Marco Carvalho
Macau’s first music school, the “Academia de Música S. Pio X, marked a historic moment for sacred music education on Sunday, January 11th, with the official inauguration of a new pipe organ. The ceremony, held at the Academy’s facilities, featured a standout inaugural recital by Tam Tin-shi, a celebrated Hong Kong-born organist.
The St. Pius X Music Academy celebrated a major milestone in its history of fostering sacred and classical music earlier last month, with the inauguration of a new pipe organ. The instrument, custom-built by the prestigious Canadian firm Casavant Frères, was blessed on January, 11th by Father João Lau, the academy’s former director and current supervisor. Casavant Frères is the same company that recently installed the organ at Macau’s Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, underscoring the high quality and continuity of organ craftsmanship in the region.
Held at the Academy’s facilities, in Rua do Bom Porto, the ceremony featured a standout inaugural recital by Tam Tin-shi, a celebrated Hong Kong-born organist and carillonneur, now based in the United States. Her performance showcased the organ’s dynamic range and expressive capabilities, drawing an appreciative audience with a program that spanned both sacred classics and concert works. The recital was praised as a fitting debut for the new instrument, which promises to elevate both liturgical and concert settings in Macau.
Founded in 1962 by Portuguese born Father Áureo Castro and operated by the Catholic Diocese of Macau, the academy—named after Pope St. Pius X, patron of sacred music—has been a pillar of musical training for over six decades. It offers structured programs in piano, violin, cello, music theory, and more, with a particular focus on liturgical music aligned with its Catholic heritage. The institution relocated in 2021 to a restored 19th-century manor. The new facilities provide ideal space for accommodating the new pipe organ and supporting expanded offerings, including organ courses for advanced students.
Completed in late 2025, the new organ’s installation represents a significant upgrade to the academy’s resources. It aligns with the ongoing efforts to revive and promote traditional sacred instrumentation in the Catholic Diocese of Macau. Students and local musicians will now have greater access to hands-on organ study, performance opportunities and community events such as recitals and Masses.
This development arrives as the academy continues to grow, with initiatives to nurture young talent and enrich Macau’s cultural scene. The inauguration also highlights the enduring role of the pipe organ in worship, education and artistic expression in the Chinese Special Administrative Region.
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