On Wednesday 15 April 2026 at 1.15pm Brett is playing an organ recital at St James’ Church King St Sydney. Music will be by Reger, Byrd, Franck and Batiste. See the below for tickets, or they can be bought at the door.
On Wednesday 25th March 2026 Brett is playing an organ recital at St Jude’s Church in Bowral at 1.15pm. Music by Guilmant, Gounod, Handel, Haydn, Howells and Hollins. All welcome!
Brett is playing an organ recital at St Jude’s Church, Bendooley Street, Bowral. The music is for remembrance, and with Remembrance Day approaching, or maybe a loved one you want to remember, this is a nice time to come and reflect, sit quietly, meditate or pray as you listen to some beautiful music for remembrance.
Music is being performed by composers including J.S. Bach, Handel, Brahms, Ravel, Parry, and Faure.
Moreover, 2025 has been designated “Play the Organ Year” by the Royal College of Organists. The Director of the Royal School of Church Music Hugh Morris is marking “Play the Organ Year” by playing for a marathon 25 hours later this month, and as his 2025 Director’s Challenge has invited organists around the world to join with him in playing Handel’s Ombra mai Fu simultaneously on 22 November, the feast day of St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. 29 October is Brett’s recital immediately before the 22 November, so he is playing this piece as part of the recital.
#rscmchallenge #directorschallenge #playtheorganyear
If you’re in the Southern Highlands today, you are very welcome to come to Brett’s recital at St Jude’s Church Bowral at 1.15pm. German music by Buxtehude, Bruhns, J.S. Bach and Reger.
For those who happen to be in the Southern Highlands today (27 April 2025), Brett is giving an organ recital of French music by Couperin, Guilmant and Boellmann at St Jude’s Church in Bowral at 3.30pm. All welcome.
26 March 2025
1.15pm at St Jude’s Church Bowral
If you’re in Bowral today, you might enjoy coming to Brett’s organ recital at St Jude’s Church at 1.15pm. A major Bach work is on the programme, a McKern premiere, and music by Thalben-Ball, Young, and Rawsthorne.
Brett’s first recital of 2025 is this coming Wednesday 29 January 2025 at 1.15pm at St Jude’s Church, Bendooley Street, Bowral. Music will be by Alcock, Guilmant, Batiste, Costa, Franck, Campra, and Choveaux. All welcome!
Brett’s Organ Album No. 1 has recently been published by Wirripang. It includes 20 short pieces for church and recital use. Some are inspired by the Old English tradition, and some by the French Classical tradition, and some are completely new. It is believed that the volume includes the first ever Dulciana Voluntaries. The music was composed between 2012-2024 and has inspired other composers to engage with the Old English tradition of organ music too. Organ Album No. 1 can be purchased as an instant download or sheet music here: https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/products/five-hymn-voluntaries?_pos=49&_sid=a555960c9&_ss=r
You can also hear a performance of five of the works from Organ Album No. 1 by James Flores as below.
Brett’s Five Hymn Voluntaries has recently been published by Wirripang. It includes Voluntaries on Tallis’ Canon, Wachet Auf, Wilhelmus, St Oswald, and Repton. It can be purchased as an instant download or sheet music here: https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/products/five-hymn-voluntaries?_pos=49&_sid=a555960c9&_ss=r.
You can also hear a performance of the Voluntary on Repton by James Flores here:
On Wednesday 11 December 2024 at 10.30am at St Jude’s Church in Bowral NSW, the Highlands Sinfonia, a local orchestra in Bowral, is premiering Brett’s Christmas Organ Concerto (Organ Concerto No.2). Research suggests that apart from some often well-known Baroque concerti grossi for Christmas, this is the first organ concerto written for Christmas, and possibly the first solo instrument Christmas concerto. [If anyone knows others, Brett would be delighted to hear.] Tickets available at the door: $25. All welcome.
Brett McKern 