29th Annual Conference
Auckland and Waikato regions
30th September - 5th October, 2006
Details and photographs of selected organs seen on the conference
Organs built by George Croft
Knox Presbyterian Church, Parnell
St Benedict's Catholic Pro-Cathedral
Unitarian Church, Ponsonby
St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Ponsonby
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ponsonby
St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Hamilton
Bainbridge Methodist, Rotorua
Maclaurin Chapel, University of Auckland
Organs built by Lawton and Osborne
St Christopher's Naval Chapel, Devonport
St Peter's School, Cambridge
Organ by John Avery
Ponsonby Baptist Church
Organ by Brindley & Foster
Holy Sepulchre Anglican Church, Grafton
Organ by Henry Jones
St Alban's Anglican Church, Balmoral
Organ by Harrison & Harrison
Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, Parnell
Organ by Pearce
Union Church, Thames
Organ by Anon
St Mark's Anglican Church, Te Aroha
Organs by Létourneau and Thompson
St Paul's Collegiate School, Hamilton
Miscellaneous photos
Auckland
Croft organbuilding factory
Rotorua and learning how to do the "Haka"
Zealandia Sculpture Gardens and organ
St Matthew's in the City, Auckland
Group photo
Download and printout:
Conference book errata sheet
Auckland Town Hall with Conference Hotel (Airedale) behind [MQ]
The 2006 OHTA Conference to the North Island of New Zealand gave members the opportunity to see and hear a number of historic instruments, particularly those by the significant local firm of George Croft together with Lawton & Osborne, an offshoot of a prominent Scottish firm.
Holy Sepulchre Anglican Church, Auckland:
three manual Brindley & Foster 1896 / Norman & Beard
There were visits to instruments by notable overseas builders, particularly John Avery, Brindley & Foster, Harrison & Harrison and Henry Jones. A number of these organs are located in splendid wooden churches with notable fittings.
Knox Presbyterian Church, Parnell, Auckland - two manual Croft 1911
A summary of the programme:
Saturday 30 September: Registration at Auckland Town Hall. Papers and visits to organs in central Auckland and an evening concert on the restored 1779 John Avery organ at Ponsonby Baptist Church.
Sunday 1 October: Visits to organs in Parnell including the old cathedral (St Mary's) and its Croft organ and the new cathedral with its Harrison organ and concluding with the conference dinner in the Selwyn Library.
Monday 2 October: Organs in Auckland and suburbs south of the harbour
Tuesday 3 October: Boat trip to Devonport with organs north of the harbour
Wednesday 4 October: Bus trip to Rotorua via Hamilton and Cambridge
Thursday 5 October: Return to Auckland following sight seeing in Rotorua via Te Aroha and Thames. Evening silent movie with Wurlitzer accompaniment.
St Alban's Anglican Church, Balmoral, Auckland -
two manual Henry Jones 1884
A special focus was the organs of the noted New Zealand builder George Croft, which were discussed by Dr Ron Newton, and then visited over the ensuing days. Also seen was the wonderful harbourside setting of Auckland, the expansive countryside to the south, the historic town of Rotorua, with its geo-thermal areas, and Thames, at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula.
Several papers on organs and buildings by authorities such as Dr Ron Newton, John Hargraves, Bruce Petry, Alan Buchan and John Maidment were given, together with recitals by prominent local musicians including John Wells, James Tibbles, Eugene Lavery, Stephen Beech, Rachel Griffiths and Ron Clarke.
St Mark's Anglican Church, Te Aroha - remnants of 17th century
English organ rebuilt Croft 1985
The programme included a mix of organ visits, recitals, lectures and visits to historic and scenic places. The organs visited included the work of builders who are not represented in Australia.
Restored 1779 John Avery organ at Ponsonby Baptist Church.
