Festival poised to emerge as jewel in Bendigo’s crown

BENDIGO’s reputation for putting on world-class events will be underscored this evening with the launch concert of the first-ever Keys of Gold Festival, a month-long tribute to the region’s historically significant churches and the keyboard instruments hidden within them.

Tonight’s concert in the stunning Lauriston Chapel at Langley Estate in White Hills features British-Australian concert pianist Yasmin Rowe with local internationally acclaimed concert organist and Festival co-founder and curator Thomas Heywood.

Then follows 15 additional events over the weekends of July in Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maldon and Inglewood, with a particular highlight to be the inclusion of classic pipe organs across the towns. Their worth totals an incredible $26 million dollars.

The idea for the series came from the Cambridge Summer Music Festival, which a friend of Heywood’s started in 1980.

“It’s fantastically successful,” Heywood said. “I was over there two years ago walking around and I (realised) Cambridge to London is a similar distance as Bendigo to Melbourne, and Cambridge is a beautiful city and Bendigo is a beautiful city with beautiful heritage spaces.

“That was the kernel of it, then I shared that vision with the people who are now involved, and it grew.

“We’re lucky as it’s a wonderful collection of organs that are available. They’re precious.

“Another thing we wanted to do with the event was to allow audiences to visit all of these beautiful churches and buildings and appreciate what’s on their doorstep.

“Coming into these lovely spaces and hearing beautiful music, it’s the whole package.”

The origin of the organ in Lauriston Chapel is fascinating in itself.

“This was originally built in 1875 for the ballroom of the mansion of Australia’s wealthiest man, Henry Miller, in Kew,” Heywood said.

“He wanted it completed before Christmas but it wasn’t finished in time, so he cancelled his order.

“(English-born pioneering organ maker) George Fincham was stuck with this beautiful thing so he placed it as an exhibit in his factory in Richmond.

“Nellie Melba used to practice on it when she was a teenager (as) she lived next door to the factory.

“This chapel was built in 1873 and the organ in 1875, so it looks like it’s always been here.

“It’s extraordinary, we’re so fortunate to have it.”

Heywood said he can barely believe his good fortune in terms of how the Festival has come together.

“Everything is here,” he enthused. “The buildings are here, the instruments are here. We’ve just got to use them.

“We’re so fortunate in Bendigo to have this extraordinary built heritage where people spent literally a fortune building these beautiful spaces and wonderful instruments.

“There’s no other city in regional Australia that could do something like this, so come along, take an hour out of your day and go away feeling energised and excited. It’ll take you to another place.”

The Keys of Gold Festival runs from today until Sunday 27 July. Visit bendigofinemusic.com/keys-of-gold.