Our founding music director was Genevieve Cox Collins (1912-2008). Genevieve grew up in Lecompte, Louisiana, and completed her initial organ studies at LSU as the first organ major in the music department. In the 1930s Genevieve and her husband Frank Collins, Jr. (1903-68), also an organist, moved to Paris to continue their organ studies. Genevieve studied under the famous titular organist at Notre Dame, Louis Vierne (1870-1937). Vierne, a virtuoso who was blind from birth, was also a renowned teacher whose students included Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Duruflé. Frank studied with famed organ virtuoso and composer Marcel Dupré (1886-1971). In 1939, Dupré chose Frank to perform the premiere of one of his new organ works. Upon returning to Baton Rouge, the Collins’ would become founding members of the first congregation of Trinity in 1947. They also helped found the Baton Rouge chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
In 1958, a donation by the family of Wilford Malvern Eberhart led to the commissioning of a new great organ. After a listening tour, Frank was struck by the work of Canadian organ builder Casavant-Frères and chose them. He drew the specifications for the organ himself in consultation with Casavant Vice President J.E. Ledoux and tonal director Lawrence Phelps. Casavant is renowned to this day for their excellent craftsmanship and the tonal beauty of their instruments. The Eberhart Memorial Organ was dedicated on June 9, 1959.
It is a three-manual and pedalboard instrument with 48 ranks and a total of 2,955 pipes. It was originally built with electro-pneumatic action, but this was replaced with solid-state electric action in 2017. It was the 2,527th commission completed by Casavant, and thus it is referred to as Op. 2527.
The organ is considered to be one of the finest extant examples of the early work of Lawrence Phelps. It has drawn internationally renowned organists to Trinity: Jean Langlais in 1964, and Olivier Latry in 2003.
