Celebrating the gift of the new Casavant organ, a weeklong series of concerts and events were planned:

Sunday, February 20, 2:00 pm: Blessing of the New Organ
Bishop Muench and Fr. Burns presided at the Rite of Blessing for the new organ. The combined choirs of St. Aloysius Parish accompanied by brass, harp, bells and the organ. Fr. Greg Daigle served as cantor. Brent Rhodes accompanied the choir on the organ. Our special guest organist and improviser was Jean-Baptiste Monnot, Artist in Residence at St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans. Mr. Monnot is a recent graduate of the prestigious Paris Conservatoire and titular organist of St. Louis-des-Chartrons Church in Bordeaux, France. Organ Improvisation in the French Style is rarely heard in this country.

Monday, February 21, 7:00 pm: Baton Rouge Magnet High School Festival Singers Concert.
Robbie Giroir, BRHS Choral Teacher & St. Joseph Cathedral Music Director, conducted the Festival Ringers in a concert of Choral Music anticipating their upcoming European Tour.

Tuesday, February 22, 1:15 and 2:00 pm: St. Aloysius School Children's Concert
Dr. Richard Webb, Organist of First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, presented a fun and informative daytime program of organ music appealing to the young and young at heart.

Saturday, February 26, 7:00 pm: The Dedicatory Organ Recital
Dr. Craig Cramer, Professor of Organ at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana presented the first major Organ Recital on Casavant, Opus 3890. Dr. Cramer performed a varied program of organ works by classic and contemporary composers which demonstrated the capabilities of the new organ.

For more detailed information about programs and artists, please see http://www.aloysiusbr.org/organdedication.pdf