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The Cathedral Organ was a gift of the Sir John Logan Campbell Trust. It is situated above the Patteson Entrance in the South Transept, with the console on the bridge between the Chancel and Nave. It was built in 1968 by Harrison and Harrison of Durham, England.

The organ has 64 speaking stops spread over three manuals and pedals. The 4,309 pipes range from the full-length 32-foot Contra Salicional (visible at the front), it is the only example of this tapered stop in the world. The copper Fanfare Trumpet is displayed "en chamade" at the front of the case.

One particular feature on the organ is that the Pedal reeds are enclosed in their own swell-box, a luxury found on very few instruments, but very useful in an accompaniment role.

Organ enthusiasts may follow this link for technical specifications. The organ is maintained by the New Zealand Organ Manufactory, based in Oamaru.

The Cathedral Organ is now in a period of its life where it requires major work to be undertaken.  The Cathedral is delighted to announce that Mr Colin Walsh, Organist Laureate of Lincoln Cathedral (UK), has agreed to be its Organ Consultant.

Colin Walsh is at the front of his generation of organists in England. He has played many recitals in the UK in cathedrals, abbeys, college chapels and at the Royal Festival Hall. Further afield, he has played in France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Germany, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA. During the summer of 2005 he was involved in the third performance of John Tavener's 'The veil of the Temple' as part of the Holland Festival in the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam and played the organ for the Universal Label on a CD entitled 'The Choirboys'. In 2006 he toured New Zealand as Congress Recitalist for the New Zealand Association of Organists’ and, in the same year, he gave a recital on the famous Cavaillé-Coll organ of St. Ouen in Rouen. Appearances during 2007 will include the City of London Festival, the Southern Cathedrals' Festival, the Lahti Organ Festival, Finland and recitals in Cologne Cathedral, Altenberg Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris and the Svetlanov Hall, Moscow.

His many recordings on the Priory label include two early recitals of modern French music from Salisbury, Vierne and Duruflé from St Albans and Vierne (second and third symphonies; twenty-four pièces en style libre) from Lincoln. The restoration of the Lincoln organ in 1998 was accompanied by a CD of more popular music on the Cantoris label and a recording of French music on the Guild label was released in 2005. On the same label, a recording of the fifth and sixth symphonies of Widor has just been released. He has recorded many times for the BBC. His teachers have included Simon Preston, Nicholas Danby and Jean Langlais.

His three year studies in France with Jean Langlais at St Clotilde inspired him to specialise in French symphonic and modern music, in particular the works of Franck, Vierne and Langlais. This has brought him wide acclaim throughout the world. In 1988 he played Messiaen in front of the composer himself. His work as organist has always been connected with long established choral foundations: at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford; at Salisbury Cathedral as Assistant Organist and at St. Albans and Lincoln Cathedrals as Organist. Since January 2003 he has been Organist Laureate of Lincoln Cathedral where he presides over the fine Father Willis organ and plays regularly for the Cathedral's services. He is a Council Member of the Royal College of Organists and has close associations with the Royal Academy of Music and Royal Northern College of Music.

St. Mary’s Organ

The present organ in St Mary's in Holy Trinity was built in 1909 by George Croft of Auckland.  In 1985, Croft's rebuilt the organ with electric action and carried out tonal modifications.  In 2010 we were able to source pipework made by the same pipemaker and replaced the 1980s alterations with stops more in keeping with the original sound of the organ.  These alterations have given the organ a more cohesive colour.