A survey of young organists in 2024 was concerned to establish what matters to them most when starting to play the instrument, and when considering taking it up as a career. A report by Anna Steppler on the findings can be downloaded here.

The RCO recognises the success of a unique yearly event: Bachhaus, a day workshop on the music of Bach based around a fine 1994 William Drake house organ in Hertfordshire.

Joseph Jacob was born in Uyo, in southern Nigeria, and is currently on a Masters degree course at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. His studies are being funded by various foundations, including the RCO.  We asked him to describe his early training as a musician in his home country, and what he hopes to achieve as an organist in the future.

What’s it like attending the big RCO Summer Course? StopPress Editor Morwenna Campbell-Smith describes her first encounter as a beginner organist, and then attending again twelve years later as a more experienced player.

Individual teaching can be an important part of an organist’s work, and this Working Webinar outlines strategies for building and sustaining a teaching practice.

Ewan Murray is in his final year of organ studies at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and recently organised and ran an organ outreach event for local schoolchildren, who enthusiastically engaged in organ-building, organ-playing, composing and singing over two days in St Peter’s Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton.

Drew Cantrill-Fenwick found enthusiastic students and much to admire on a recent organ playing and teaching trip to Hong Kong.

The majority of musicians will do some teaching at some point, and all teaching has safeguarding implications. This webinar, developed with our partners in the Musicians’ Union, covers the essential understanding of issues around safeguarding required by anyone working with children and vulnerable adults, whether in person or online.

In the summer of 2022, James Lloyd Thomas set off for Nigeria.  He was following in the footsteps of other RCO tutors over the years, to spend a week with the organists and choristers in the Lagos cathedrals and churches, coaching them in the English cathedral traditions of organ-playing and singing.