RCO confirms spring events programme

RCO confirms spring events programme


The Royal College of Organists (RCO) is proud to feature some of the world’s finest teachers and performers in its 2015 spring programme of courses, classes and other events.

The College’s popular Sing! event will be at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, London SW1 on Saturday 7 February 2015, giving choral enthusiasts the opportunity to rehearse and perform excerpts from Mendelssohn's dramatic oratorio Elijah in one day under the guidance of former King's Singer Simon Carrington, Emeritus Professor of Choral Conducting at Yale University and former director of the Yale Schola Cantorum.

Talented teen organists should make a date in their diary for Saturday 28 February, when Set Your Sights! A taste of the organ scholar experience arrives in Cambridge.

The programme offers young organists, typically aged 14 to 19 and Grade 6+, a packed day of tuition in repertoire playing, keyboard skills, and in conducting and accompanying choirs - the key components for most young organists, whether or not they go on to study at university or music college, perhaps holding an organ scholarship.

The RCO Academy Organ School is running no fewer than 16 scheduled classes between 24 January and 30 May, covering a huge range of topics across repertoire, practice, technique and performance.

An undoubted highlight for many will be the German study trip, 5-7 May, including visits to Bach’s own church, St Thomas’s, Leipzig and St Wenzel, Naumburg, where the 1746 Hildebrandt organ was personally approved (and possibly part-designed) by Bach himself.

Details of this and all the scheduled classes can be found on the RCO website at www.rco.org.uk/organ_school.php

The traditional College Easter Course, this year in Cambridge 8-10 April, offers three days of study for those preparing for or thinking about entering College examinations, as well as a repertoire & skills strand for those already playing to Diploma standard and seeking new stimulation.

Guest tutors will include: David Ponsford (French Classical Music); Johannes Geffert (German Romantic Music); Sarah Baldock (Organ Music since 1950).

The RCO Academy team will then be in Worcester on Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May, for a Raise Your Game inspiration day aimed at organists of all ages, standards and aspirations, and the season ends with an Examination Study Day at St Barnabas, Dulwich on Saturday 20 June.

For details of all RCO events and activities, visit www.rco.org.uk.

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