Warrnambool Organ Festival

11/08/2024

Thank you to everyone involved in our 2024 festival - Jake Mason Trio, Project Sookie Sookie, the many community members who joined our choir for Saturday night's choral performance with Craig Doherty on the organ led by our Musical Director Patrick Burns, and Mark Slavec for the fantastic closing recital on Sunday afternoon... And thanks to all the people who came along to listen over the weekend - we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Keep an eye on our page for updates about our 2025 festival... Cheers!

11/08/2024

Our 2024 festival wraps up this afternoon with an organ recital from Mark Slavec. He'll be pulling out all the stops on the organ at St Joseph's Church from 2pm this afternoon (Sunday) - doors open at 1:30pm. Tickets are $25 or $20 concession, cash and card available at the door. Don't miss this chance to hear Warrnambool's mightiest organ in full flight!

10/08/2024

Look… Sure the Warrnambool Organ Festival is all about the music, but our Saturday night concert is also about the champagne supper that follows the music… Don’t miss out on a great night tonight (Saturday) featuring a community choir, the mighty organ at St Joseph’s church in Warrnambool, and plates of cakes, sandwiches, and brownies like this one… (note - this particular brownie is no longer available due to, er, taste testing requirements…) Doors open at 7 with the concert starting at 7:30. Tickets are $25 full and $20 concession and are available at the door (cash or card accepted). What a feast in every sense! And by the way, in case you’re wondering, the brownie passed the test with flying colours…

09/08/2024

The Jake Mason Trio are soundchecking now on stage at the Mozart Hall - for more of this, don’t miss their gig at 7:30 tonight (Friday) supported by Project Sookie Sookie

09/08/2024

THE 2024 FESTIVAL WEEKEND IS HERE!
Tickets for all our concerts will be available at the door - cash or card... $25 full price or $20 concession for each concert.
You can also buy a beer or a glass of wine at our Friday night jazz night at the Mozart Hall for $5.
Saturday night's concert will be followed by a free champagne supper with cakes, slices, and sandwiches!
Hope to see you over the weekend!

03/08/2024

There aren't many opportunities to hear the magnificent organ at St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool these days, so don't miss the chance to hear Melbourne based organist Mark Slavec giving the organ a good workout on Sunday the 11th of August at 2pm! The organ was opened in 1893, and is possibly the biggest musical instrument in all of South West Victoria... You can book tickets at this link -

Hear the mighty organ at St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool being put through its paces by Melbourne based organist Mark Slavec, Assistant Organist...

01/08/2024

Don't miss our Saturday night concert featuring a community choir performing a range of works under the title "Reflections on the Divine and Mysterious". This beautiful concert will include works by a diverse range of composers including Mozart, Bruckner, Eric Whitacre, and Sarah Hopkins. Craig Doherty will accompany the choir on the mighty organ at St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool, and there'll be another of our famous champagne suppers afterwards. Book your tickets here -

A beautiful concert of choral music featuring a community choir accompanied by the mighty organ at St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool. The program...

31/07/2024

The Warrnambool Organ Festival are proud to present one of Melbourne's hottest jazz trios - The Jake Mason Trio, supported by Warrnambool's own Project Sookie Sookie. Friday 9th August, 7:30pm, Mozart Hall. Tickets available here -

A great night of jazz at the Mozart Hall in Warrnambool featuring the Jake Mason Trio from Melbourne supported by local funksters Project Sookie...

25/07/2024

Here's a preview of what our Friday jazz night has to offer... The Jake Mason Trio will be cooking things up on stage at the Mozart Hall, supported by local funksters Project Sookie Sookie... Kick back with a beer or a wine while enjoying some of this! Tickets on sale now at this link - https://www.trybooking.com/CTIII

24/07/2024

Introducing Mark Slavec - our feature organist for our Sunday recital. Mark is currently an assitant organist at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne. He's also recently finished his medical studies so not only is he well qualified to put the organ at St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool through its paces, but he'll be able to assist with any medical emergencies that might arise should anyone be overwhelmed by his talent! There aren't a lot of opportunities to hear Warrnambool's grandest organ these days, so don't miss this opporutnity to hear Mark's recital. 2pm, Sunday August 11. Tickets will be available at the door but you can save time by pre-booking here - https://www.trybooking.com/CTIIP

15/07/2024

Once again we've assembled a fantastic community choir who'll be performing on the Saturday night of our festival in a program featuring a range of choral works accompanied by the organ at St Joseph's Church. Musical Director Patrick Burns has been busy rehearsing with the choir for this event which promises to be an evening of gorgeous music... You can book tickets at this link...

