2024 New Zealand Organ Festival - Dunedin - New Zealand Organ Association

Rising Stars

Matariki Weekend, 27th-30th June, 2024

Dunedin, New Zealand

Make your way to Dunedin at Matariki to enjoy some southern hospitality and a long weekend experiencing Dunedin’s organ and architectural heritage.

For full festival information visit the website

www.dunedinorganfestival2024.com

Under the auspices of the New Zealand Organ Association, the Otago and Southland Organ
Association has been chosen to trial a somewhat different Festival. We are inviting developing
organists from around New Zealand to take part in the programme, alongside professional players.
With encouragement, these people will be the organists of the future – our Rising Stars.

David Burchell, Dunedin City Organist and a key member of O&SOA is our Festival Organist. He is
contributing significantly to the planning of the Festival musical events celebrating the many fine pipe
organs around Dunedin. David and a team of players will be demonstrating these instruments,

including contributions from our Developing Organists, with support provided by David. We are also
inviting fellow musicians to join in the music making, particularly at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where City
Choir Dunedin will highlight the fine Willis organ’s accompanimental qualities, and we hope to have
music for organ and strings at Iona Presbyterian Church, Port Chalmers.

At the Saturday evening Festival Dinner, held in the splendid surroundings of Knox College, we will
enjoy music at dinner and a mid-evening concert in the college chapel. The culmination of the Rising
Stars Festival weekend will be a Sunday afternoon recital played by David Burchell on Norma, the
Dunedin Town Hall Organ.

Breaking with tradition, as Friday is a public holiday, we are beginning the Festival on the Thursday
evening. The AGMs of NZOPT, followed shortly afterwards by that of the NZOA, will be held on the
Friday morning. With the business side completed, we will focus our attention on the organs and
music. The other venues we will be enjoying over several days are Knox Church, All Saints’, St.
Matthew’s, St. Joseph’s Cathedral and Holy Trinity, Port Chalmers. There may be opportunities for
attendees to play for a church service somewhere in Dunedin on the Sunday morning, so please
advise us if you would like to do so!

Being Matariki weekend, we are also looking to the future, and will also view some of the possibilities
that the digital and hybrid organ provide in the ever-evolving organ technological world. And we will of
course ensure you are fed and watered along the way. The only evening we are leaving you to enjoy
as you wish, is on the Friday, when many in Dunedin will be celebrating Matariki. We will provide you
with some recommendations as to where you may wish to dine on the Friday evening.

If you are a student of the organ, of whatever age, do seriously consider applying to participate in our
Developing Organist Opportunity at the Festival, and seek financial support for this from your regional
association. The deadline to register as a Developing Organist is 25th March, so if you have not seen
the guidelines and application form, do immediately contact your regional secretary or download the
application.

See also: Developing Organists’ Opportunity