Choir, Organ and the Director of Music
The Choir
St Oswald’s has a committed SATB choir of 10 singers who rehearse each Thursday evening and sing fortnightly at the 10am Choral Eucharist. We also have an ‘extended circle’ of singers who join us to prepare for special occasions such as the annual Service of Lessons and Carols for Christmas. Our repertoire focuses on traditional Anglican liturgical repertoire from the last 5 centuries, with increasing use of works from 21st century composers well suited to a small and committed parish choir.
If you are interested in meeting the choir, or in joining us for special occasions, please email the Director of Music using the form below. We love to welcome new singers and to share our love of beautiful choral repertoire!
The Organ
The organ at St Oswald’s is a small but very unusual instrument for Australia! It was an inspired commission, built in 1989 by Knud Smenge. Smenge had recently settled in Melbourne and brought with him skills in the strongest classical principles of organ-building from his training at Denmark’s Marcussen & Son, one of Europe’s foremost organ building firms.
The style of this instrument features ‘continental’ sounds that are strikingly clear and beautiful - using completely different principles to the English tradition of organ building that is typical of instruments more usually found in Australian churches.
For more detailed information, please check out the Organ Historical Trust of Australia
Director of Music
Elizabeth-Anne Nixon has both a lifetime association with choirs and a passion for the sounds and touch of the Smenge organ. Inspired to study the organ works of Bach, she first met the organ under the guidance of Robert Boughen while at university in Queensland. Completing her degree in organ performance with first class honours and the award for the top graduate, she then undertook a wide variety of extended post-graduate studies in Australia, Japan and continental Europe. Since settling in Melbourne, she has maintained a mix of freelance performance, teaching and church commitments. Beside her passion for beautiful and interesting organ works, she has also a love for and commitment to the parish choirs at all the churches where she has worked.
Email The Director of Music
Use the form below to send us a message and we will respond as soon as possible.