From 1908 the posts of Organist(OR) and Choirmaster(CM) were combined. (AS) - Associate Organist
| Jul 1897-Dec 1907 | Mrs. van Niekerk (OR) | Salary £8p.m. |
| Jul 1897-c1901 | Mr. HA van Leersum (CM) | |
| c1901-Dec 1903 | Mr. HJ de Wit (CM) | |
| Dec 1904-Dec 1907 | Mr. HA van Deelen (CM) | |
| Jan 1908- | Mr. HA van Deelen | |
| c1920 | Ms. Raubenheimer | The daughter of elder HJ Raubenheimer, she is mentioned as being the organist at the time of his death in 1920 |
| c1920-1933 | Mrs. MJ Nicol | |
| 1933-Mar 1944 | Mr. J Connell FRCO | Johannesburg City Organist |
| Jan 1945- | Mr. MC Roode | |
| c1957 | Mr. Vlietstra | |
| 1970-1978(?) | Mr. AJ Troskie | |
| Jan 1978-Aug 1983 | Mr. DB Reid | |
| Oct 1983-Jul(?) 1992 | Mrs. MN Le Roux | |
| Aug(?) 1992-Aug(?) 1995 | Mr. S Oosthuizen | |
| Aug 1995-Jul 1997 | Mr. AJ Fourie | |
| Sept 1997-Nov 1998 | Mr. C Vorster | |
| Dec 1998-July 2008 | Mr. AJ Fourie | |
| July 2008-Present | Mr. AJ Fourie (OR)
Mr. DS Smit (AS) |
|
| n.d. | Mr. HJ Hofmeyr (OR) | Mentioned as sub-Organist during the church's first decade |
| n.d. | Mr. AIW Viseé (CM) | Mentioned as Choirmaster during the church's first decade |
| n.d. | Mrs. H Piek | The wife of Rev. Piek, she is mentioned as playing the organ on a number of occasions between 1942 and 1945(?) |
In the section below, a brief biography is given of those persons for whom information is available.
John Connell was Johannesburg’s first and only City Organist and Director of Music. He was born in Glasgow and went to the Allen Glen School. He received pianoforte lessons first from Alice Millar and later from GT Pattman, the Organist of St. Mary’s Cathedral. Connell became assistant organist at St. Mary’s in 1906 at the age of 15, and remained there for 6 years.
In 1912 he became Associate of the Royal College of Organists and, after three years of study under Alfred Hollins, a Fellow in 1915. From 1912 to 1916 Connell was organist at the College and at Kelvin Grove United Free Church.
Connell and his wife arrived in Cape Town on the 30th of November 1916, stopping long enough for him to give a recital on the Town Hall Organ, built by Norman & Beard in 1905, which he considered “a very efficient instrument”. He and his wife left for Johannesburg immediately, and Connell played the first of more than 2 000 recitals at the City Hall on Sunday the 16th December 1916.
Connell also toured quite extensively, conducting tours through the Union between January and July 1918, the US between September 1931 and February 1932 and the United Kingdom and the US between August 1934 and January 1935. He was also often asked to act as organ advisor and inaugurate new instruments. His most notable activities in this area are the organs for St Mary’s Anglican Cathedral, Johannesburg (Rushworth & Dreaper P/III 51 1929) and the City Hall, Pretoria (Kimball P/IV 107 1935).
As a practising organist he was probably the most active musician in the country. Apart from his post as City Organist, he held the following positions:
Connell was founder of the Johannesburg Municipal Orchestra, and became Conductor of the Johannesburg Philharmonic and Choral Society in 1916. He retained these positions until his retirement.
Over the years he was involved in the presentation of music for many major events. These include the Kruger Centenary Celebrations in 1925, a large Scottish gathering in 1933, the pageant to mark the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1937, the Voortrekker Celebrations in 1938, the Johanneburg Golden Jubilee (for which there was a procession 2½ miles long!) and the Royal Visit of 1947. The final result of his labours was the foundation of the Johannesburg City Orchestra in 1946.
Connell appears to have been a modest person, and spoke little of himself and his achievements. In 1947 he was elected FTCL; and on his retirement in 1950, a concert was held in the City Hall to pay him tribute. He was apparently deeply moved by this, and made a speech in English and Afrikaans. He died on September 21, 1955, at the age of 64, after a long illness. A memorial Concert was held in the City Hall under the patronage of the Administrator of the Transvaal and the Mayor of Johannesburg on the 16th of October 1955.
Known universally as AJ, he started playing the piano and the trumpet during his school-going years whilst serving as chairman of the shool choir's SRC. From 1998 to 1990 he was substitue organist at a number of churches in Mafikeng. He was awarded his UNISA Grade V (Piano) in 1990, the same year he matriculated.
From 1992 to 1995 he was organist and scribe for the DRC Buhrmansdrift. Between 1993 and 1994 he continued to study organ, receiving his UNISA Grade IV (Organ) cum laude. In 1996 he started studying organ under René Mathlener and accepted the post at the "Irene" church. Between 1999 and 2000 he continued his organ studies under Gerrit Jordaan. Visit AJ's personal website at www.andries.ws.
Maria Nicol (née van Niekerk) arrived in Johannesburg in August 1913 along with her husband, Rev. William Nicol, who had just been appointed minister of the parish. Originally from Barberton, she studie music at Stellenbosch where she met William. William himself was a fairly competent musician, being a good singer and able to read music. Knowing tonic solfa allowed him to pick up unfamiliar melodies in the various congregations faster than his wife. It is even noted that, on those Sundays when his wife was absent, he would turn to the choir from the pulpit and conduct them himself.
Born in Witbank, Mpumalanga, David Started his organ studies in 1990 under Elisabeth "Sussie" Meintjies and Ricardo Bornman. In 1993, he continued under Susan Steenkamp until her death after which he studied with Sandra Willers. In 1995 he relocated to Cape Town where he commenced his apprenticeship as organ builder and continued his studies under Dr. AEB Smith at St. George's Cathedral. In 1998 He went to the USA to continue his organ building studies, and his organ studies under Peter Sykes at the New England Conservatory.
Born in Adelaide, Eastern Cape (ZA), he matriculated at Gill College in Somerset East and studied B Mus at UCT. Between 1969 and 1970 he studied organ under Cor Kee and Musicology at the University of Amsterdam (NL). In 1971 he joined UNISA's Music faculty, ultimately becoming vice-professor and acting departmental head. He completed his doctoral studies in 1975. In 1983 he became professor at UPE's Music faculty and departmental head in 1988.