A beautiful concert of choral music featuring a community choir accompanied by the mighty organ at St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool. The program...

11/07/2024

Nice news alert from the Warrnambool Standard earlier today! Head to their website to read the story which mentions Mark Slavec - a doctor and an organist who’ll be joining us at this years festival.

07/07/2024

We're looking forward to welcoming the Jake Mason Trio to Warrnambool for our Friday night jazz night... It's always a great night at the Mozart Hall, with limited bar facilities available as well... Warrnambool's own Project Sookie Sookie will be getting things off to an excellent start before Jake takes to the stage... Book your tickets at this link! https://www.trybooking.com/CTIII

03/07/2024

Here it is - the poster for our 2024 festival which is rapidly approaching... We've got three great concerts lined up this year, starting with another great night of jazz on the Friday, a beautiful choral and organ concert on the Saturday, and another workout for the magnificent organ at St Joseph's Church on the Sunday. Ticketing links coming very soon!

04/06/2024

CALLING ALL CHORISTERS! Thank you to everyone who's registered their interest in being a part of the choir for this year's Warrnambool Organ Festival - we're looking forward to rehearsals getting underway towards the end of June... We'd like a few more singers though so if you're keen to give it a go please let us know... It's a fun, supportive environment and a great chance to learn new repertoire which you might not otherwise experience as a singer. We will endeavor to get digital scores out to everyone soon so if you can't make a rehearsal, you'll be able to have a look at the music to catch up. Please register your interest at [email protected] now!

13/05/2024

Calling all singers! We're putting together another community choir for this year's Warrnambool Organ Festival and we need you! Last year our choir featured in a great performance of Faure's Requiem... This year the choir will perform a concert featuring works by Charles Standford, Harold Darke, Eric Whitacre, Sarah Hopkins, Anton Bruckner, W.A. Mozart, and Mary-Lynn Lightfoot. All ages and abilities welcome - there is no audition required, just a willingness to be a part of what promises to be a great concert! Rehearsal times are listed below, and as with last year, you need to be able to attend a majority of these rehearsals. Please register your interest now so we can start planning numbers and preparing music. You can register your interest by emailing us at [email protected]
Hope to see you on stage with our choir in August!

13/09/2023

There's some more fine music coming our way - the Australian Boys Choir have a series of concerts coming up in Hamilton, Portland, and Warrnambool. They're presenting a program called "Songs From Here and There" featuring works by Australian composers including Dulcie Holland, Peter Sculthorpe, and Colin Brumby. The choir will be at St Mary's Church in Hamilton on Sunday the 17th at 5pm, St Stephen's Church in Portland on Monday the 18th at 7:30pm, and St Joseph's Church in Warrnambool on Tuesday the 19th at 4pm. More information and tickets here - https://www.australianboyschoir.com.au/

10/09/2023

Thank you to everyone who braved the weather (particularly on Friday night!) and came to our festival this year - it was great to see so many people coming out to support live music in our town over the weekend. Big thank you as well to all the artists who performed over the weekend, and of course our community choir who sang beautifully on Saturday night. We can't wait to start work on next year's program, and we hope to see you in the audience (if not on stage!) If you'd like to join our mailing list, please DM us your e-mail so we can keep you up to date with what's happening at the Warrnambool Organ Festival. Big thank you to our Musical Director Patrick Burns as well for all his work on this year's festival. Cheers!

10/09/2023

And finally for our 2023 festival, we're looking forward to welcoming Rhys Boak back for what promises to be a lovely recital this afternoon at 3pm at St Joseph's Church. Rhys has prepared a program including Handel, Bach, Beethoven, and Vierne. Tickets are $25 with cash and card facilities available. Doors open at 2;30pm. See you there!

09/09/2023

Big round of applause for our community choir who gave a brilliant performance of Faure’s Requiem this evening… A wonderful concert led by our musical director Patrick Burns, and featuring soloists Hannah Dahlenburg and Michael Lampard, all accompanied by Craig Doherty on the organ. Thanks to everyone who came along - we hope you enjoyed it! One concert left in this year’s festival - Rhys Boak will give a recital at 3pm Sunday at St Joseph’s. It’ll be a great chance to hear the organ in full flight. Doors open at 2:30, tickets are $25 - cash and card. See you there!

09/09/2023

Our feature organist for Sunday’s recital (September 10) is Rhys Boak - he’s been busy rehearsing his program and reacquainting himself with the organ at St Joseph’s Church… Here’s a little snippet of what to expect on Sunday afternoon. Tickets are $25 and available at the door - cash and card… Doors open at 2:30 with the concert starting at 3pm. Hope to see you there!

