First concert for new digital pipe organ

Music student Joshua van Konkelenberg playing the new digital pipe organ.
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Wednesday, 25 September 2002

IT'S been 40 years since the Gothic architecture of Bonython Hall resounded with organ music - but that experience is about to be repeated thanks to the hi-tech digital age of music technology.

Bonython Hall is now equipped with a state-of-the-art digital pipe organ that uses no pipes but reproduces the sound of a piped organ identically.

The very first open-to-the-public performance of the new organ will be held at 1.10pm on Thursday, October 3.

The performer of the inaugural recital is Australia's foremost organist, David Drury from Sydney.

With its two-metre-high speakers, the organ is the largest digital instrument in Australia and one of the largest organs of its kind in the world. It's been installed at Bonython Hall as an initiative of the previous Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cliff Blake, who had overseen the installation of digital organs in the halls of several other university campuses.

The installation included the challenge of meeting strict heritage requirements for the historic Bonython Hall.

"The beauty of this organ is that it is acoustically indistinguishable from a pipe organ," said project officer Mr Peter Burdon, Administrative Assistant in the Vice-Chancellor's office.

"Fine organs have long been features of the great universities and cultural centres of the world, and there is no doubt that this organ contributes to the status of the University of Adelaide.

"It supplements those organs that already exist in Adelaide, including the neo-classical organ in Elder Hall, and is intended to contrast with them.

"Anyone who doubts how good the organ sounds should attend the recital and hear for themselves. I'm sure they'll be surprised at how good it is."

Tickets to the first recital cost $4 and will be available at the door.

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