The first of three summer organ concerts at St. Anastasia’s Cathedral, as part of the 1st "Organs of St. Anastasia" Festival, was held on July 18, 2024, at 8 PM. This special evening welcomed the renowned Dutch concert organist and pianist Matthias Havinga to Zadar.

Havinga earned his Master of Music degree summa cum laude from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied under Jacques van Oortmerssen. He also completed piano studies at the same institution under Marcel Baudet. Additionally, he studied church music at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Jos van der Kooy.

He is the recipient of several international organ competition awards and enjoys a successful international concert career, performing solo recitals in prestigious venues across Europe, the United States, and South America. Havinga has collaborated with renowned choirs and orchestras. Currently, he serves as the titular organist of the 1830 Bätz organ in Koepelkerk, Amsterdam, and the congregation organist at Oude Kerk, Amsterdam, where he plays the Vater/Müller organ (1726/1738) and the Ahrend organ (1965). He is also an organ professor at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

In the Romanesque ambiance of St. Anastasia’s Cathedral, Matthias Havinga captivated classical music enthusiasts with an exceptional performance on the Eisenbarth organ, interpreting masterpieces by world-renowned composers.

The concert program featured:

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
  Fantasia et Fuga in G minor, BWV 542
  Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 663 (Canto fermo in Tenore)

• Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1561-1621)
  Est-ce Mars

• Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
  Adagio (Symphony No. 3, Op. 28)

• Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
  Chorale with Partitas: "Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan" (Selection)

• Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
  Variations on “Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen”

For over an hour, the enchanted audience immersed themselves in the beauty of these pieces, ultimately rewarding Havinga with prolonged applause. In response to the overwhelming enthusiasm, he delighted the crowd with an encore performance. Following the concert, audience members congratulated Matthias Havinga on his brilliant recital, expressing their admiration for his masterful artistry.