Young Organist To Shine In City Choir Dunedin Dunedin’s Presentation Of Darkness And Light

City Choir Dunedin will present a performance mainly of contemporary choral music, in Knox Church on Saturday 12 April, conducted by the Choir’s musical director, David Burchell, and accompanied by piano, string quartet and brilliant young organist, Sea-am Thompson.

In 2022, Sea-am Thompson was one of two young cathedral choristers from Christchurch invited to the Christ Church Cathedral at the University of Oxford in the UK, to sing with its Cathedral Choir. Sea-am was just 16 but had already revealed his talents as an alto chorister, organist, pianist and violinist. In August 2024, at the age of 18, he revealed a further talent, that of composer. With his Piano Trio no. 2, Sea-am won the 2024 prize for best original composition, in Chamber Music New Zealand’s prestigious national competition for teenage musicians. The chairman of the judges wrote: 'Wow – what an impressive, professional composition ... your instrumental writing is phenomenal ... strong cohesiveness ... a compelling sense of journey ... a high degree of imagination and creativity.'

At Christ Church two years ago, besides singing in the Cathedral Choir's rigorous programme of sung services, Sea-am took organ lessons from the cathedral sub-organist, Ben Sheen and, crowning his visit, he was invited to play the organ prelude and postlude to the penultimate Evensong.

After a rigorous audition process, Sea-am was awarded an organ scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford University, where he begins his studies in September 2025.

The “Darkness and Light” concert offers Sea-am the opportunity to experience a solo performance on the Knox Church organ, and the audience to witness and enjoy remarkable young talent. Sea-am currently serves as the accompanist for Christchurch City Choir.

The concert explores the profound interplay between shadow and illumination in music. The programme weaves together works that offer a transcendent journey through the dualities of the human experience. Whether you are drawn to the meditative depths of Gjeilo and Lauridsen, the timeless beauty of Tallis, or the stirring resonance of contemporary voices like Artley, "Darkness and Light" promises to be a moving and unforgettable experience.

Some highlights of the works on the programme are:

Ola Gjeilo – Dark Night of the Soul and Luminous Night of the Soul

Morten Lauridsen – Lux Aeterna

Thomas Tallis – O Nata Lux

James MacMillan – O Radiant Dawn

Chris Artley – Matariki

These works will remind us of the enduring power of music to guide us through life’s contrasts, from shadow to brilliance, from doubt to hope.

Event Details:

What: City Choir Dunedin presents Darkness and Light

Conductor: David Burchell

Accompanists: Organist See-am Thompson, pianist Sandra Crawshaw and a string quartet

When: Saturday 12 April, at 7:30 pm

Where: Knox Church, George Street, Dunedin

Tickets: Available at MusicWorks, Lower Stuart Street (cash only), online via the Eventfinda website https://www.eventfinda.co.nz, or phone 0800 289 849

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