44th Annual Review
John Hargraves MNZM | Director
June 2011-12 year began with an exciting Congress in Auckland attended by seven of our staff in which young Australian organist Sarah Kim fresh from advanced studies in Paris charmed us at the Town Hall, John Wells beguiled us on the historic Avery organ and intrigued us with his new Organ Symphony at the Town Hall; Robin Gummer amused and impressed us with his Dance Organ and Roy Tankersley with his WOOFYT at the Town Hall Open Day; young performers Nick Sutcliffe, Simon Mace and Josh Anderson impressed us at Pitt St Methodist, the 1911 Croft organ of which performed well for the competitions and its Sunday morning Centennial service; the 5pm earthquake memorial Choral Eucharist at Holy Trinity Cathedral featuring the Festival Choir directed by Indra Hughes rendition of Widor’s Mass for 2 Organs and 2 Choirs inspired us; the rat attack at historic Unitarian organ dismayed us; the successful launch of the Stocker Memorial Earthquake fund for assisting higher studies for organbuilding apprentices bolstered us; and finally the appearance of Buster Keaton as “General” accompanied by Ron Clarke on the Hollywood Cinema Wurlitzer cheered us on our way home to another year of dedicated organbuilding in Timaru at our Washdyke factory.
We have devoted much of the last year to carrying out repairs to earthquake damaged organs in viable Churches of which there are very few left in ravaged Christchurch City, so the successful recommissioning of organs such as at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral (formerly St Marys Manchester St), Christchurch Anglican Pro Cathedral (Chapel of Christ’s College), St Andrew’s at Rangiruru (parish church and girls school chapel), St Augustine’s Cashmere, and the Blitz organ installation at St Michael and All Angels (Oxford Terrace) are doubly significant.
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