The Cathedral organs were built by the highly distinguished Noack Organ Company of Georgetown, Massachusetts, and were delivered to the Cathedral during the summer of 2010. The installation and voicing of the instruments took place over a period of several months. The small organ (14 stops, two manuals), located in the chancel (sanctuary), became operational just in time for the Installation of Bishop William P. Callahan on August 11. The voicing of the main organ (58 stops, four manuals), located in the recently extended choir loft, was completed in October of 2010.
The magnificent main organ was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Callahan at the 10:30 Mass on Sunday, November 7, 2010. That afternoon, the first of four dedicatory recitals was performed by Olivier Latry,
principal organist at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory. The second dedicatory recital was performed in January of 2011 by Martin Baker, master of music at Westminster Cathedral in London. The recital was part of the annual gathering of the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians. Fifty musicians from cathedrals throughout the United States and Canada attended the week-long conference in La Crosse. The third recital was performed in February by Brian Luckner, the Cathedral’s director of music and organist. The fourth and final dedicatory recital was performed in May 2011 by La Crosse native James David Christie, professor of organ at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and organist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
