The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is offering organ scholarships to two young organists at the 2012 Summer Course for Young People at Bath.
The successful candidates will play the four-manual Klais organ in the city’s splendid Abbey church; the setting for some of the choral services. They will assist the Course Organist in playing for rehearsals and services during the popular week-long event at Kingswood School; this year’s course runs from 20th – 26th August.
The Bath Summer Course for Young People, directed by international church musician Geoff Weaver, draws over one hundred young singers from RSCM-affiliated choirs around the UK who return each year for its mix of specialist teaching, the chance to sing services and concerts in some lovely venues, and plenty of fun and friendship. The music-making reaches a high standard accompanied by experienced tutor and Course Organist Steven Grahl. Steven is Director of Music at St Marylebone Parish Church in London, and Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford. The two scholarships will be awarded to young organists aged between 16 and 21 and at Grade 8 standard or thereabouts.
Speaking in an RSCM podcast about the course, last year’s organ scholars are enthusiastic about the invaluable experience they gained for attempting organ awards at college chapels such as King’s Cambridge or Magdalen, Oxford. “Unlike other organ courses, there are just two of us, so we’ve been able to focus on the organ playing aspect and the choral accompaniment which is exactly the sort of thing you need to be doing for Oxbridge,” says Peter Shepherd from Malvern in Worcestershire. Richard Parkinson from Goring-on-Thames agrees. “Being able to play organ voluntaries is the nice part of it but everyone’s doing that. This course helps to develop the extra skills and make you stand out.” Richard has subsequently been awarded an organ scholarship by a Cambridge college chapel.
Full details of the course and scholarships can found on the RSCM website www.rscm.com/courses or by calling 01722 424843. The course runs at Kingswood School, Bath, from 20th to 26th August 2012 and the closing date for scholarship applications is Friday 20th April 2012.