Category Archives: News and Views

Although the majority of the organ festival has been postponed to 2021, it has been agreed that the Monday recitalists will be featured on their pre-advertised dates by broadcasting some of their CD tracks on the new YouTube channel. Please click here to find out more. This will feature players from the local area and across Europe.

Please click here for a recent article from the Church Times which might be of interest.

The RCO are offering a number of free resources during the current COVID-19 situation. If you haven’t already done so, please visit this link (https://i.rco.org.uk/learning-during-lockdown-5-increase-your-repertoire/) to create your FREE iRCO account and explore what is available.

We are pleased to confirm that due to the Coronavirus the Royal College of Organists is offering free access to all its online learning resources, whether you are a member of not. Click here to visit the website.

I hope you are all managing in this strange new world in which we find ourselves and that you are keeping well. I am finding it odd not to be giving any lesson and not to be playing in public. Still, it means that my Music Room is tidier than it has ever been (which means I cannot now find anything!) and I am getting lots of practice in, not least for my all-Bach series at Halifax Minster – whenever that starts (it has now been postponed twice, so let’s hope for third time lucky!).

I have now played for two virtual services ‘at’ St Michael’s, using Zoom. These went well, though, as yet, we have not tried to perform together. We may have a go at some hymns on Easter Sunday but need to experiment first. I have also invested in Zoom for Business and am intending to use it alongside Skype for meetings. I am chairing my first board meeting using Microsoft Teams next week, so wish me luck!

I know that some of my fellow RCO tutors have started to use Skype and Zoom to give lessons, so if any of you would like to give it a go, then just contact Laura and book a time. I am not going out much! And a lesson will be half what you normally pay. I would be quite interested in how it works, as I have only done theory lessons online before (apart from an ‘emergency’ one off with a student about to sit an exam!).

I would love to hear from you anyway as to how you are getting on and what you are up to. And if you want some light reading, I have two novels being serialized on channillo.com. You just access the website and look for ‘A month of murder’ and ‘Broken Eagle’. If you take out a subscription, all proceeds are in aid of Smile Train.

Florence International Singing Programme have planned a number of projects for people to engage with during the Coronavirus pandemic. The first of these projects is on Good Friday – Come and Sing Stainer’s Crucifixion Online. Please click here to view more information and register.

ABRSM have launched their new online platform to support and inspire musicians whilst we are all working in uncertain times due to Covid-19. Click here to visit the online resources and learn more.

The ambition for this new resource is that “it will bring you even closer to the music you love and to other musicians. Through regular features, advice and insight we’ll help you to get the most from your playing or singing.”