Our story
This year marks the 5th anniversary of our festival! Thank you all for your support that makes the festival a success every year.
Our mission is to introduce more people to organ music.
We’ve had international performers from different countries such as Germany, Netherlands and Japan to come perform organ music in the historic venue Christ Church Cathedral.
Besides organ concerts with a variety of repertoire, we also aim to host other events such as workshops, masterclasses and family friendly events every year. Whether if you are a classical music enthusiast, a musician, or a tourist, the festival is a trove of treasures for you to discover!
Venue
Founded as a viking settlement in 914, Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city and was second in importance only to Dublin throughout the medieval period. The eighteenth century was a time of great prosperity for Waterford, when much of the medieval city was replaced with the Georgian arctitecture that gives Waterford its character today.With a spire that dominates the city’s skyline, Christ Church Cathedral has been a focal point of Christian community in Waterford for nearly 1000 years. The current cathedral, constructed to replace the medieval ediface between 1773 and 1779, is reputed to be Ireland’s finest example of eighteenth-century ecclesiastical architecture. It is the cathedral for the Diocese of Waterford in the Church of Ireland (Anglican) United Dioceses of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory.
The Elliot- Jones Organ
Two years after the disastrous organ gallery fire in 1815, Thomas Elliot was commissioned to build a new organ. Elliot was one of England’s foremost organ builders during the early decades of the nineteenth century, and built instruments for York Minster and the corona on of George IV at Westminster Abbey. During the renovations of 1891, the organ was taken down from its gallery and moved to the front left corner of the cathedral. This compromised its appearance and sound and, in 2003, the organ was restored by Kenneth Jones and returned to a gallery in its original position. One of Ireland’s most important organs, the case is made of solid mahogany and façade pipes are gold-plated. The organ is used regularly for services and concerts. The console, where the organist plays, is situated between the organ’s two cases and a CCTV system enables the organist to view the choir and chancel below.