Eugene Lavery - Organ Concert
Sunday 14 July, 2.30pm
Organist to impress in the third of our cathedral concert series.
New Zealand-American organist and choral conductor Eugene Lavery is highly sought after as a performer and teacher. His concert will include classical pieces by Handel, Bach and Massenet as well as contemporary arrangements.
Eugene currently serves as Organist and Director of Music at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Waco, TX where he directs the semi-professional adult choir, the St. Alban’s Chorister Program, and a vibrant concert series. Eugene has also recently overseen the design and installation of a new world-class organ, Schoenstein Op. 180.
Eugene received his Bachelor of Music with First Class Honors from the University of Auckland while also serving as Organ Scholar and then Assistant Organist at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland, New Zealand. In 2007 Eugene relocated to New York after gaining entry to the prestigious Master of Music programme at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Paul Jacobs. Eugene is married to fellow Juilliard-graduate Dr. Sharon Lavery, and together they raise two boys, Ryan and Adam.
He has given concerts at venues such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, St. Ignatius Loyola, New York, and St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, and he has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra. He has served on the faculty of Royal School of Church Music courses in the United States, New Zealand, and Nigeria. Eugene has also appeared as an organist for live broadcasts for Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand.
The Waiapu Cathedral organ is one of the finest church organs in New Zealand and one of the largest, featuring more than 3700 pipes. It had a complete restoration by the South Island Organ Company in 2010.
Door sales, cash & EFTPOS: Adults $20, children under 14 free.
Traffic Note: The street around the cathedral is now a one-way system with access via Cathedral Lane from Tennyson St. This offers improved parking and a drop-off area immediately outside the main cathedral doors if needed.