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.
2009 Adelaide and the Barossa Valley, South Australia
3rd October - 9th October, 2009A RICH AND DIVERSE PALATE
THE OHTA 32ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2009
The 32nd OHTA Annual Conference will be held in South Australia commencing Saturday 3 October and continuing through the following week. Sights, sounds and tastes will be explored as we visit Adelaide and the Barossa Region. A rich and diverse palate of organ and German culture will be a feature.
The 1875 Hill & Son Grand Organ and the organs of German immigrant Daniel Lemke will be focal points. Instruments by Gebrüder Walter, Löhrmann, Laukhuff, Krüger and J.E. Dodd will also be visited.
A country tour to the historic copper mine of Burra will be incorporated.
A downloadable brochure with booking arrangements will be available here in April 2009.
2008 Melbourne and regional Victoria
29th September - 4th October, 2008The 2008 OHTA annual conference took place in Victoria, based in Melbourne and Bendigo, in the Victorian countryside. The theme of the conference was the technical documentation of significant pipe organs and how this information can be used to facilitate accurate restoration and reconstruction. The keynote speaker was Paul Peeters, from Gothenburg, Sweden, the president of the International Association for Organ Documentation. A number of recitals took 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.
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
2009 - South Australia and the Barossa Valley
2010 - Sydney and country areas to the west including Bathurst, Kelso, Carcoar, Orange and Mudgee. Date not currently fixed
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.
2008 OHTA Conference Book
Copies of the 197 page 2008 conference book are available from PO Box 200 Camberwell Victoria 3124 at a cost of $25.00 inclusive of postage throughout Australia. Overseas rates upon application.
Please email John Maidment for more details.
Photographs, organ specifications and information from past conferences
2008 Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and the Goldfields region of Victoria
2007 Queensland
2006 New Zealand
Pictures and specifications of selected organs visited on the 2006 New Zealand conference
2006 Conference details
005 Sydney and Hunter Valley
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
