Accreditation regulations announced for Summer 2024 & Winter 2025

In the examination year 2024–2025, the organ diplomas of Colleague, Associate, and Fellow will be held according to new general and diploma-specific regulations.

These can be found at www.rco.org.uk/examinations_qualifications.php.

The changes relate to content and options in the keyboard skills tests and to written paper question titles (there are no content changes). At FRCO a new component has been introduced to the Organ Performance section of the Practical Examination. Remote-assessment and digital submission pathways used in recent sessions have now, after review, been consolidated as modi operandi.

Candidates aiming to sit all or part of their chosen diploma in either Summer 2024 or Winter 2025 are asked to note the following:

1. There are two sections to each diploma: the Practical Examination (comprising two parts: Organ Performance and Keyboard Skills Portfolio) and the Written Paper(s).

2. The regulations for each diploma outline some revisions to the handling of sectional entries and exemptions.

3. The Organ Performance parts of the Practical Examinations have varying regulations concerning in-person examination at an RCO examination centre and remote assessment through audio-visual submission.

4. There are no changes to the repertoire lists in the Organ Performance parts of the Practical Examinations. The lists introduced in 2020 remain in place until further notice.

5. At FRCO, the Organ Performance part comprises two components: Recital and a new Quick Study task. Specimen material for the Quick Study is available in the Examinations Resources menu on the Resources & Support webpage (log-in required). The Quick Study component replaces the Programme Planning and Stylistic Projection component and mark.

6. At all diploma levels, the Keyboard Skills Portfolio (previously Keyboard Skills Tests) sees some amendments to the regulations and to the type of material set. At CRCO, a new test has been introduced (Score Reading in three parts) and the option choices and mark schemes in that diploma have been revised accordingly. Specimen papers for the Keyboard Skills Portfolio at all diploma levels from Summer 2024 are available in the Purchase Past Papers area of the Members’ Area of the RCO website (log-in required). The Keyboard Skills Portfolio part of the Practical Examination is by audio-visual submission only at ALL diploma levels.

7. There are no substantive changes to the Written Papers, though regulations and types of material in use since Winter 2021 under interim and varied measures have now been consolidated for future sessions. All the written paper materials available in the Purchase Past Papers area of the Members’ Area (log-in required) remain relevant, and of particular use are the papers set from Winter 2021. Guidance sheets are available in the Examinations Resources menu on the Resources & Support webpage (log-in required). The Written Paper(s) section of the diploma examination is by digital submission only at ALL diploma levels.