Constructing Music: Organ Installation Continues in Music Building Concert Hall
After four years of planning, BYU is set to unveil a new 72-stop concert organ in the Music Building Concert Hall, making it one of the largest organs in Utah. The organ is being installed by Letourneau Pipe Organs, a renowned organ-building company from Quebec. The installation, which will take ten weeks, will be followed by eight weeks of tuning to perfect the sound.
Each of the 4,603 pipes has been handcrafted in Letourneau’s workshop and transported to Provo. “We’ve poured everything we have into this organ—all our knowledge and resources,” said Andrew Forrest, president of Letourneau. The organ combines traditional techniques, used since Bach’s time, with modern technology, including a detachable console that can be moved electronically.
The organ's facade, inspired by the movement of wind chimes, will be a focal point in the concert hall, which is already unique as the largest vineyard-style music hall at a university in the country. The organ will also provide BYU’s organ students with a top-tier instrument to practice and perform on, eliminating the need to find off-campus venues.
BYU’s organ program is well-respected internationally, and Forrest expressed pride in building an instrument for such a prestigious program. The organ’s arrival marks a milestone for BYU’s Music Building, which will now feature a centerpiece that enhances its acoustics. To celebrate, the School of Music will host an inaugural organ concert series with performances by BYU faculty and guest organists.
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