AS the final chords of the 1874 Fincham organ reverberate from the Neil Street Uniting Church next Tuesday afternoon, it will be a bittersweet moment for those in attendance.
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For almost 150 years, the organ has been heard across Soldiers Hill, but from February 5, it will fall silent with the final performance marking the end of the church's life as a concert venue, after it was recently sold.
That's why Tuesday's Organs of the Goldfields event, featuring New Zealand's international renowned organist Martin Setchell, will be an event not to be missed. Mr Setchell has prepared a program featuring the likes of Handel, Bach and Guilmant among others for the 2023 Organs of the Goldfields event to farewell the church in a glorious celebration.
Organs of the Goldfields director Judy Houston said it was a sad day to bid farewell to the organ which had featured every year for the 27 years of the Organs of the Goldfields.
"I'm really sad about it because this is so much a part of the history of Ballarat," Ms Houston said.
"The organ travelled around, it began in Dana Street and then it moved to the Alfred Hall which eventually burned down, but before it burned down they'd moved it here.
"The instrument is a George Fincham who was a famous organ builder in Victoria - particularly across the western district - and since we've started this event, we've discovered so many wonderful organs that he built all across the western district.
"We've done some touch-ups on a few here and there, but there are many still in excellent working order."
Ms Houston said the acoustics of the Neil Street Uniting Church made it one of the yearly highlights of the five-day event which starts on Friday.
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The focus of the festival is not only on music but also on the history of the area, its churches, its public buildings, its parks and gardens and its private homes and properties. Where possible, this history is made available to the visitors either through written or oral presentation.
The opening event will be held on Friday at St Patrick's Cathedral Hall. Other events will take place across the weekend at Carngham Uniting Church, the Mechanics' Institute, Mary's Mount Centre, St Peter's Anglican Church, St Alipius and Neil Street Uniting Church before wrapping up at St Patrick's Cathedral on Tuesday evening.
While some tickets are likely to still be available at the time, organisers are keen for attendees to pre-book so they won't be disappointed if the event is a sell-out.
Tickets to all events can be purchased at ballaratorgans.com.au
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