Organist Dianne Halliday to perform recital in Whanganui on July 25

Dianne Halliday will perform in Whanganui at a recital presented by the Friends of the Christ Church Organ. Photo / File

Organist Dianne Halliday's much-anticipated Whanganui recital will finally go ahead this month.

The Friends of the Christ Church Organ are pleased to present the recital on Sunday, July 25. Originally planned for earlier in the year, a Covid-19 crisis led to its cancellation.

Dianne was raised in Pennsylvania and discovered the thrill of music at an early age. She was soon playing the flute and piano, and singing in the church choir. After a musical life at high school she attended the famous Eastman School of Music, leaving with performance and literature degrees in flute, organ and church music.

She moved to Wellington in 1983 to be the director of music at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and followed this with 23 years as music director at St Peters, Willis St. In both positions she oversaw a major reconstruction of their organs, one damaged by earthquake, the other by arson.

Dianne "retired" in 2020 and is now able to concentrate on recital work.

Of the seven works in her Whanganui recital, three are based on bell-ringing, one each from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

The recital is at Christ Church, Wicksteed St, Whanganui, at 2.30pm on Sunday, July 25.

Door sales only. Programme notes, entrance and refreshments $25, Friends of the Organ $20, free for those under 19 years old.