Cairns musician Larry Hammond to retire after international career
An internationally acclaimed musician who has travelled the world playing the organ will tinkle the ivories for the final time this weekend at a special St Monica’s Cathedral performance.
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An internationally acclaimed musician who has travelled the world playing the organ will perform for the final time this weekend at a special performance at St Monica’s Cathedral.
Born and raised in Cairns, Larry Hammond got interested in playing the organ the first time when he heard the pipes at his confirmation, aged 12.
Little did he know at the time that a love of the sound would lead to studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, a career teaching music and the chance to play the finest organs at the Sydney Opera House, in Vienna, Rome, Florence and Venice.
The 78-year-old began as a self taught organist before stumbling upon a teacher in Brisbane while on holidays, where he was taught for free on a big pipe organ at the Creek Street Presbyterian Church.
“It’s like having an orchestra under your fingertips,” he said.
“You’ve got flutes, you’ve got the brass sound, percussion and some pipe organs have drums and xylophones and all the sounds of a traditional band.”
Mr Hammond began his teaching career in Cairns at St Augustine's before becoming the director of music at Marist Brothers in Sydney and later served as music director at St Joseph’s College in Hunters Hill.
He worked with Nana Mouskouri at the State Theatre in Sydney and in the 1990s Mr Hammond toured Europe with the Australian Girls Choir. He also played organ on SBS radio and television.
The Cairns North resident has also served as a competition adjudicator in Cairns, Sydney, Bathurst and Hawaii.
Formally retiring from teaching, Mr Hammond moved back to Cairns in 2001 to be the resident organist at St Monica’s Cathedral to perform at Sunday mass and big events such as the recent funerals of Mario Calanna and Kevin Byrne.
Reflecting on the significance of music in his life and the joy of playing the organ, Mr Hammond said after this Saturday’s performance he would hang up the keyboard for good and hand the baton to former nun turned teacher Maureen Waldby.
“I’m looking forward to it, because the singers have come up quite well, and especially the soloists,” he said.
Mr Hammond said to sit behind the keys and hear such a powerful, often moving and commanding sound had been a privilege and an honour.
“You just feel spent, exhilarated and then spent,” he said.
The Popular Classics and Sacred Songs concert from 3pm at St Monica’s Cathedral will feature combined choirs from the Filipino and Tongan community together with Voices of the North and gifted soloists.
Tickets cost $25 for adults and are available now through Trybooking, children are free.
The weekend concert will be the final performance of conductor Alteouise DeVaughn who will also retire on Saturday.
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Originally published as Cairns musician Larry Hammond to retire after international career
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