Spending time on a Melbourne beach or taking classes in organ playing in Dunedin.
It was a tough call for Melbourne music student Tom Baldwin (23) but the lure of learning from some top organ professionals at the Australia and New Zealand College of Organists academy overcame the summer holiday sloth.
‘‘It would have been nice to stay on the beach a bit longer but it's good to be a bit productive in January. I thought it would be good to spend a week over here and see what I can learn,'' he said in a break from trying out the St Paul's Cathedral organ.
Like many young organists, his exposure to organs came from singing in choirs but it was not until joining the Trinity College Choir in his first year at university that the idea of playing the organ was raised.
‘‘The conductor knew I could play piano and suggested I give organ a go. So I did.''
The former high school drummer fell for the organ and has since gone on to finish his arts degree and start a music degree in organ playing.
‘‘It's an incredible instrument. The great thing about an organ is, not one is the same. It is really powerful and it is a wonderful experience aurally to listen to it played or to be up here playing.
‘‘To be in control of something this immense is great fun and hard work.''
Traditionally the organ was given to improvisation in both concert and liturgical aspects, meaning there was an infinite amount of things that could be done with the instrument, he said.‘‘A lot of great composers throughout history were organists.''
So giving up part of his holidays to come to Dunedin for the academy on the advice of his organ teacher was not such a hardship.
The attraction was the variety of classes offered, such as mentally preparing for concerts and accompanying choirs, during the four-day event in the city, he said.
‘‘It covers a whole lot and it will be great to watch and learn from the other students as well.''
Each student would be bringing pieces they were working on and it would be great to learn from how tutors helped players improve their performances on all levels.
Academy director and St Paul's Cathedral organist George Chittenden said it was the first time the academy, which was held every two years, had been held in Dunedin.‘‘It should be a really exciting few days. The students should pick up lots of useful skills, repertoire and techniques.''
It had attracted six organ students from around New Zealand and Australia and two observers, slightly up on participation from the last academy in Wellington.
They would be attending a range of classes and lessons, from the practical - tuning and temperament, organ maintenance and pedal technique - to the musical - experimental music, Baroque across Europe, and the French classical era.
There was even a session with a group of singers from St Paul's choir so the organists could practise accompanying a choir.
‘‘The aim is to turn young organists into excellent professional organists with long careers ahead of them.''
The tutors will be Newcastle Cathedral music director Peter Guy, of Australia; international concert organist Dr Martin Setchell; Dunedin City Organist David Burchell and Mr Chittenden.
Dr Setchell would also run a workshop on Saturday at All Saints' Church open to the public titled ‘‘The Reluctant Organist''.
It targeted those who may have reluctantly agreed to play organ for their church and wanted to strengthen their skills.
The church's Bevington organ built in 1880 would be used.
‘‘Often people are shoulder-tapped because they can play the piano but it's a very different instrument, it has foot pedals and stops to pull out.''
In an effort to encourage the next generation of Dunedin organists, Mr Chittenden was holding a workshop ‘‘Pulling out all the stops'' to introduce the Dunedin Town Hall organ Norma to children under the age of 18.
‘‘Show them what to do is the best way of encouraging young people.''
It was through church choirs that many young people were exposed to organ music and some of the children from St Paul's choir had registered to attend, he said.
There would also be opportunities for the public to hear the students at an organ recital on Saturday night at St Paul's Cathedral.
The college had received funding from Creative New Zealand and the Otago Community Trust to hold the academy.
