Each year the Organ Historical Trust of Australia organises a conference lasting about a week in one of the states of Australia. Conferences have also been held on both islands of New Zealand. These conferences bring organists and those interested in the instrument together from all over Australia, as well as New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Asia and Europe. Often, an international authority on the history and restoration of historic organs attends as a key-note speaker. Past guests have included Uwe Pape (Germany), Barbara Owen (USA) and Stephen Bicknell (UK). Opportunities are provided for recitals on historic and instruments. Members often have time to play and inspect the instruments for themselves and papers on the preservation of organs and other relevant topics are presented and later published in OHTA News.
2008 Melbourne and regional Victoria
29th September - 4th October, 2008The 2008 OHTA annual conference is to take place in Victoria, based in Melbourne and Bendigo, in the Victorian countryside. The theme of the conference will be the technical documentation of significant pipe organs and how this information can be used to facilitate accurate restoration and reconstruction. The keynote speaker will be Paul Peeters, from Gothenburg, Sweden, the president of the International Association for Organ Documentation. A number of recitals will take place, together with visits to notable organs by the local builders Anderson, Fincham, Fuller, Hill, Norman & Beard, Lemke and Stone, and the overseas builders Bishop, Hamlin, Hill, Merklin, Randebrock, Willis, Wurlitzer and anon. Further information including a brochure, will be available by April and downloadable from this website.
Four one-hour solo organ concerts will take place, as follows:
Monday 29 September, 11.00 am, at St Mary’s Star-of-the-Sea Church, corner Howard & Victoria Streets, West Melbourne. James Tibbles, a leading player from Auckland, New Zealand, will play works by Franck, Gigout and Widor on the 1898-1900 George Fincham organ.
Monday 29 September, 5.00 pm, at Christ Church, Acland Street, St Kilda. Sam Allchurch, leading young organist, will play works by Buxtehude, Bach, Reger, Messiaen, Howells and Elgar on the 1859 Hill & Son organ, just restored.
Wednesday 1 October, at 9.00 am, at the Memorial Hall, Scotch College, Morrison Street, Hawthorn. Peter Jewkes, leading Sydney organist and gifted organbuilder, will play works by Karg-Elert, Saint-Saëns, Whitlock, Hollins, Wolstenholme and Dubois on the 1930 Hill, Norman & Beard organ.
Friday 3 October, at 5.00 pm, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, corner Mackenzie & Wattle Streets, Bendigo. Elmo Cosentini, leading organist from Austria, will play works by Pierné, Vierne, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Haydn on the 1906 Bishop & Son organ and the smaller organs in the transept and nave.
Members of the public are most welcome to attend these recitals. Admission by programme available at the door: $20.00, $15.00 concession for pensioners, seniors and full-time students.
2007 Queensland
29th September - 4th October, 2006The OHTA 2007 conference was held in Queensland between Saturday 29 September and Thursday 4 October. The conference started in Brisbane and then moved to Maryborough and Gympie on the final three days. There are many instruments that have been restored and some new instruments since our previous visits in 1989 and 1998.
Future Conferences
2008 - Melbourne and regional Victoria - details and dates will appear shortly
2009 - South Australia
2005 OHTA Conference Book
Copies of the 148-page conference book are available at a cost of $17.50 (inclusive of postage and packing within Australia) from OHTA, GPO Box 676, Sydney, NSW 2001; cheques payable to Organ Historical Trust of Australia. The book includes historical and technical details of the organs visited, many accompanied by line drawings from Graeme Rushworth, together with the programmes of the various recitals and events. A mine of information on NSW organs.
Please email Dr Kelvin Hastie for more details.
2007 OHTA Conference Book
Copies of the 174-page conference book are available at a cost of $20.00 (inclusive of postage and packing within Australia) from OHTA, GPO Box 676, Sydney, NSW 2001; cheques payable to Organ Historical Trust of Australia. The book includes historical and technical details of the organs visited, many accompanied by line drawings from Graeme Rushworth, together with the programmes of the various recitals and events. A mine of information on Queensland organs.
Please email Dr Kelvin Hastie for more details.
Photographs, organ specifications and information from past conferences
2007 Queensland2006 New Zealand
Pictures and specifications of selected organs visited on the 2006 New Zealand conference
2006 Conference details
Pictures and specifications of organs visited on the 2005 Sydney & Hunter District conference
2005 Conference details
Pictures and specifications of selected organs visited on the 2004 WA conference
2004 Conference details
Pictures and specifications of selected organs visited on the 2003 Riverina conference
2003 Riverina Conference details
Pictures and specifications of selected organs visited on the 2002 Tasmanian conference
2002 Tasmanian Conference details
