The Essex Organists’ Association invites organists from beginners to advanced, and whether RCO Members or not, to take part in their annual organ competition this Spring. The winner of the Advanced class will be given the opportunity to perform a pre-Sunday Evensong recital in Chelmsford Cathedral.

Leicester MusicFest 2018 welcomes amateur organists of all ages and abilities to showcase their talents in two competition classes in their annual pipe organ competition which takes place on the afternoon of Saturday 10th February 2018, on the Peter Collins organ in the St Cecilia Auditorium at English Martyrs Catholic School in Leicester.

Sebastian Heindl, aged 19, has won the Senior section of the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition (NIIOC), which took place in August on the Walker organ in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. Applications for the competition, for organists aged 21 and under, were received from Hong Kong, China, France, Germany, Poland, Budapest, Slovakia, Lithuania, Canada, UK and Ireland. RCO Student Members were among the prize-winners: Thomas Trotter comments on the experience of chairing the competition jury.

Two European cities hold festivals devoted to the organ and its music this summer – each basing their festival around a major organ-playing competition. Catch up with the celebrations around the instrument, in England and in France.

The Orgelbüchlein Project is a major international composition project to complete J S Bach’s Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book). The task for composers contributing to the Orgelbüchlein Project is this: if Bach were alive today, how might he go about writing a short chorale prelude in the Orgelbüchlein style?

Applications are invited from senior organ students, or organists in the early stages of their professional careers, for the W T Best Memorial Scholarship, worth £,4000 for up to 3 years. Auditions are scheduled for 23rd February 2017, with a closing date for applications of 5pm on 20th January 2017.