Organ Capers

MARTIN SETCHELL - BIOGRAPHY :-
Concert organist Martin Setchell is Organ Curator of the Christchurch Town Hall in the Christchurch Convention Centre, New Zealand, where he regularly performs on the acclaimed Rieger pipe organ.

He was born in Blackpool, England where he received his early musical education, studied organ at Exeter University and Cathedral, and graduated with Honours degrees in Music and French. Advanced studies in Classical organ technique followed with various teachers including Pierre Cochereau, then titular organist of Notre Dame in Paris, Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, and Peter Hurford.

Martin was awarded both the Limpus and Shinn prizes when he received his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists in London. He emigrated to New Zealand on his appointment to the University of Canterbury School of Music where he is Associate Professor of Music and tutor in organ, combining his University teaching and research career with a busy schedule of recitals and concerts as soloist, accompanist and continuo player on organ and harpsichord.

His solo concert tours outside New Zealand have taken him to Australia, America, Europe and the Far East. Some concert highlights include the Spreckels organ in Balboa Park, San Diego, the famous Hill organ in Sydney Town Hall, Australia, Oliwa Cathedral in Poland as part of the Gdansk International Organ Festival, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Guangdong Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou, China, St Paul 's Cathedral, London and St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh. Concert engagements in 2005 take him to Australia, Canada, USA, England, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

He also fulfils engagements as organist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony, Christchurch City Choir and the Woolston Brass. An active composer and choral conductor, his organ and choral compositions are published by Kevin Mayhew Music in England. He is the founder and first director of Christchurch's chamber choir the Jubilate Singers, Director of the University Chamber Choir, and also a music critic for The Press.