RCO awards Diplomas, Certificates and Medals in cathedral ceremony

RCO awards Diplomas, Certificates and Medals in cathedral ceremony


The Royal College of Organists has presented Diplomas and Certificates to 46 Members of the College, and awarded the Medal of the Royal College of Organists to three distinguished practitioners and scholars from the fields of organ and choral music.

The three Medal recipients honoured at the College’s Conferment of Diplomas ceremony at Southwark Cathedral on Saturday 14th March were:

• Prof. Edward Higginbottom, in recognition of his distinguished achievements in choral conducting and organ- and choral-related scholarship.

• Dr Ludger Lohmann, in recognition of his distinguished achievements in organ playing, organ teaching, and organ scholarship.

• Canon Dr Nicholas Thistlethwaite, in recognition of his distinguished achievement in organ scholarship, specifically his research on the history of organ-building in the United Kingdom.

RCO President Catherine Ennis conferred Members of the College with Fellowship of the College (FRCO) and Associateship of the College (ARCO), and presented the Certificate (CertRCO).

She also received from Gareth Stainer and Alastair Sampson a gift for the RCO archive – Sir Frederick Bridge’s original Fellowship certificate, awarded by the College of Organists before the Royal Charter was granted in 1893.

The ceremony closed with the Ede & Ravenscroft Recital, in which Simon Johnson, Organist & Assistant Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral, played music by Bach, Corrette, Watkins and Reubke.

The vote of thanks was given, according to custom, by Nicolas Haigh FRCO, winner of the Limpus Prize in Summer 2014.

In her address, Ms Ennis said: “It is no exaggeration to say we are in a state of collective aftershock, following a remarkable year of celebrations to mark our 150th anniversary. Such an outpouring of affection and generosity towards the College was beyond our wildest expectations.

“We have spent a remarkable year looking back and celebrating our rich heritage and history at the RCO. It is our task now to look forward… and devise a strategy for the next 150 years of the College’s work.

“Our vision is of a world in which choral and organ music is at the heart of our cultural and spiritual life as a nation. Our plans for a new chapter in College strategy to help work towards this are progressing well and I am sure there are exciting times ahead.”

The successful examination candidates and prize winners were:

THE DIPLOMA OF FELLOWSHIP

Summer 2014
Alexander Berry (Ely)
Nicolas Haigh (York)
Sean Heath (St Andrews)
Oliver King (Saffron Walden)
Peter Shepherd (Oxford)
Dr Peter Siepmann (Nottingham)

Limpus Prize, Frederick Shinn Prize, and Durrant Prize: Nicolas Haigh
Turpin Prize and Durrant Prize: Sean Heath
Harding Prize and Durrant Prize: Sean Heath
Samuel Baker Prize: Sean Heath
The Coventry Cathedral Recital Award 2014/2015: Nicolas Haigh

Winter 2015
Robert Baigent (Oxford)
Jonathan Eyre (Sheffield)

Turpin Prize and Durrant Prize: Robert Baigent
Harding Prize and Durrant Prize: Robert Baigent
Dr F J Read Prize: Robert Baigent

The following Members were awarded the newly founded Dr John Birch Scholarship: Robert Baigent FRCO, Donal McCann ARCO, and Will Wallace ARCO. This award has been founded in memory of a former President, Treasurer, and Examiner of the College.

THE DIPLOMA OF ASSOCIATESHIP

Summer 2014
Jonathan Allsopp (Leatherhead)
John Bachelor (Cambridge)
James Bowstead (Oxford)
Benjamin Cunningham (Guildford)
Dr Peter Foster (Oxford)
Edward Jones (Aberdeen)
Laurence Long (Rochester)
Jem Lowther (London)
Nicholas Mannoukas (Catford)
Charles Maxtone-Smith (London)
Jack Redman (Hove)
Christopher Strange (Tarporley)
Will Wallace (Emsworth)
Jeremy Woodside (Wells)

Limpus Prize, Frederick Shinn Prize, and Durrant Prize: John Bachelor, James Bowstead
Sawyer Prize and Durrant Prize: Charles Maxtone-Smith
Lord St Audries Prize: Charles Maxtone-Smith
Sowerbutts Prize and Durrant Prize: Jonathan Allsopp
Doris Wookey Prize: Benjamin Cunningham
Samuel Baker Prize: John Bachelor

Winter 2015
David Black (Forrest, ACT, Australia)
Hugh Crook (Horsham)
George de Voil (Crowthorne)
Herman Jordaan (London)
Tom Little (Croydon)
Donal McCann (Belfast)
John Ross (Eastbourne)
Ian Runnells (Rushden)
Guy Steed (Ashford)
Jordan Wong (Monmouth)

Limpus Prize, Frederick Shinn Prize, and Durrant Prize: Donal McCann
Sawyer Prize and Durrant Prize: John Ross
Lord St Audries Prize: Donal McCann
Sowerbutts Prize and Durrant Prize: John Ross
Doris Wookey Prize: Herman Jordaan, Guy Steed
Dr F J Read Prize: John Ross

THE CERTIFICATE

Summer 2014
Harry Baigent (Oxford)
Mary Evans (Carmarthen)
Robert Harris (Perranporth)
Mark McCombs (Sheffield)
Rachel Pickering (Twickenham)
Grzegorz Skibinski (Belfast)

Winter 2015
Martin Bell (Swansea)
Bebhinn Ni Mheara (Midleton, Co. Cork)

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