As part of his marathon, RSCM’s Director, Hugh Morris, invites organists everywhere to join him in playing the Largo from Handel’s Xerxes – Ombra mai fu – at 14:00 GMT on Saturday 22 November (or 14:00 local time for our international friends), in celebration of Play the Organ Year.

Why not make the most of the occasion by hosting your own ‘open console’ session – inviting people to discover the organ and even try it for themselves? Start planning now to mark this unique event!

Find out more by clicking the button below. There are three freely available arrangements (easy, intermediate and full) plus a guide to help you learn the piece. You can also register your participation on the site; and if you share your performance on Instagram using the tag #HandsOnWithHandel, it will appear on our social media wall over that weekend.

The RSCM, in partnership with Cathedral Music Trust, has announced the recipients of this year’s Church Choir Awards. Now in its fourth year, the Church Choir Award recognises and supports excellence in choral music-making by church choirs and gives them the opportunity to innovate and develop their work. The Award provides up to £10,000 of funding for innovative projects as well as a year’s Group Membership of the RSCM and access to our Voice for Life Digital® training programme.

Hugh Morris, RSCM director, said: ‘Right across the country, it is exciting to see examples of innovation that energize church music locally. I hope that these will encourage others, as we all seek to see church music grow and strengthen. A commitment to seeing young people flourish runs through these awards, and we are delighted to be working with Cathedral Music Trust to support these new initiatives.’

St Botolph, Boston, Lincs.

Holy Trinity, Guildford

St Gabriel, Newcastle

St Peter, Earley

Bradford Catholic Youth Choir

St Martin in Roath

St Mary the Virgin, Merton Park, SW London

To read more about each recipient click the button below.

We welcomed a large congregation and gathered choir for our Celebration Day service earlier this month in Oxford. During the service, we presented Honorary Awards to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to church music at every level, from international to local.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Awards. Anyone can put someone forward via our website. Click the button below for details. Who do you think deserves recognition for their work? The deadline for nominations is 1 December.

_{Photo credit: Credit Hugh Warwick, or @hedgehoghugh on socials}

‘I find Sunday by Sunday Digital really useful because I can see the dates of future choir rehearsals and services, and what anthems are planned.’

‘It’s the best tool I have come across by far for managing church choirs.’

‘I would encourage every choir to use this facility.’

Discover what our Members are talking about

RSCM Group Members can now register at sbs.rscm.org.uk, link their church using their RSCM Member Key, and start building their team. Add singers, organists, and music leaders – then organise your music, services, and rehearsals with ease.

Click the button below to find out more.

The Cranmer Anthem Book is a major project setting Thomas Cranmer’s collects to music by some of the world’s finest composers. Edited by Matthew Owens, the first volume includes settings by Luke Bedford, Judith Bingham, Francis Jackson, Gabriel Jackson, Cecilia McDowall, Philip Moore, Thea Musgrave, Tarik O’Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Howard Skempton and Will Todd.

For those of you who are, or were, based in England, this study aims to explore the impact of belonging to a parish church choir as a child, and whether choir membership impacts on faith or spiritual development.

If you belonged to a parish church choir as a child, for at least four years, you are invited to take part. When you have 15 mins to spare, click the link below to access the survey.

For further information, please contact [email protected]

RSCM, 19 The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EB

The Royal School of Church Music is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England, no 00250031.
It is also a registered charity, no 312828.