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Sydney Organ Competition

Bernard Kirkpatrick is a well known Sydney organist and choral director. He received his early music training in Tasmania before moving to Sydney in 1984 and commencing organ studies with Sydney City Organist, Robert Ampt. As a music undergraduate, he was the Organ Scholar at The University of Sydney.


After winning the senior section of the 1988  Sydney Organ Competition, Bernard was appointed Assistant Organist of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney. (1988-1999). During this period he received tutoring from eminent organists, studying improvisation with M. Naji Hakim (then Organist Titulaire de Basilique Sacre Coeur) in Paris, and participated in masterclasses with Peter Hurford, David Hill (Westminster Cathedral), and Dr. Christopher Dearnley (formerly St.Paul’s Cathedral, London).  He has been a regular performer, giving recitals in the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Town Hall, at music festivals; he has been a regular accompanist for many Sydney choirs.


In 2008, he was invited to be the organist for the World Youth Day Mass celebrated in Sydney by Pope Benedict XVI at Randwick.  He is currently Organist and Director of Music at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta and Music Director of the Good Shepherd Seminary in the Archdiocese of Sydney. In 2021 Bernard was awarded a Papal Knighthood in the Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Francis, in recognition of his contribution to sacred music.