09/09/2023

Wow what a great night of music last night - thanks to everyone who braved the weather and came out to hear the Paul Williamson Hammond Combo supported by the Ruslan Osmonov Quartet - fabulous musicians all… Tonight we move to St Joseph’s Church for a performance of Faure’s Requiem. Doors open at 7 with the concert starting at 7:30. Tickets $25 at the door - card or cash welcome… And there’s a champagne supper afterwards too! So please stick around for a bite to eat! We’ll have sandwiches and a plethora of slices to choose from… See you there!

08/09/2023

It’s Friday night… What are you doing tonight? You’re coming to the Mozart hall for some fabulous jazz… Don’t miss out… The Paul Williamson Hammond Combo are warming up and ready to play for you - see you around 7!

08/09/2023

It's been a wild night around Warrnambool - the wind has been crazy this morning, and it'll be pretty wild (and warm!) tonight inside the Mozart Hall when this year's festival gets off to a jazzy start... Doors open at 7, music starts at 7:30. Come on down and grab a table and a glass of wine!

'I don't know what I would have wanted to do'.

07/09/2023

FEELING LIKE A JAZZY FRIDAY? It might be cold outside, but it'll be hot inside the Mozart Hall on Friday night! Doors open at 7, music starts at 7:30. Get there early to get a table near the front! Drinks available! Tickets $25 at the door (cash or card) or pre book here - https://www.trybooking.com/CKDFA

06/09/2023

Gabriel Faure's Requiem is a magnificent choral piece scored for two soloists, choir, orchestra, and organ. On Saturday night we're proud to present a version scored for two soloists, choir, and organ. The organ part will be performed by ex-Warrnambool organist Craig Doherty who's well acquainted with the wonderful organ at St Joseph's Church. Craig will harness the full power and beauty of the organ to accompany the singers - a great group of community members who have come together specially for this performance. It promises to be a special night of beautiful music, and there'll be a champagne supper afterwards so please make sure you stick around for a drink and a bite to eat! Tickets will be available at the door, or to save time you can pre book here - https://www.trybooking.com/CKDFE

05/09/2023

From The Black Sorrows to Countdown to Vince Jones, Paul Williamson has played with just about everyone in the Australian music scene, as well as plenty of visiting artists who've been looking for one of the country's best sax players to join them on stage.
For over 30 years he's maintained a regular gig with the Paul Williamson Hammond Combo (including Tim Neal on Hammond Organ and Mike Jordan on Drums), and this Friday you can see them in Warrnambool at the Mozart Hall, supported by our very own Ruslan Osmonov Quintet.
It'll be a great night of jazz - doors open at 7, the music starts at 7:30, beer and wine available as well...
Tickets at the door, but to make sure you don't miss out you can pre-book here - https://www.trybooking.com/CKDFA
📷 Leo Dale

03/09/2023

Not long to go now - the Warrnambool Organ Festival starts this Friday… Tickets will be available at the door but you can also buy tickets now through Trybooking!

31/08/2023

Our Sunday organ recital this year will feature Melbourne organist Rhys Boak.

Rhys has been the Director of Music at St Michael’s Uniting Church in the Melbourne CBD for about twenty years, where he gives a weekly organ recital every Thursday.

He was introduced to the organ at a young age when his father came home with a box set of organ music. As he says, “I put the record on and said to my mother what instrument is that? She said it was the organ so I decided when I was about five I was going to be an organist”.

“I was one of those kids that was fascinated by anything mechanical so I think when I saw an organ console with all the buttons and stops it didn’t scare me, I was just fascinated”.

That fascination has taken Rhys around the world. He’s played the organ at St Thomas’ in Leipzig which is famous for its association with Johann Sebastian Bach, and given concerts in China and Japan.

Despite playing some of the world’s greatest organs, Rhys says he’s a huge fan of local Australian organs, “particularly organs like the one in Warrnambool, what we’d call Grandfather Finchams built by the original George Fincham. They are still to this day some of the most beautiful organs I’ve heard”.

Rhys’ organ recital in Warrnambool will include works by Handel, Bach, Beethoven, and Franck.

It promises to be a beautiful afternoon of music and a great chance to hear the organ at St Joseph’s in full flight.

Tickets will be available at the door, or you can pre book here -

Join us at St Joseph's Church as Melbourne based organist Rhys Boak presents a fantastic afternoon of music showing off the character and colour of St Joseph's magnificent organ.

15/08/2023

Perhaps one year we’ll have to stage a baseball or ice hockey game as part of the organ festival so we can invite this guy to play…!