Dr Steven Nisbet OAM
BSc, BEd, MEdSt, LTCL, PhD, FACE
Steven has been a church organist since the age of 16. He played at Wesley Methodist Church, Kangaroo Point (Brisbane, Australia) from 1963 to 1977, then at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, South Brisbane in 1978. He was organist and director of music at St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Brisbane, from 1979 to 2020. He is currently organist for Pilgrim People Brisbane, a congregation of former St Andrew’s Uniting Church members, now meeting on Sunday afternoons at 2.30pm at Merthyr Road Uniting Church, New Farm, Brisbane.
Steven learned organ at St John’s Cathedral Brisbane from distinguished cathedral organist Dr Robert Boughen OBE.
Steven is renowned for playing rousing recessionals at the conclusion of church services and has written reharmonisations and descants for final verses of 150 well-known hymns. The first set of these settings were described as “excellent arrangements” by the late Dr Gerre Hancock (former organist, Saint Thomas’ Church, New York City), and more recently as having “inventive harmonies” by noted English organist and organ teacher Anne Marsden Thomas. Steven’s reharmonisations and descants are published in his book Creative Last Verses (3rd ed.). Steven has also composed organ solos including Hymn Preludes for Organ, and Anthems for choirs.
Steven was the President of the Organ Society of Queensland for 26 years and is still very active in the promotion of organ music in Queensland. He is on the OSQ Committee of Management as well as the RSCM Queensland Branch Committee. As well as playing and teaching organ, Steven also loves playing piano, specialising in light popular music and jazz.
His main occupation before retirement was senior lecturer in mathematics education at Griffith University, Mt Gravatt Campus, where he received an award for excellence in teaching. Steven has 150 research and conference publications to his name. His doctoral studies focussed on children’s learning of mathematics and music. He is a Life Member of the Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers, the Australian College of Educators, and the Organ Society of Queensland. He was awarded an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) in June 2019 for services to the community through music and education.