Hi, is anyone going to the St Andrews summer organ school next week?

We know nothing about it. Please tell us more?

I think the RCO St Giles summer course will be running about now as well.

SB

RCO/St Giles summer course is next week: 23-29/vii

We were there last year. I think they brought it forward this year owing to the Olympics.

SB

It is held at the University with masterclasses, seminars, 4 private lessons during the week and a trip to Edinburgh for an "organ crawl". I havnt been before and I just wondered if anyone out there has.

This sounds like a very interesting course, but it doesn't seem to be very well advertised.

Can you tell us more about course fees and arrangements, such as accommodation? (I assume accommodation is in university halls?)

I presume this is an annual course, in which case it could be worth marking on the calendar for next summer.

Regarding Edinburgh; the RCO ran a Raise Your Game day there last September if I recall. This was an excellent event, but sadly was not very well attended. There were some excellent and varied instruments on offer, so I am sure you will enjoy your day there.

SB

I have attended this course 3 times in the past few years. For some reason the website doesn't have any details of the course like it used to however the music centre will likely tell you anything you want to know. From memory the course lasts a week (arrive on Saturday afternoon and leave Saturday morning). You get assigned a tutor who gives you an hour lesson each weekday morning. In the afternoon you have the opportunity for an hour's practice which you book the night before. In the evening there are seminars on different aspects of choral and organ music, including a recital and the above mentioned "organ crawl" which generally involves travelling by coach to two churches with interesting/notable organs, where anyone who is brave enough can have a go on them. Accommodation and full board in the University halls is included in the course fee which last time I went was around ?550. It may be nearer to ?600 now.

St Andrews has several church organs available for practice during the course and they are all within walking distance of the University halls.

My abiding memory of it was being in awe at the standard other course members played at (I have a grade 5 piano almost merit pass from when I was 16 as my highest musical qualification). Someone who is already proficient with pedals and advanced level music will likely benefit far more from the tutors' expertise and the opportunities to practice on a variety of instruments than I was.

The course is in great demand and places (there are about 20) fill up very quickly so I would advise anyone wanting to go in 2013 to ring the University and ask that they get sent notice of when the course booking window opens. I think the director of the course sends it out around April.