Victoria to George - a Century of Organ Music In the Empire

A concert of Solo organ music, played on an historic pipe organ, by organist Dianne Halliday.

Featuring music spanning from the reigns of Queen Victoria to King George VI - by SS Wesley, William Wolstenholme, Alfred Hollins, Edwin Lemare, and others building on the development of the English organ as influenced by Felix Mendelssohn and the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The organ in the Unitarian Church was built during the reign of King Edward VII, in 1904 and has been faithfully restored to original condition. It is a very special music instrument in Auckland not just for remaining unchanged for 120 years, but also for its unusual divided case (in two parts left and right) and a unique sound.

Dianne G Halliday has been active in the organ and church music scene in New Zealand since her arrival in 1983. From 1984-96 she was Director of Music at Wellington’s Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, establishing junior and adult choirs and bringing to fruition the expansion of the 1905 Hobday instrument to facilitate its use in contemporary Catholic liturgical practice.

In 1997 she began a twenty-three year commitment to St Peter’s Church, Willis Street. Her activities there included the 150th anniversary of the founding of the parish and continuing the annual Advent Lessons and Carols. After an attempted arson at the church in 2008, she was heavily involved with the restoration of the Hill organ of 1885.

She formally retired from St Peter’s in 2020, but is now active as a substitute organist and recitalist.

Dianne holds degrees in music from Eastman and the Doctor of Musical Arts from Victoria University, is a Fellow for the American Guild of Organists, and was appointed Associate of the Royal School of Church Music by the RSCM Council in the UK in 2023.