Happy New Year and welcome to our first newsletter of 2026. This year promises to be an exciting one for the RSCM so do remember to visit our Events page to keep up-to-date with all RSCM activities.   

This newsletter also provides an opportunity for Members to publicise their church music events so if you are planning a 'come and sing', choral festival, study day, choral or organ workshop, we would be delighted to hear from you!  Please see the Member Organised Event section below for details on how to register your event.  

Save the date!  Hugh Morris is delighted to be returning to Hexham Abbey and Northumberland at the end of February.

On Saturday 28 February he will lead two sessions in St Andrew's Church, Corbridge: a practical forum from 10.00am-12.00pm looking at resources for smaller and rural churches, and a Come & Sing Evensong. On Sunday 1 March Hugh will also deliver an address during the 10.00am service at the Abbey, and take part in the Taize and Iona-inspired evening service.   

Hugh says: “I am looking forward to catching up with old friends and making new ones on a return visit to the North East, where I happily lived for 8 years. If you would like to come and find out about what can be done in smaller church settings, get some inspiration for fresh ways of resourcing services with music, what the RSCM is doing to support music in worship, or just a good sing, then keep an eye out for details and I look forward to seeing you at one of the events planned across the weekend; you will be very welcome.”

Full details, including how to book, will appear soon on our website in the What’s On Section.

A programme of monthly informative presentations and discussions.  

A Helping Hand for New Organists - Wednesday 21 January at 7:00pm

Especially those less experienced or playing without pedals. 

• Do you have limited keyboard experience, but want to accompany worship with increased confidence?
• Are you looking for simple ways to accompany hymns effectively?
• Do you need ideas for simple music for before and after the service?

Join Hugh Morris (RSCM Director) in discussion with Robert Gower (author of Simply Organised, a new volume of 57 hymn tunes made easy to play, and editor of well-regarded volumes of organ music) as they look at simple ideas to elevate church music in smaller settings.

Click the button below to book or to see details of all the upcoming events in this programme. All welcome - free for our Members, £10.00 per event for non-Members (refundable if you become a Member within a month of the event).

Members can view recordings of any of the previous online events through links in the Members Area.  If you need any help with access, please email [email protected].

We are delighted to announce that booking is now open for our summer courses.  Please see the link below for further information and to book for the Beverley and Bath Courses; contact details for the Residentiary Choir and Youth Choir are below.

Beverley Course Thursday 28 – Sunday 31 May

For trebles and sopranos aged 8-17

Residentiary Choir Monday 27 July – Sunday 2 August (Edinburgh)

For experienced adults (auditioned) – contact [email protected] to arrange an audition.

Youth Choir Friday 10 - Sunday 12 April (St Paul’s Cathedral) and Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 August (Derby Cathedral)

For young people aged 16-23 (auditioned) - contact [email protected] to arrange an audition.

Bath Course Monday 17 – Sunday 23 August

For young people aged 8-21

Save the date!  Music Sunday 2026 will take place on Sunday 14 June.

Music Sunday is, as always, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the work, dedication and talents of all those associated with church music and to raise funds for your church and the work of the RSCM.

Why not put it in the church diary now?

Our top suggestion for 2026 is to hold a Come & Sing service. Fitting with our theme of Community, this is a wonderful way of bringing singers and listeners into the church and can be a useful tool for recruitment.

Resources will be coming over the next couple of months so do keep an eye on the website. These will include a suggested music list.

'Notes from the Director' is our regular newsletter (every 3–4 weeks) that updates you with the latest news from the RSCM. You can sign up to this using the link below and find an example here.

RSCM Members can access the Member Organised Event registration form via the Members Area on our website along with guidance information. If you have a forthcoming event which you would like publicised in our events newsletters and CMQ (subject to copy deadlines) and on our website, please log into the Members Area to register your event. 

Come and Sing Evensongs - St Mary's Church, Swanage 

Our very successful series of Come and Sing Evensongs continues in 2026, led by the cream of English Choral Directors:

Sunday 11 January - Dr Barry Rose, formerly of Guildford, St Paul’s and St Albans Cathedrals

Sunday 8 February -  Carl Jackson, formerly of HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court

Bloomsbury Organ Day

Saturday 31 January - Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London

A day of recitals, presentations and displays, incorporating the famous Bloomsbury buffet and ending with a celebrity recital by Loreto Aramendi.

Study and Sing: Creation

Saturday 16 May - Laidlaw Music Centre, University of St Andrews

This ‘Study and Sing' day will focus on music making and listening that helps us to value and give praise for God's created world. Sessions this year to include Rev Professor Ian Bradley on ecotheology themes in musical theatre; a new contemporary worship song composed by a student; music and listening inspired by psalm 104.