LINKS TO RELEVANT BODIES
The Royal College of Organists
The RCO is the professional organisation for organists in the UK, setting standards and organising examinations and certificates.
It also offers a wide range of courses, workshops, study days and classes and an accredited teacher scheme.
Membership is open to all.
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The Incorporated Association of Organists
The IAO is a registered charity that provides information, support, education, and training for organists, choir trainers and organ enthusiasts and has 4 500 members worldwide and nearly 80 affiliated associations.
It publishes The Organists’ Review, a high-quality quarterly magazine with an enviable reputation for both its content and presentation. It is a full colour publication with stunning pictures. News of affiliated association activities are also incorporated into the magazine, providing local up-to-date events and information.
Membership is automatic for members of affiliated local organ clubs, for which it is the umbrella body.
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The Institute of British Organ Building
The IBO is the professional organisation of the pipe organ building industry in Britain. It also operates a database of organs available for disposal, under the tab “resources/ redundant organs”
The British Institute of Organ Studies (BiOS)
BiOS is a charity which encourages and promotes the study of the pipe organ, including the history and design of the instrument and its music. It owns the National Pipe Organ Register and operates a system for identifying historic organs.
It publishes a quarterly newsletter, the BiOS Reporter, and an annual Review with scholarly articles on organs and organ music.
Membership is open to all.
The National Pipe Organ Register
NPOR is the national database of pipe organs and is operated by BiOS.
The register is the prime online source of information on Britain's pipe organs, and is the result of many decades of painstaking research and visits by contributors.
It can be searched in a number of ways, eg by address or location. Many entries also contain photographs. Users should we aware that some of the data can be out of date.
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The Cinema Organ Society
The Cinema Organ Society was formed in 1953 to further the appreciation of cinema or “theatre” organs.
It owns three instruments and organises live music events featuring world class artists playing a range of music. It publishes four publications a year on all aspects of cinema organs.
It has an extensive archive of photos, audio and documents which has been amassed over many years and is accessible to members to look at in person and online.
It organises workshops and tuition on the playing and maintenance of the instruments, provided by a number of experts both formally and informally.
Alongside its own instruments, members of the Society have helped to save, restore and install other instruments up and down the country.
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The Society of Women Organists
www.societyofwomenorganists.co.uk
SWO is s a large and growing community of people dedicated to achieving an equal gender balance in the organ world. It is dedicated to celebrating women organists in all areas of music-making.
Among its campaigns is one for adjustable organ benches.
SWO will be conducting a day of performances by women at “Henry” at London Bridge Station on International Women’s Day: Friday 8th March 2024.
Membership is open to all who support its aims.
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The Scottish Federation of Organists
This is a federation of Scottish societies of organists. Membership of any of the local societies is open to anyone with an interest in the organ. Its local societies throughout Scotland organise regular programmes of social events and it assists members professionally through the work of several groups and organisations.
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Historic Organs of Scotland
Sowne of Organe presents detailed surveys of surviving historic organs in Scotland. Each survey includes technical and historical overviews, extensive photographs and recordings of appropriate repertoire performed by Scottish organists. Where possible, relevant archive documents are included. The organs have been selected as significant examples of their kind, comprehensively preserved in their original tonal and technical state.
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Organoke
ORGANOKE is a unique entertainment event blending pipe organ and popular dance and karaoke music, in aid of the repair of the Bishop organ at St. Giles’ Church, Camberwell, London.
In 2016, whilst discussing ways to raise awareness and cash for the restoration of its 1844 Bishop organ, its organisers thought it would be fun to organise an evening of karaoke with the mighty organ. They added a 5 piece band, a screen and an MC (Ida Barr), and thus gave birth to ORGANOKE.
Almost impossible to describe, its organisers describe it as “a bit like the end of a wedding reception with the boring bits taken out “and is an absolutely, euphorically joyful experience.”
Profits raised from the event go towards raising the £500,000 needed.
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Anna Lapwood
Anna Lapwood is an organist, conductor and broadcaster.
She reaches a huge audience through her concerts and via social media with over 1 million followers across all platforms, amassing tens of millions of views in a short space of time.
Anna has been regularly called on by the broadcast media to play “Henry” at London Bridge, most recently on Sunday Morning Live in July 2023 (starts at 49:09)