A Malvern firm has been hired to build a pipe organ for an earthquake-damaged cathedral in New Zealand.

Christchurch, on the southern island of New Zealand, was hit by a series of tremors in 2010 and 2011, resulting in the deaths of more than 180 people.

Many buildings were damaged, including the city’s cathedral.

A major rebuild project is now underway and it has this week been confirmed that Nicholson & Co has been commissioned to build a new organ.

The firm’s managing director, Andrew Caskie, said: “This is a really thrilling project as it is about as far away as you can get, in fact if you went any further you’d start to come home.

“It is a really prestigious contract to have been awarded and is a testament to the skill of our team.

“To be able to build a new organ is brilliant.”

Malvern Gazette: A visual of what the rebuilt cathedral will look like A visual of what the rebuilt cathedral will look like (Image: Nicholson & Co)

Nicholson & Co was founded in 1841 by John Nicholson, whose father Richard was commissioned to build an organ for the Countess of Huntingdon’s Methodist Chapel in Worcester.

The company has been based in Malvern ever since and some of its earliest instruments include those installed at Worcester Public Hall, Great Malvern Priory and Gloucester Shire Hall.

More recently, the firm was hired to create an organ for Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland.

It was Nicholson & Co’s biggest project to date, consisting of 5,432 pipes – making it the largest pipe organ built in Britain in 1954.

It was this work that landed them the contract for the Christ Church Cathedral organ.

Project director Keith Paterson said: “This is not a reinstatement of the existing organ, it’s a whole new instrument.

“The circa 4,000 pipes will be split on both sides of the Nave improving the acoustic performance of the instrument.

“The new four-manual, 70-stop organ will have electro-pneumatic action and will reuse the salvaged original pipes where possible.”

READ ALSO: New pipe organ prompts venue change for orchestra’s concert

Malvern Gazette: The pipe organ will be ready for the cathedral's reopening in 2027The pipe organ will be ready for the cathedral's reopening in 2027 (Image: Nicholson & Co)

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Work will begin next year and is due to be completed in time for the cathedral’s reopening in 2027.

The final challenge will be transporting the instrument nearly 12,000 miles to its new home.

“People often ask me about this and think it must be a logistical nightmare,” said Mr Caskie.

“But in fact it is not too different from building an organ for say Bristol.

“It will be taken over in four or five big shipping containers by boat and then our team will meet it there and help with the installation.”