Visual effect in the building
MAINTENANCE AND TUNING
A mainstay of our practice had been in maintenance for over forty-five years in at least six or seven states and we have experience in all facets of the craft. Normal tuning, for us, includes setting a temperament and tuning every pipe in the organ. Historical temperaments such as Werkmeister-III, Kirnberger-III and Mean-tone as well as Equal Termperament are possible.
CONSULTATION
One of the most challenging, exciting and fun aspects of what we do is counsuting for indiviauals or institutions. We are always ready to do this and our prices for simple consultation are very reasonable.
OUTSIDE WORK
Schedule permitting, we are willing to assist other firms with anything that they may need. One of our specialties is rebuilding wooden stops and have developed some unique techniques, as well as employing standard practices for making dramatic or sutle tonal changes.
PIANOS
Our shops were located adjacent to Southwestern Piano Company for many years, a firm which specialized in high-end restoration of grand pianos. A cooperative agreement allowed the sharing of facilities, equipment and personnel. With the closure of this business we absorbed some of their work and continue with it today.
AUDIO SAMPLES
These are very much less than professionally recorded, consisting principally of tapes from live chruch services or spontaneous tapes from hand-held machines made on the job, some just after pipe installation and without finishing! The improvised sample of the Hautbois had the tremulant's muffler off for adjustment! A couple of tapes with choir are included to note the effect of the organs with choir. To hear these please chick -
HERE: http://www.box.net/shared/t75vg67ndy
PERSONNEL
Andrea Petrosh has been on our staff for a little over two years as Business Manager. No stranger to organbuilding, Andrea arrived with a diverse background and a liberal arts education, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee where she is presently a member of the Board of Trustees. She was a piano student of Mark Williams, studied violin with Dr. Elaine Allen and voice with Suzan Rupert at the University of the South. Andrea was a violinist with the South Arkansas Symphony and has been a choirster with the university choir and several church choirs, presently with the Cathedral Choir o f St. Marks, Shreveport, Louisiana where she may be occasionally heard as soprano soloist. There she is joined by husband, Lt. Colonel Michael Petrosh, daughter Lauren and son, Michael III the Cathedral Organ Squire. Additionally, she works with choirsters in the Training Program of the Royal College of Music and she was involved in assessment and dismantling of a Katrina-damaged organ in New Orleans.
Kathleen Rabalais was a sometime visitor during the late 1950's and 6o's at the Gibson Pipe Organ Company. She and Louis began working together 1n 1961 when they were both organ performance majors at Southern Arkansas University and co-organists at St. James Episcopal Church. During that year Kathleen was first place winner if the National Federation of Music Teacher's Regional Competition. Louis and Kathleen were married in 1962 and formed Rabalais and Company. She has served two churches as full-time organist and several as interim or part time. She is recognized for skill in music, organ playing and organbuilding, especially for matchless wiring. Holding a graduate degree in Social Work Administration and an Arkansas L.C.S.W. as well as post graduate courses in music, law and accounting she handles the company's financial affairs.
Louis Rabalais was a piano student from the age of seven through high school. In the 10th grade he became a student of Mattie Lee Pate at Louisiana College and remained her student as an organ major for three and a half years. When a freshman, he began working with B.L.Gibson, Inc., spending summers in the Gibson shops. During that period he studied violinmaking with William Curry, Phd. and played the violin in two symphony orchestras. A move to Southern Arkansas University, where he recived two degrees, was made to continue with the Gibson Company until leaving for Casavant Freres. In 1981 he began working at Southern Arkansas University part time and for a few years, full time at South Akansasas Community College as Choral Director, teaching music, electrical theory and building technology. In 2007 he left to spend full attention to Rabalais and Company.
Louis is active in music as a chorister, occasionally writing an anthem, and singing with the South Arkansas Community College Choral society, which he and Kathleen had a hand in founding. Interests include amateur radio (KA5IAN) and sometimes making a violin.

Louis Rabalais III was often present on organ installations, rebuilds and maintenance trips. At the age of 10 he asked to tune a stop and we were surprised to see him do it perfectly. Later, he displayed the same level of skill with mechanical devices, often discovering the fault in a newly built pitman chest faster than anyone else. He has an excellent ear, and insists on perfect workmanship.
Other industries discovered these abilities and after college he has been employed elsewhere. We hope that by 2010 he will be with us on an occassional, part-time basis.
In junior high school he began singing in school choirs, playing the violin, double bass and french horn. He continued in high school choirs and was awarded a choir scholarship to college. As a sophomore he recieved the Outstanding Choral Student award.
Informal Musings
Principal Voicing: http://www.box.net/shared/k6hs8x4xzk
Tools, Voicing and others: http://www.box.net/shared/1xs9mrkg84
Contact Information: Thank You for Visiting!
