I note at http://www.rco.org.uk/examinations.php that the regulations from 2010/11 onwards have changed. No longer do you have to pass two out of three pieces or three out of four technical tests - it is the overall mark in that section which denotes a pass or fail. The best news as far as I am concerned is with the written papers. You can pass one and retake the other separately if you fail it. That is great! I assume the RCO will profit from this generosity in the form of higher fee revenue since it will encourage slackers like myself to actually get on one day and take the next dip in the sequence...

This has got to good news for many people. I had a go in the days when you were required to pass every single section of the practical in one go and I failed by a couple of marks. I finally got fed up with travelling all round the country to an exam centre (in those days you could take it in either London or Glasgow) and I opted for an LTCL Performers which I took in my own Church. Don't think I desperately want to have another go at an ARCO now!

Yes, a few years ago they changed the rules so you can retake a section of the Practical if needed which was helpful. It was only a few years prior to that I think they allowed you to split the Practical from the Written work. Must have been terrible to have an all or nothing experience. They still only award prizes if you do it all in one session which is fair enough. These tend to be the preserve of students with nothing better to do than prepare for such an arduous undertaking. Good luck to them!

...cough...cough...feel slightly unrepresentative comment (from a recent recipient of several prizes, 38 years of age juggling two children, a third on the way, a house move (twice) and a job change!)

Generalisations rarely cater for geniuses, but you get my meaning. Most of us amateur musicians with more than three children and highly demanding jobs outside of music hardly have a chance to practice the organ week to week (especially if it is 10 miles away from one's abode). Thus I envy the student (or indeed genius) who can pull off taking, passing and winning prizes in RCO examinations in one sitting. Bravo!

No offence intended, and I do know what you mean, I was as shocked and surprised as anyone about winning them. There was some hope that you might spend the (not inconsiderable) amount of money on furthering my organ studies. Blow that for a game fo soldiers, the exam had already done that and it cost me a fortune, so I treated the said family to a weekend in London for the ceremony! Money well spent in brownie points at home!