RCO launches 2021 events programme

The Royal College of Organists has unveiled an exciting mix of online and physical events for its 2021 education programme.

The programme has been designed with the continuing pandemic uncertainty in mind. While it remains the intention to run physical events wherever possible, there are full contingency plans in place (including refunds, deferrals and online alternatives) should government restrictions prevent these from going ahead.

The programme is built around a series of flagship events – RCO Winter Conference, RCO Easter Course and The Organ Student Experience (with details of the RCO Summer Course to follow in the New Year).

RCO Winter Conference is a brand new event for 2021. Designed to bring the full conference experience into an entirely online package, Winter Conference will run from 18-20 February with more than 26 hours of digital content and activity across four channels.

A seminar and workshop programme will include sessions by more than 20 RCO Accredited Teachers covering repertoire, keyboard technique, choral music, teaching and more. Celebrity recitals and meet-the-performer sessions through the weekend will feature Matthias Havinga, Eleni Keventsidou, Nathan Laube, Rachel Mahon, Konstantin Reymaier and William Whitehead.

Three-day or single day tickets are available, with full details at https://conference.rco.org.uk

RCO Easter Course takes place in Oxford from 13-15 April, offering in-depth tuition for those preparing to take CRCO, ARCO or FRCO and for those considering entering in the future - as well as a Repertoire and Skills strand for those who already play to diploma standard.

Teachers include Andrew Arthur (Fellow and Director of Music at Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge), Margaret Phillips (Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music and co-founder of the English Organ School), Martin Schmeding (Chair of Artistic Organ Playing at the University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy", Leipzig and visiting professor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire), David Maw (Associate Professor of Music, University of Oxford) and course director Simon Williams (RCO Regional Director and Director of Music, St George’s, Hanover Square, London).

Visit www.rco.org.uk/events/Easter-Course21 for more details.

The Organ Student Experience (TOSE) also takes place in Oxford, from 27 July to 1 August. Directed by Daniel Moult, this popular course for teenage organists of grade 7 standard and above offers expert tuition in repertoire and technique, keyboard skills, choral conducting and accompaniment.

Fees for TOSE (and Easter Course) have been held at 2020 rates, with Early Bird offers and generous bursaries available. Visit www.rco.org.uk/events/TOSE2021 for more information.

RCO classes will continue to be held online for the time being, with a series of linked classes scheduled for the first half of 2021:

– Improvisation techniques – four classes with Drew Cantrill-Fenwick on Wednesday evenings, 20 January to 10 February.

– Towards CRCO & ARCO Keyboard Skills – five classes with Frederick Stocken and Anne Marsden Thomas on Monday evenings from 1 to 29 March.

– Towards Diploma Hymn Playing & Hymn Extensions – two classes with Frederick Stocken and Anne Marsden Thomas on Monday evenings from 19 to 26 April.

Details of all of these classes, together with additional events to be announced throughout 2021, can be found on the RCO website at www.rco.org.uk/events.php.

The College is also organising a wide range of events to mark interNational Organ Week and Day, which runs from 18-24 April. More details can be found at www.rco.org.uk/events/international-organ-day-2021