Young NZ organ player scores world class opportunity

Sea-am Thompson comes from a long line of musicians who’ve rubbed shoulders with big names, including a great uncle who composed the music for Sir Edmund Hillary's wedding.

But the 18-year-old had no idea of his ancestry's link to the organ before he secured a scholarship to study the instrument at one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world, Oxford University.

His family moved to Christchurch from Kaikōura when he was eight so he could pursue his dream as a chorister in Christchurch Cathedral.

“That's where I discovered the organ. Also as part of being in the cathedral choir, when I was in year 11, so in 2022, I got offered an opportunity to go to Oxford to sing with the cathedral choir of Christchurch Cathedral there, and that's where I really wanted to go to Oxford.”

Thompson was just 16 at the time of that visit but already established his talents when he won the 2024 prize for best original composition in New Zealands's prestigious national competition.

Playing the organ wasn’t "terribly difficult" because he had learnt the basics from the playing the piano since the age of five, he told Afternoons.

“It's like you've got an orchestra, but it's all in one instrument and you can be the orchestra by yourself. There are so many different sounds, colours and volumes that you can play.

“There is such great music for the instrument. All around the world, there are these amazing organs and these amazing venues, and they're just places that I'd really like to go and visit.”

The St Andrew's College graduate has been asked to write for the 175th anniversary of the Anglican Church. He will travel to England for his organ scholarship in September.

“Also, I'll be training the choristers who are the children who sing the soprano line in the choir almost on a daily basis, which will be a great learning experience for me."