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Installation Spotlight: Bel Air Presbyterian Church

In 1991, Casavant Fréres completed the construction and installation of a 4-manual, 67 rank mechanical action pipe organ, Opus 3689, in the new sanctuary at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, California. In 1994, the organ was heavily damaged in the Northridge earthquake. The console, tracker mechanisms and chests along with other wooden components were destroyed by water sprinklers having been set off by the severe motion of the quake.

In 1996, Robert Tall & Associates, Inc. was awarded the contract to rebuild and enhance the pipes with digital additions controlled by a new state-of-the-art Rodgers custom 4-manual console.  Sixty of the sixty-seven Casavant pipe ranks were repaired and incorporated in the new specification.  The rebuilt and enhanced instrument now contains 151 ranks, 118 speaking stops.

The Bel Air Rodgers hybrid organ remains to this date one of Rodgers Instruments’ most visible and prestigious installations. We invite you to view a historic informative video, excerpted from a Roland Foundation video converted from VHS format, and published on YouTube by Rodgers Instruments with the permission of the Roland Foundation: https://youtu.be/Mzd9YOpGyv8

This magnificent instrument has lived to earn its own prestigious reputation among the most hesitant and discriminating musicians.  It was featured in the 2004 AGO National Convention held in Los Angeles, and featured on a PipeDreams broadcast: https://www.pipedreams.org/episode/2022/12/19/on-christmas-day?fbclid=IwAR0EqZ8PD0if4o3zVFB8XpqvFdPjUmotnbzFrcYRJ4LAbCnyKkprubngOgE

The high-profile organ has proved to be both a delight to the congregation and a celebrated instrument of considerable worldwide renown in the organ and classical music communities. In addition to being used in worship, the instrument has been utilized as a concert and recording instrument by a wide variety of notable artists.

The organ's dedication concert was performed by Frederick Swann.

Several CDs have been recorded on the Bel Air Presbyterian Church organ, including: