Winner of IAO-RCO Organ Playing Competition announced

Organist Tingshuo Yang has won the IAO-RCO Organ Playing Competition 2026.

The final of the IAO-RCO Organ Playing Competition, open to organists between the ages of 18 and 26 years, was held during the 2026 IAO Music Festival in Bristol (26-30 July) with the final held at Bristol Cathedral.

Tingshuo, a recent graduate of St John’s College Cambridge, played the Fantaisie in A by César Franck, Naiades by Louis Vierne and the Toccata from the Suite by Maurice Duruflé in his winning recital..

The other finalists were Marcus McDevitt, Senior Organ Scholar at New College, Oxford, and Conor McGlone, recently appointed Assistant Director of Music at Birmingham Cathedral.
As well as a first prize of £1,200, and prizes of £400 for the two other finalists, the competition offers prize winners recital opportunities including Birmingham Town Hall, Bristol Cathedral, Selwyn College, Cambridge and Great St Mary’s, the University Church, Cambridge.

Elizabeth Lesan was awarded the Susi Jeans Memorial Prize for her performance in the semi-final.

The competition judges were Sarah MacDonald (RCO Immediate Past President, Director of Music at Selwyn College Cambridge, Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral, Cambridge University Organist), Mark Lee (IAO President and Director of Music at Bristol Cathedral) and, for the final, Peter King, Past President of the IAO.
Sarah MacDonald said: “This year’s competitors brought imagination, insight and flair to their performances. The standard throughout was extremely exceptional, and every player demonstrated consummate musicianship and impressive discipline, which made our job as adjudicators quite difficult! We so enjoyed hearing them play, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future.”
Mark Lee added: “The competition offers an important platform for talented young organists, and it was wonderful to hear them bring the instruments and repertoire so vividly to life. Congratulations to our winner and to every competitor who contributed to such a memorable event.”