International Organ Day

International Organ Day 2025

International Organ Day returns on Saturday 26 April 2025, encouraging organists around the world to celebrate the organ and organ music.

A day of celebration

International Organ Day is  promoted by The Royal College of Organists (RCO) to encourage people to explore and enjoy organ music, seek out performances, and support the development of new generations of musicians and enthusiasts.

Play the Organ Year 2025This year, International Organ Day is dedicated to the Play the Organ Year 2025 campaign, through which organists are being encouraged to create as many opportunities as possible for people to not just hear, but also play, an organ for the first time. 

The campaign  involves organisations throughout the organ and choral music world, including The Royal College of Organists, Incorporated Association of Organists, Royal School of Church Music, Society of Women Organists, British Institute of Organ Studies, Institute of British Organ Building, The American Guild of Organists, The Organ Club, the Cathedral Organists Association, the Association of Assistant Cathedral Organists and more.

Organists and venues are being asked to plan First Encounter organ recitals throughout 2025, including specially designed Play the Organ sessions for newcomers wherever possible. Organists can also join in by simply using Play the Organ Year material to introduce one or more new people to the instrument over the course of the year.

Get involved!

Organists and venues can get involved by organising events, hosting taster sessions, and doing anything else they can think of to encourage and welcome newcomers to the organ and its music. The College has published a full pack of organiser resources including advice, downloads, videos, promotional graphics and more to help you - click here >>

If you are interested in hearing and playing the organ as part of Play the Organ Year, then look out for events in your area! As well as local promotions you might see, you can check out our Event Directory, and keep an eye on our social media hashtag #PlayTheOrgan.

And if you can't get to a live event, you can still join in. If you have a digital keyboard at home (ideally with one or more 'organ' settings) why not download our First Encounter worksheets for those with no keyboard experience or with some keyboard experience (although you'll need to get to a real organ to try the pedal exercises!) These worksheets are also supported by a series of five short films on our YouTube page - click here to visit RCO YouTube >>.

For information on all this and more, visit www.rco.org.uk/play.

The story of International Organ Day

The first International Organ Day was announced for April 2020; in the event, the unfolding tragedy of the Covid pandemic put paid to any plans for that year. In April 2021, with the pandemic and lockdown restrictions still affecting everyday life around the world, the RCO was finally able to launch International Organ Day properly via The Organ Show, a full week of programmes allowing tens of thousands of organ enthusiasts around the world to be part of a global celebration on this special day. 

The Organ Show came back for a one-off show on International Organ Day 2022, and went live in front of an audience for the first time in 2023 (all episodes of The Organ Show are still available for catch up viewing at www.youtube.com/RCOFilms)

In 2021, at the launch of our very first International Organ Day, His Majesty The King (then HRH The Prince of Wales) wrote: “As Patron of many church conservation charities, I have a great interest in this “Wondrous Machine”, as Henry Purcell described the organ so memorably in his “Hail! Bright Cecilia”.

“Its playing has been central to important national events for longer than any of us can remember. Therefore, I hope the forthcoming broadcasts will prove immensely enjoyable and that they may inspire some to consider taking lessons, as it is vital that we continue to produce the players who can ensure that the many splendid instruments with which this country is blessed can delight us in years to come.”

The real driving force of International Organ Day is the organists who take part around the world, organising their own events, taking to social media or doing whatever else they are able to celebrate our music, reach out to people, and help inspire a new generation to embrace the King of Instruments.

So a huge thank you to everyone who has organised, taken part in, or simply enjoyed, events and activities for International Organ Day. Judging by the sheer volume of social media posts, hundreds of organists around the world have previously marked this occasion with recitals, come-and-play events, sponsored performances, and even a world record attempt! Many simply take the opportunity to share photographs, recordings, and ‘happy International Organ Day’ wishes online.

O the hundreds of messages shared in previous years, this one from @Troyvisitor on Twitter captures nicely the spirit of celebration:

My father was an organist so today is a good day on which to remember him, and to give thanks for all organists, organ builders and organ music, and the joy they’ve brought over the centuries. #internationalorganday

For enquires and questions about International Organ Day, please contact internationalorganday@rco.org.uk