History of Ivan P. Morel & Associates, Inc.

Founded by Fred H. Meunier in 1921.  Meunier began his career with the Knight-Campbell Music Co. in 1908 as a 16-year-old elevator operator.  He quickly moved up to technician status working on pianos, player pianos, automatic musical instruments, and pipe organs.  In 1919 he moved on to the Charles E. Wells Music Co.  In 1921, he formed his own company specializing in pipe organs only.  During the period from 1921 to 1960, Mr. Meunier installed 90% of all of the pipe organs in the rocky mountain region, representing such companies as Wurlitzer and Robert Morton (Theater organs) W.W. Kimball and Reuter (Church organs) and Aeolian. (Residence organs)  Some of the more notable instruments installed and maintained by Mr. Meunier were: Denver Municipal Auditorium, St. John's Episcopal Cathedral, Denver, First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, and Montview Presbyterian Church, Denver.

Fred Meunier retired in 1960 and sold the business to two key employees, Hugh R. Turpin and Ivan P. Morel.  Mr. Turpin received his early training in England with the firm of Hill, Norman and Beard, Ltd.  Hugh was trained as an organ voicer and after leaving England, worked for the Standaart and Austin Companies in the U.S. before coming to work for Meunier in 1953.  Ivan Morel was a second-generation organ builder from Boston who Joined Meunier in 1956, specializing in installation and service work.  The Morel family had been associated with Casavant Frères Organ builders in Canada since the 1890's.  The name of the firm was changed to Fred H. Meunier & Associates.  The firm continued its association with Reuter and was responsible for the sales and installation of new organs in such locations as Central Presbyterian Church, Denver.  Colorado Woman's College, Denver, (now Johnson and Wales) and American Lutheran Church, Billings, Montana. 

In addition to new organ installations, major restorations/renovations were carried out on the four manual Austin organ in Macky Auditorium, University of Colorado, Trinity United Methodist Church, Denver, and Grace Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Following Mr. Turpin's retirement in 1972, the name of the company was changed to Ivan P. Morel & Associates in order to better reflect the current and future management of the firm. 

Throughout the 1970's and until 1985, the firm continued its association with Reuter culminating with the installation of the four manual, 60 stop, Reuter Organ at Augustana Lutheran Church, Denver, in 1985.  At that time the firm ended its relationship with Reuter in order to concentrate on building new instruments under it's own name as well as continuing work in the area of restoration/renovation.

A sample of the projects completed Morel & Associates, Inc.:

Two manual, 7 stop organ for Epiphany Lutheran Church, Denver.

Two manual, 11 stop organ for The United Methodist Church, Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Removal, renovation, and installation (including new three manual console) of Moller Organ opus 9475.  (Relocated from Church of the Redeemer, Boston, Massachusetts, to St. Jude Catholic Community, Lakewood, Colorado.) 3 manual, 28 stops.

Restoration and tonal completion of the 1912 Kimball Organ, (including new three manual, Cavaillé-Coll style console) Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Denver.  3 manuals, 37 stops.

Two manual, 12 stop organ for the United Methodist Church, Alliance, Nebraska.

Two manual, 17 stop organ for St. Paul United Methodist Church, Pueblo, Colorado.

New Three manual Console for the Welte-Tripp organ, Shove Chapel, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 

New Three manual console for the Reuter organ, First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

New Four manual console and tonal Additions for the Reuter organ, Montview Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado. 

New three manual console, Great and Pedal divisions for the Austin organ, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Boulder

Four manual 61 rank organ for Polk Street United Methodist Church, Amarillo, Texas, incorporating pipe work from the Church’s 1927 Pilcher Organ.

Renovation and installation with new 16’ Principal façade of the1985 McManus organ Calvary Baptist Church, Denver, Colorado. 

Recent Restoration Projects:

Denver

Roosevelt Organ Opus 380 • Trinity UMC

Farrand & Votey Opus 88 • Chapel of Our Merciful Savior

W.W. Kimball Opus 6781 • Denver Consistory

W.W. Kimball c. 1909 • South Broadway Christian Church

Boulder

Roosevelt Opus 382 First United Methodist Church

Colorado Springs

Welte Co. Opus 261 • Grace Church and St. Stephen’s Parish

Welte-Tripp Co. Opus 314 • Shove Chapel

Hook & Hastings Opus 1432 First Congregational Church

Charles Anderson • Community Congregational - Manitou Springs