RECITALS AT ST JOHN’S FLINDERS
The inaugural recital was given in St John’s Flinders by the legendary pianist Geoffrey Tozer in 2005. As of July 2026 one hundred recitals will have been given by professional musicians from around Australia and, indeed, the world. A special relationship has developed with the Basilica of St. Quirinus in Neuss on Rhine. Distinguished German musicians have visited Flinders a number of times, providing definitive performances of baroque repertoire, notably chamber performances of Handel’s Messiah in 2019 and 2025. On their return to Germany the ensemble gave the following performance of the oratorio on New Year’s Eve:
St. John’s Flinders is an ideal recital venue, being intimate and blessed with an impressive acoustic. The church houses an 1874 William Anderson pipe organ and a fine 1889 Bechstein grand piano. The recent addition of a spacious outdoor stage, the C-Shell, will allow for a variety of summer events, premiered this January by the Peninsula Summer Music Festival.
In 2018 St Mark’s Balnarring gratefully received the historically significant pipe organ donated by Whitley College, University of Melbourne. This made it possible to extend the recital series to include performances at Balnarring, including an exciting presentation by the Inventi Ensemble of the Mozart Church Sonatas.
This Recital Series is kindly supported by Bendigo Bank Balnarring & District Community Bank.
LISTED BELOW ARE THE REMAINING RECITALS FOR 2026!
Sunday 2 August – 2.00pm
Peninsula Chamber Musicians Strings
From Heaven to Earth
This is a celebration of music’s power to lift us, note by note, toward transcendence. The PCM String Quartet led by Anne Harvey- Nagl, Concertmaster, Vienna Volksoper, starts with the joy of Haydn’s The Lark opus 64, then into tango overtones with Piazzolla’s Concierto del Ángel before taking us to Antonín Dvořák’s “American” String Quartet, Opus 96 with a heaven on earth found in nature and simplicity
Admission: $35 Concession $25
Sunday 11 October – 2.00pm
Peter Hagen, Harpsichord/Organ
& Dutch Saxophonist
Italian Baroque Masterpieces
Dutch saxophone virtuoso, Niels Bijl, brings a fresh tonality to a feast of cornetto repertoire on his soprano saxophone, combining with harpsichord specialist and organist Peter Hagen in this extraordinary duo program. The saxophone fits splendidly into 17th century repertoire with its haunting and evocative tones.
Admission $35
Sunday 6 December – 5.00pm
Royal Australian Navy Band
A free Family Christmas Picnic on the lawns of St John’s with the new outdoor stage, the C-Shell. A joyous
program of festive music including some singalong carols. In the event of rain the band will perform in the church.
Sunday 13 December – 2.00pm
Genesis Baroque
Cantatas for Christmas
Internationally renowned French soprano Myriam Arbouz joins Genesis Baroque for a festive baroque feast. The program celebrates the Christmas season with Graupner’s astonishingly beautiful cantata Angst und Jammer and Bach’s exultant cantata for soprano and trumpet, Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen. The fitting finale is Michel Corette’s charming, inventive instrumental
Christmas carol settings.
Admission $50
General Recital Enquiries: John Barren, Recitals Coordinator for St John’s Flinders, 5989 8620