicily, Norway, Japan and Australia.

Some large projects while head voicer for Ken Tickell include voicing new organs for:

Please contact Simon to discuss your latest project.