Organ Scholarship
St John’s Anglican Church is the city’s oldest church building, dating from 1860 – and our fabulous Walker organ was built soon after in 1866. It’s a marvelous instrument with two manuals, pedal board and many beautiful tone colours and features.
We are committed to keeping this historic instrument alive with music and are passionate about the diverse musical expressions which support our praise and worship.
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We are therefore blessed to be able to launch our 2026 Organ Scholarship!
The Scholarship Includes:
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Six 45-min individual lessons per term, covering technique, repertoire and liturgical playing, given by organist Rosemary Ponnekanti
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Access to the historic Walker organ for practice
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Increasing guided opportunities to play during worship services
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Further opportunities for solo performance
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Access to the Christ Church Cathedral organ for learning purposes
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A yearly stipend of $1000
The St John's Organ Scholar is expected to:
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Have advanced piano skills (minimum grade 8 AMEB or equivalent)
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Be 17 years or older
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Show maturity and responsibility in conduct and time-management
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Be available to observe and/or play for 2 Sunday services per month (9:00-11.00am), plus occasional special services, from March-December 2026
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Be committed to regular practice and lessons
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Have the permission of their piano teacher, if applicable
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything else you need to know.
Q: Do I need to know how to play the organ to apply for the scholarship? A: Not at all! We are accepting applications from advanced pianists and students. Learning how to play the organ is part of the scholarship, including pedal technique, organ repertoire, playing for church services and more.
Q: Do I need to be Anglican (or a church-goer) to apply? A: Being an Anglican is not mandatory. We do anticipate that students who are learning the organ in the context of a faith community such as St John’s are open to exploring faith. We do require that all of our church musicians act (musically and otherwise) in a respectful, professional way.
Q: How often does the organ scholar need to be at St John’s? A: Our minimum requirement is that the scholar attend all lessons (6 per term), come at least 1-2 times per week to practice (can be adjacent to lessons or services), and attend the 9:30am Sunday service twice a month to observe or play.
Q: Any other requirements? A: We require a commitment to daily practice of material, either at the St John’s organ, another organ or modified on piano. We also need the agreement of the scholar’s current piano teacher if they have one
Q: Will I need to do exams? A: The scholar will not need to do AMEB exams, although we can support them in this if they want to. Our organ teacher will conduct an informal assessment of progress every term, and a final one at the end of the year, reporting to the St John’s Organ Scholarship Committee which oversees the project.
About the Teacher
Rosemary Ponnekanti
Rosemary Ponnekanti is the organist at St John’s, playing regularly each month and for special occasions. She has nearly 4 decades of liturgical organ experience, is assistant organist at Christ Church Cathedral and plays at St Luke’s, Wallsend.
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An accomplished pianist, flutist and professional double bass player, Rosemary gained her B.Mus.A at the Victorian College of the Arts and postgraduate Performance Certificate from the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague, Netherlands. On double bass she has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony, Adelaide Symphony and others, and is currently principal bass of Christ Church Camerata.
Rosemary is also a lifelong choral singer and is currently a member of Christ Church Cathedral Choir. She composes, arranges and teaches. An award-winning writer and festival director, she also currently manages operations and communications for the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra.