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Formation | 1864 |
---|---|
Founder | Richard Limpus |
Type | Charity incorporated by Royal Charter |
Headquarters | 118 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5ED |
Membership (2020) | 2,008 |
Chief Executive | Sir Andrew Parmley |
Website | rco |
Formerly called | College of Organists |
The Royal College of Organists (RCO) is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, with members worldwide. Its role is to promote and advance organ playing and choral music, and it offers music education, training and development, and professional support for organists and choral directors.
The college also provides accreditation in organ playing, choral directing and organ teaching; it runs an extensive education and outreach programme across the UK; and it maintains an internationally important library containing more than 60,000 titles concerning the organ, organ and choral music and organ playing.
The RCO was founded as the College of Organists in 1864 by Richard Limpus, the organist of St Michael, Cornhill in the City of London, and received its Royal Charter in 1893. In 1903 it was offered a 99-year lease at peppercorn rent on a building designed by the architect H. H. Cole in Kensington Gore, west London. When it became clear in the mid 1980s that an economic rent would be charged on expiry of that lease, the lease was sold and the college moved into new accommodation in 1991. The building subsequently become the home of property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz.
In 2003 plans were announced for more permanent purpose-built premises around the Grade I listed former Curzon Street railway station in Birmingham, a notable piece of monumental railway architecture. New facilities designed by Associated Architects included a new library and 270-seat concert hall. However, in 2005 the RCO announced that this move would not be taking place and subsequently that it would no longer be looking for a permanent home of this kind, focussing instead on activities such as education, events, examinations and member services.
In 2014 the college celebrated its 150th anniversary with a year-long programme of events including recitals, conferences, music festivals, courses and publications. In 2020 the RCO announced that Saturday 18 April would be its inaugural National Organ Day.
The first members of the College of Organists (MCO) were: [1]
Edmund Hart Turpin, was made a fellow of the Royal College of Organist without examination in 1869, and became a member shortly afterwards. From 1875 he succeeded Richard Limpus as honorary secretary of the Royal College of Organists. [2]
Through the RCO Academy programme the college provides training and learning support for organists and choral directors, from students and amateur musicians to professionals.
The college's learning services includes: a programme of classes, workshops and courses throughout the UK and abroad; online support through the iRCO learning hub; and teaching via RCO-accredited teachers and institutions.
The college offers five diplomas. The Diploma of Colleague (CRCO) (formerly the Certificate, CertRCO) is a qualification for the intermediate organist and provides a foundation for developing organists and choral directors. The Associateship Diploma (ARCO) demonstrates high achievement in organ playing and supporting theoretical work. The Fellowship diploma (FRCO) offers a progression for those who already hold the ARCO and represents a premier standard in organ playing, which a cathedral organist would be expected to hold. The Choral Directing Diploma (Dip CHD) demonstrates achievement in choral conducting and related disciplines. The Licentiateship in Teaching (LTRCO) provides professional accreditation for organ teachers who already hold either the ARCO or FRCO.
In 2016 the college introduced an early-level certificate scheme called the RCO Certificate of Accredited Membership (CAM).
The college's library, with in excess of 60,000 specialist holdings of organ and choral music and books, is housed at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's Curzon Library and the Royal College of Music, London.
Henry Brian Runnett (1935–1970) was a British organist and choral director. He was born in Tyldesley, Lancashire, in 1935 and was educated at the Liverpool Matthay School of Music, during which time he obtained the FRCO diploma with both Limpus and F J Read prizes in organ playing. His first organ post was at St. Stephen's Church, Hightown. From there he went to St. Andrew's, Litherland, before moving in 1955 to Chester Cathedral as assistant organist. In 1958 he obtained the degree of BMus from Durham University. In 1960 he was appointed organ scholar at St John's College, Cambridge, under Director of Music George Guest.
William Stanley Vann Hon FTCL FRCO ARCM was an English composer, organist, choral conductor, and choir trainer, primarily in the Anglican cathedral tradition.
Francis Alan Jackson was a British organist and composer who served as Director of Music at York Minster for 36 years, from 1946 to 1982.
Andrew Parnell is an organist and harpsichordist.
Christopher Noel Rawsthorne was a British liturgical and concert organist and composer of music for his own instrument, as well as choral music.
Charles H. Steggall was an English hymnodist and composer.
St Peter's Church is a Church of England parish church located in the centre of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. It is a Grade I listed building classed as a 'major parish church', and was completed in 1879 to a design by George Edmund Street as the founding mother church of Bournemouth.
Greg Morris is an English organist and conductor.
All Saints' Church, Ryde is a parish church in the Church of England located in Ryde, Isle of Wight. The building is a landmark of the island, the spire being visible from many places around the Isle of Wight and from the mainland, projecting beyond the skyline. All Saints' is sometimes referred to as the "Cathedral of the Island" It is a Grade II* ecclesiastical listed building.
James Turpin FRCO was an English organist, composer and teacher.
Sarah Elizabeth Arwen MacDonald is a Canadian-born organist, conductor, and composer, living in the United Kingdom, and currently holds the positions of Fellow and Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Director of the girl choristers at Ely Cathedral. She has been at Selwyn since 1999, and is the first woman to hold such a post in an Oxbridge Chapel. In 2018 MacDonald was given the honorary award of Associate of the Royal School of Church Music (ARSCM).
James Thomas MA FRCO is an English organist and choirmaster. He has held several liturgical posts at cathedrals, including Blackburn, Chichester and St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
Edmund Hart Turpin was an organist, composer, writer and choir leader based in Nottingham and London.
Professor Martindale Sidwell FRCO was an English organist, composer and teacher.
Henry Houseley FRCO was an English organist, composer and teacher, who moved to Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Edward John Hopkins FRCO was an English organist and composer.
James Higgs was an English organist and teacher, and the uncle of Henry Marcellus Higgs.
Sir Andrew Charles Parmley, is Principal of the Harrodian School in Barnes, London, and served as Lord Mayor of London for 2016–17.
William Fox is an English organist, currently Sub-Organist of St Paul's Cathedral.
Peter Holder is an English organist. He is the Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey.