The College was a partner in the inaugural Guildhall Organ Festival in Derry-Londonderry at the end of October. A packed programme over three days was led by artistic director Catherine Ennis, supported by Daniel Moult, using the three-manual Hill organ in the Guildhall as the centrepiece, and included workshops, concerts, music for traditional Irish instruments with the organ, and a Battle of the Organs, featuring Sir Roger Gifford on recorder.

The Royal College of Organists marked the 100th birthday of Dr Francis Jackson CBE a couple of weeks ago with a special event in conjunction with York Minster, where Dr Jackson directed the music with great distinction for 36 years. Guests included the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, and Katharine, Duchess of Kent, and tributes to Jackson as organist, choral director and composer, came from around the world.

It’s not uncommon for professional musicians to also maintain a job in a non-musical field, but Paul Griffiths, spectacularly, holds one of the top positions in the aviation industry, as well as being an international concert organist and recitalist, and a Vice President of the RCO. With a recital at Westminster Abbey coming up on 13th August, he describes his practice routine, and how important both his occupations are.

Watch the College’s 2017 Conferment of Diplomas ceremony in full or as edited highlights.

Listen to the Ede & Ravenscroft Recital which closed the College’s 2017 Conferment of Diplomas ceremony, given by Ashley Grote, MA, FRCO (Master of Music, Norwich Cathedral), playing music by J. S. Bach, César Franck and Francis Jackson.

The RCO management team is required to pull together on Conferment day and perform some interesting tasks, outside our usual skillsets. First thing in the morning wicker baskets arrive full of assorted gowns and hoods, and the robing department has to make sure that everyone gets the correct gorgeous garments for the ceremony. We stuff the programmes with appropriate fliers and donation envelopes, and become ushers and usherettes as soon as the audience starts to arrive. And all in amongst the Royal College of Organists holds its Annual General Meeting…

For the Centenary Celebrations of the College one event in particular stands out, a concert organised by Peter Hurford at the Royal Albert Hall on 24 September 1966 entitled ‘Organ, In Sanity and Madness’.  At the viewing distance of a half-century, it is timely to note its context, its impact, and subsequent repercussions.

Listen to the Ede & Ravenscroft Recital which closed the College’s 2016 Conferment of Diplomas ceremony, performed by John Scott Whiteley, Organist Emeritus, York Minster, playing music by J.S. Bach, Saint-Saëns, Verdin, MacMillan and Jackson.

You can watch the College’s 2016 Conferment of Diplomas ceremony in full or as edited highlights.