Myles Payne Photo: Max Frethey
Myles Payne would like you to 'become an organ donor', although he really wants you to sponsor a pipe - or two.
The director of the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts is using the slogan for a new fundraising drive to gather money to pay for the upkeep of its Cawthron organ.
While the organ is in good shape, ongoing maintenance is essential, and costs money.
Payne spoke to RNZ Concert about the campaign, his new job as director of the centre and what it takes to keep a one hundred-year-old pipe organ going.
He says one of the the biggest challenges with organ maintenance is keeping it moist enough. Dry air leads to a dry instrument, and dry instruments don't sound so good.
Payne says the invitation to organ donors might sound like the centre is after body parts, but the main aim is to get music lovers to sponsor one of the instrument's pipes.
Payne took on the role of centre director after working as its education manager. He says education remains an important priority - along with maintaining organs - especially encouraging adults as well as students to take up a classical instrument.
To that end, he's excited that members of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's string section will perform Tchaikovsky's Serenade side by side with members of the centre's own orchestra on 7 June.
Next month will also see the centre host Kemp English, one of the nation's top organists, showing current and potential organ donors exactly what a well-tuned organ can do.
