It’s heavy stuff, but the true highlight is the opening night performance of Arvo Pärt’s Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christ at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Ballarat.

Assistant director Judy Houston said the performance, featuring a full chorus and David MacFarlane on the organ, would be something very special - it includes Pärt’s trademark tintinnabuli, or ringing bells.

“It’s music built on bell tones instead of scales,” she explained.

“It’s just stunning.”

It’s also a relatively new piece of music – much of the program features music from the 16^th or 17^th centuries, but Passio Domini was written in 1982.

Ms Houston said there are several other must-sees in this year’s program, curated by director Sergio de Pieri.

“This festival is known all over the world - we’ve had musicians from Belgium, England, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, and France, and they all want to come back,” she said.

Oboeist Gianfranco Bortolano, from Venice, is another name to keep an eye out for.

“To see him play (in Venice), you have to book three months in advance,” Ms Houston said.

‘There’s also (baritone singer) David Greco, we think he’s very handsome, and he’s incredible.”

The festival takes place across 10 days, beginning on January 11, in intimate venues in smaller towns, and Ballarat’s churches will also star – several feature restored 19^th century organs – as well as the historic Ballaarat Mechanics Institute.

“We just love the old mechanical organs – it’s the intensity and clarity of the sound,” she said.

Ms Houston’s advice is to check out something new, and arrive early, as some venues fill quickly.

Smaller towns and villages in the district share the benefits from the visiting Organs of the Goldfields festival.

Now in its 24th year, the visitors returning each year give the businesses in the towns a reliable source of income - as well as valuable word of mouth advertising.

According to Jane Lesock, who was treasurer of the Clunes Tourist and Development Association for 25 years, the festival is still something special.

“We have a good relationship with the organisers, they’re all volunteers like us,” she said, adding the committee helped set-up the venues.

“There’s now two recitals in Clunes, in the morning and afternoon, and that means the visitors stay longer.”

This year, the town will be one of five sharing acts and recitals, which often feature international musicians who make annual pilgrimages to the region, enjoying the sights.

On Thursday, January 17, the former Wesleyan Methodist Church hosts a Venetian Oboe Concerti, playing music from composers like Vivaldi - the 1860s-era organ was once described as “the marking of a new era in church music … we have not heard a sweeter organ in the colony.”

That afternoon, the music of Bach and Mozart will be performed at St Paul’s Anglican Church.

Having such world-class musicians not only brings the tourists to the town to watch, but also helps historical societies maintain buildings and instruments like the organs, Ms Lesock added.

Another highlight is the return to Blampied’s St Joseph’s Church, which was closed last year.

Volunteers will help a cleaning crew get the building scrubbed up for a special performance of medieval English music, on Wednesday, January 16, followed by dinner at the Swiss Mountain Hotel - the oldest licensed weatherboard hotel in Victoria.

At St John’s Anglican Church in Creswick, a special trumpet and organ duo performance will also feature projected images by Danish painter Arne Sorensen, and the famous Fanfare from Thus Spake Zarathustra, while the Carngham Uniting Church in Snake Valley is the venue for an organ and cello recital, featuring Handel and Chopin.

Two shows at Beaufort showcase baritone David Greco, performing Schubert with the Haydn Ensemble String Quintet at St Andrew’s Uniting Church, and Like as a Lute’s Delights’ by John Danyel at St John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Pre-sale tickets will be on sale from Monday, at the City of Ballarat’s tourist information office.

Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.