News Archive

July 23, 2016

The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin, Texas recently signed a contract with Orgues Létourneau for a new pipe organ -- our Opus 131 -- as the first in a two-phase project. Once the renovation of Good Shepherd’s nave is complete this fall, a 32-rank organ will be installed in a newly constructed gallery at the west end of the church. The organ will be played from a three-manual console in the Anglo-American style with 300 levels of memory and a full compliment of thumb and toe pistons. Plans for the second phase of the project include a second pipe organ to be installed in the church chancel to be played from the same console.

June 18, 2016

Orgues Létourneau is pleased to announce the signature of a contract to complete the restoration of the 1960 Casavant Frères pipe organ (Opus 2583) at le Séminaire St-Joseph of Trois-Rivières, Québec (http://www.ssj.qc.ca). Having restored the organ’s wind system in 2014, Létourneau will begin a comprehensive restoration of the electro-pneumatic wind chests and three-manual console later this month. Completion of this 32-stop instrument’s refurbishment is expected for the beginning of classes in the fall of 2016.

June 7, 2016

Going to the AGO National Convention in Houston this June?

If so, come and visit with us at our booth in the convention exhibit hall! Fernand Létourneau, Andrew Forrest, Dudley Oakes and Sarah Hawbecker will all be at the booth no. 222 at various points during the week. Convention goers will also have an opportunity to hear two recent Létourneau organs: The large three-manual at Houston Baptist University’s Belin Chapel (Opus 116) and the company’s magnum opus at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Divine (Opus 97). More information about the convention is available on their website at AGOHouston2016.com.

November 30, 2015

Létourneau chosen to restore the Casavant organ at First Baptist Church, Edmonton, Alberta

We are delighted to announce that First Baptist Church of Edmonton, Alberta has chosen Orgues Létourneau to restore and revoice their 39-rank Casavant Frères pipe organ (Opus 2300, 1955 and 1961). The project will include the conversion of the three-manual console to solid-state switching and capture systems, restoration of the existing electro-pneumatic wind chests, recovering of the wind reservoirs, revoicing of the organ’s reed stops and several weeks of on-site tonal finishing. The work is expected to be completed before the summer of 2016.

September 1, 2015

Georges Trépanier promoted to General Manager of Orgues Létourneau

Fernand Létourneau, president and founder of Orgues Létourneau, is pleased to announce the promotion of Georges Trépanier as his successor in the role of General Manager after more than 36 years. Mr. Trépanier has occupied the position since March 1, 2015. M. Trépanier gravitated to the field of organ building from a young age as the nephew of M. Létourneau. He possesses a diploma in administration from HEC Montréal’s School of Management and has managed the company’s financial affairs as Controller since 2002. In his new position, M. Trépanier is responsible for all aspects relative to the company’s administration and for implementing the strategic plan as developed with M. Létourneau to assure the company’s continuity.

August 20, 2015

A new Létourneau organ for the Village at Orchard Ridge, Winchester, Virginia

The Village at Orchard Ridge of Winchester, Virginia has recently chosen Orgues Létourneau to design and build a new pipe organ for their chapel. Part of a sprawling retirement community in the Shenandoah Valley, the TVOR chapel is in regular use as a place of worship and for other large community gatherings; the new organ will reside at the front of the chapel to the right of the raised communion platform. The organ’s specification was developed to lead congregational singing with rich, distinctive colours as well as to serve as a teaching instrument. Our Opus 130 will have mechanical key action, electric stop action and sixteen stops; completion is expected in March of 2016.

July 17, 2015

Létourneau to restore the 1901 Casavant pipe organ at the parish of St-Paul Apôtre, Chesterville, Québec

Orgues Létourneau recently signed an agreement with the parish of Saint-Paul Apôtre in Chesterville, Québec for the restoration of their Casavant Frères pipe organ Opus 135. Contained within a solid oak case, this tidy instrument was built in 1901 and still plays from its original tubular pneumatic wind chests. The organ has a total of 22 ranks including a rare 8′ Kéraulophone on the Gr-Orgue manual. Work will get underway this autumn with the restoration wrapping up well before Christmas of 2015.

September 22, 2014

Sarah Hawbecker joins the Létourneau team

Orgues Létourneau Limitée is pleased to welcome Sarah Hawbecker as Project Consultant and representative on the east coast of the United States. Ms. Hawbecker is an active recitalist, full-time church musician and winner of numerous competitions; her performances have been broadcast numerous times on the radio program Pipedreams. A native of Illinois, Ms. Hawbecker studied organ and church music with John Ferguson at St. Olaf College and later earned the Master of Music degree in Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music with Russell Saunders. An active member of the American Guild of Organists, she has served three terms on the AGO’s National Council and also serves on the Board of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians as a regional president. Ms. Hawbecker has served as Organist and Director of Children’s Music at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta, Georgia since 1996.