A. William Thurmeier
Golden Eagle Organ Co.
S7M 1M4
(306) 384-6600
goldeneagleorgan@sasktel.net
1974 – 1975 Organbuilder’s Apprentice
David
McDowell Organbuilder (retired)
(520) 825-9736
My introduction to
Organbuilding began in a full apprenticeship position in a small firm of three
employees plus the master builder, Dave McDowell. Dave came from a family with
a long tradition of organ building. His grandfather worked for many years for
the Roosevelt Organ Co. and then moved to
My work for him covered
almost every area of Organbuilding except the making of pipes which he had
discontinued because of a bout of lead poisoning he had just recovered from.
Some of these activities are as follows:
-Assistance in making additions to two
electropneumatic organs (Aeolian-Skinner in Christian Science Church,
1974 and McDowell Organ in
a Lutheran church in
-Servicing and tuning of
many organs including McDowell,
-Releathering and
building of electropneumatic and direct-electric windchests, reservoirs, and
shutter mechanisms.
-Wiring of
consoles and switching systems.
-Training in
voicing and tuning of both flue and reed pipes.
-Assistance in
building of 10 rank electropneumatic organ (Casa
Grande, Arizona, 1975).
1976 – 1980 Organbuilder
Opus 01
1220 Pennsylvania N.E.
Albuquerque,
NM, 87110
USA

The photo with
the lower casework installed has been lost
This organ was
originally intended as a home practice instrument for myself.
It consists of four ranks:
16’ Gedeckt
(97 pipes)
4’ Principal
(85 pipes)
2 2/3’ Quint
(61 pipes)
16’ Free
reed Oboe (73 reeds)
Everything is unenclosed
except the free reed, located in a chamber to the left behind a grill. These
ranks are distributed across two manuals and pedal with considerable
intelligent unification. The keying and stop actions are electric (top two
octaves) and electropneumatic (all the rest) of my own manufacture but
following principles learned at McDowell Organs. This organ was completed and installed in
February of 1980.
1989 – 1996 Benedictine Monk and Organbuilder
Opus 02 St.
Peter’s Abbey
Muenster, SK
S0K 2Y0
(306)
682-1777
(306)
682-1766 fax
This organ was begun
during my time in St. Peter’s Abbey as a monk in 1989. The work was undertaken
in spare time while engaged in many other duties in the monastery until March
1996 when I left the monastery to found my own organ building company in
1.
January 1996: At this time the console and 10
Antiphonal ranks were completed as well as the lower part of the organ case.
The Antiphonal ranks were playable. (See photo above.)
2.
July 2000: The entire Great and Pedal divisions
were completed. Five ranks of pipes for the Swell (8’ Koppelflöte, 8’ Gamba
Celeste, 2 2/3’ Nazard, 2’ Flautino, and
8’ Trumpet) were prepared for. The rest
of the Swell was completed.
3.
October 2004: The last five ranks were voiced,
installed, and tonal finished, thanks to a generous gift from the Oblates of
St. Benedict. With this the organ was completed.
This organ has five
divisions: Swell, Great, Pedal, Antiphonal Manual, and Antiphonal Pedal. The Swell, Great, and Pedal divisions are all
pipe, the Antiphonal divisions are electronic (Sonic Creations). The Swell and
the softer ranks of the Great and Pedal are under expression. The rest of the
Great and Pedal are unenclosed and exposed. There are 21 ranks of pipes and 10
electronic ranks. The tonal architecture of the organ is designed primarily for
the accompaniment of the monastic chant and hymns for the small community at
the Eucharist in a small and rather vibrant building. Small scales were used
and several softer 8’ stops provided since these form the foundation of the
chant accompaniment. The organ offers a full plenum without being overpowering
as befitting a monastic organ. The dedication was held
1996 Founding of Golden Eagle Organ Company,
March 19.
The company was begun
after moving to
1997 to 2005
Completion
of opus 2 as outlined above and seen below.

2000 - 2002
Opus 03 Holy Trinity Anglican Church
165 -
S3N 1G5
(306) 786-
7131
(306) 786-
4282 fax

This is a major rebuild
of an instrument which was installed in Holy Trinity Anglican Church in
2002 - 2005
Opus 04
323 -
S7K 1N3
(306) 653-
2442
(306)
653-4555 fax
This organ was built
incorporating the church’s existing three rank T. Eaton’s organ opus 102. To
the Eaton’s three ranks of pipes we have added five more ranks, some new, most
recycled, revoiced, and/or rescaled and 9 digital ranks using Musicom’s digital
synthesis system which also serves as the switching system and 12 level
combination action for the organ. The design of the
tonal architecture and style of voicing were intended to bring the organ into
the realm of the ‘North German Baroque’. The use of an open toed, un-nicked
4’ Octave on the Great,
and extensive revoicing and rescaling of other ranks, as well as selective
voicing of the digitally synthesized ranks has mostly achieved that, in spite
of the limitations of the existing Eaton’s ranks. The organ is housed in a new case of
decorative oak. The organ was completed in January of 2006 and the dedication
was held
2006 All
Saints Anglican Church
S7H 1Y5
(306) 244-4042

This was an M.P. Möller
organ opus 6150 from 1933 in which several new ranks were installed, replacing
Möller ranks, by Casavant representative René Blanchard of
2006 Unitarian Congregation
S7H 1N5
(306) 653-2402

This is a Casavant
Frères Ltée organ opus 1364 of 1930 which the Unitarian Congregation purchased
in 2006 along with the church building. The organ had originally been installed
in
2007
S7K 3H2
(306) 652-0033

This is a Casavant Frères Ltée organ opus 497 of 1912. In 1953 the
organ was electrified and given a new console and renumbered as opus 2190. In
1968 the organ was rebuilt by Dr. Howard Hart of
2007 Marks the beginning of a new era for Golden
Eagle Organ Company with the induction of Bill Thurmeier into the American
Institute of Organbuilders at the
The builder,
playing opus 4.

EMPLOYMENT RECORD
1974 to 1975:
Organbuilder's
Apprentice, McDowell Organs,
1976 to 1977,
and 1979: Electronics
Technician, Ed's TV and HIFI,
1978 to 1980: Organbuilder,
Self employed,
1980
to 1989 Electronics
Technician Summer between semesters, St. Peter’s Abbey, SK
1989 to 1990:
Accounting Clerk, Order
of St Benedict, Muenster, SK.
1989 to 1991:
Financial
Administrator, Diocese of Muenster, Muenster, SK.
1990 to 1993: Formation
Director, St. Peter's Abbey, Muenster, SK.
1993 to 1996: Telephone System Manager/Technician, St.
Peter's Abbey, Muenster, SK.
1993
to 1996: Electronics
Technician, St. Peter's Abbey, Muenster, SK.
1993
to 1996: Organbuilder,
St. Peter's Abbey, Muenster, SK.
Feb. 1996 to Oct. 1996 Organbuilder Associate,
Musselwhite and Associates,
Oct.
1996 to Nov 1999 Organbuilder,
Muenster, SK
Dec 1999 to Present: Organbuilder,
EDUCATION
1973-1976
Pima Community College,
1975-1976
University of
1976
1977-1978
University of
1981-1982 St.
Peter's College, Muenster, SK
Undergraduate work Philosophy
1982-1984 St.
Anselm College,
1984-1985 St.
John's University,
1985-1988
Collegio S. Anselmo,
1988-1989
University of
1992
2007 American Institute of Organ Builders
Convention Various Training Seminars
MUSICAL TRAINING
Bill began piano lessons
in
Bill is a member of the