Playing the organ can be quite tricky, says Raina D’Souza, though she hasn’t lost enthusiasm for the instrument, learning under the guidance of David Pipe, Director of the Organists’ Training Programme, launched in November last year by the Diocese of Leeds. The scheme now comprises students, both children and adults, in centres across Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Harrogate. Three of those students comment on their progress so far.

The thirty-first IOA London Organ Day was held on 4th March, under the direction of Tom Bell, featuring the stylus fantasticus of the early Baroque. The venue was the Dutch Church, in the City of London, with its Flentrop organ, perfect for this repertoire. The morning session included a masterclass on with Bine Bryndorf, who gave valuable practical insights into the performance of Bruhns and Buxtehude.

In the first of three films from RCO Organ Forum: The Organist Entertains, Richard Hills introduces us to the building and the history of its organ, and is joined by Simon Gledhill for a rank-by-rank demonstration.

In the second of three films from RCO Organ Forum: The Organist Entertains, Ian Bell describes the theatre organ aesthetic from an organ building perspective.

In the third of three films from RCO Organ Forum: The Organist Entertains, Richard Hills and Simon Gledhill reveal how the sound world of the theatre organ is created.

The RCO’s toes are still tapping after spending a day with the Troxy Wurlitzer in January, in the company of our colleagues of the Cinema Organ Society. Young Theatre Organist of the Year 2016, Lewis Scott, was also there, and he talks about winning the competition, how he manages to practise, and his plans for the future.

The San Francisco-based musician, Michael Hendron, travels the world, seeking out harmoniums and reed organs in dusty corners of French cathedrals and village churches, recording interesting repertoire. He has made videos at Sainte-Clotilde and La Madeleine in Paris, on harmoniums dating from the time of Franck, Fauré and Saint-Saëns. Michael joined David Aprahamian Liddle last November at St Barnabas, Pimlico, where David is the proud owner of a 2-manual harmonium built in 1868 by Philip J Trayser of Stuttgart.

The 2016 edition of the College’s annual research publication, The Journal of the Royal College of Organists, can be downloaded here as a complete edition.

This video, the fourth in Daniel Moult’s series on playing styles, addresses the German Romantic music of Mendelssohn and Brahms.