Percy Fletcher | FESTIVAL TOCCATA | Diane Bish at King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England

Diane plays the Harrison & Harrison organ of the King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England.

The earliest known organ at King’s College Chapel dates back to 1605–06, crafted by Thomas Dallam. Surviving records detail the materials and hospitality surrounding its construction.

In 1934, the organ was comprehensively rebuilt and enlarged by Harrison & Harrison. The rebuild retained and revoiced parts of Hill’s pipework. Notably, the specification included separate mutation stops on the Choir—quite rare in England at the time—designed in consultation with organist Bernard (Boris) Ord (1929–57).

Various later Enhancements & Maintenance occurred in 1950, 1968, 1992, 2003 & 2009. Then most recently in 2016 there was a major restoration by Harrison & Harrison which cost approximately £1.42 million.

Key enhancements included:
-Replacement of internal structure with new slider soundboards and electro-pneumatic action.
-Rearranged pipe layout—including moving the Pedal chorus into the main case for better acoustic balance—while retaining tonal integrity.
-Console upgrades, incorporating features like pedal divide, manual exchange functions, and durable solenoids.
-Voicing carried out over six weeks in the silent chapel.

The main case is among the oldest in England—likely originating from Dallam’s early 17th-century organ—though some suggest the extant design aligns more closely with the 1661 Choir case. Originally decorated with paint, the case was later gilded in the 18th century. In 1859, its depth was doubled to accommodate expansion, and the console was relocated to the north side.