Pipes are calling for golden festival

THE pipes will be calling for the next few days with the annual Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields Festival of Fine Music underway.

Now in its 27th year, the festival’s co-founder and director Judith Houston said the four-day event is all about showcasing the incredible organs throughout the region.

“There’s not many of them left and it’s important to highlight what we have here and to preserve them as best we can,” she said.

“There are some amazing pipe organs internationally in Europe and England and this really is about the incredible instruments we’ve got right here.”

The program includes 11 recitals with more than 20 performers throughout nine venues including the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute and St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Victorian Governor, Linda Dessau, is serving as patron for the festival.

Alongside Ms Houston, the event was founded in 1995 by Italian organist Sergio de Pieri and festival treasurer Voi Williams, who said it’s always a popular occasion.

“We always have people coming Australia-wide and everywhere in between. Several people come from Perth and Cairns every year,” she said.

“Before COVID, this was a 10-day festival that would get about 6000 people in seats.

“It’s very gratifying and does showcase Ballarat itself as well as the musical program and our mission to retain the history of these organs.

“They were installed just after the gold rush so some of them are quite old, around the 1860s and 70s.”