News

Application forms for candidates for the 2021 Godfrey Hewitt Memorial Scholarship must be postmarked by April 30, 2021. This annual scholarship of $5,000 is offered by the Ottawa Centre, RCCO, and is intended for a Canadian graduate student in organ, studying either inside or outside Canada, who intends to use his/her skills as an organ teacher in the future. The past winners are:

2005 - Craig Humber
2006 - Isabelle Demers
2007 - Michael Unger
2008 - Ryan Jackson
2009 - Matthieu Latreille
2010 - Shawn Potter
2011 - Wendy Nieuwenhuis
2012 - Stephen Boda
2013 - Sarah Svendsen
2014 - Julie Pinsonneault
2015 - Rachel Mahon
2016 - Shane Murphy
2017 - no award
2018 - David Simon and Nicholas Walters
2019 - Stefani Bedin
2020 - Samuel Lee and Manuel Piazza

Information and application forms are available at www.rcco-ottawa.ca, and further information maybe obtained from Frances Macdonnell at fbmacdonnell@sympatico.ca or at 613-726-7984.

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La Bourse Commémorative Godfrey Hewitt pour l'année 2021 

Les formulaires de demandes pour la Bourse Commémorative Godfrey Hewitt 2020 devront être postés avant le 30 avril 2021. Le Centre d'Ottawa du CRCO offre cette bourse annuelle de 5 000$, destinée à un élève d'orgue avancé, étudiant au Canada ou ailleurs, et ayant l'intention d'enseigner l'orgue dans l'avenir. Les lauréat(e)s des années précédentes sont:

2005 - Craig Humber
2006 - Isabelle Demers
2007 - Michael Unger
2008 - Ryan Jackson
2009 - Matthieu Latreille
2010 - Shawn Potter
2011 - Wendy Nieuwenhuis
2012 - Stephen Boda
2013 - Sarah Svendsen
2014 - Julie Pinsonneault
2015 - Rachel Mahon
2016 - Shane Murphy
2017 - pas de bourse
2018 - David Simon et Nicholas Walters
2019 - Stefani Bedin
2020 - Samuel Lee and Manuel Piazza

Les renseignements et les formulaires de demandes sont disponibles à www.rcco-ottawa.ca. On peut aussi se renseigner auprès de Frances Macdonnell au fbmacdonnell@sympatico.ca ou 613-726-7984.

In accordance with Ontario provincial government regulations, the National Office at 15 Case Goods Lane in Toronto will be closed as of December 26. The Executive Director and Office Administrator continue to work remotely, and will respond to email and voice messages. The closure will remain in effect until further notice.

Please note that the National Office will also be closed for  the Christmas holidays from December 24 - January 3.

The RCCO is currently accepting applications for the 2021 National Organ Playing Competition, to be held during Organ Festival Canada 2021 in Hamilton, Ontario. The deadline to apply has been extended to March 15, 2021. Please click here for application information.

The Royal Canadian College of Organists is excited to announce the launch of a fundraising campaign for an Organ Truck! The Organ Truck will bring organ music to the public by presenting outdoor concerts at popular pedestrian locations, nursing homes, and to underserved communities across southern Ontario.

The RCCO Organ Truck will be our way of giving back to our community while raising the profile of the organ and the people who play it. Each concert will be under an hour and will feature organists from the local area playing music for people who may be hearing, and seeing, an organ for the first time!

Starting on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 1) and throughout the giving season, the RCCO will be raising funds to help make our vision a reality. Our goal is to raise $5,000 before December 31. Donations can be made online on by clicking here or by contacting us at info[at]rcco.ca. (Tax receipts will be issued for all donations.) Please consider supporting this project if you able. Each and every gift is deeply appreciated.

The following candidates have been elected to the Board of Directors by acclamation at the Annual General Meeting on October 24, 2020:

Office		Candidate
President		Peter Nikiforuk (Waterloo-Wellington ON)
Vice President		Chellan Hoffman (Calgary AB)
Vice President		Thomas Leslie (Montreal QC)
Registrar		Norma Blanchet (Saint John NB)
Secretary		Patrick Carter (Hamilton ON)
Regional Director - Region 1		Margaret Machum (Halifax NS)
Regional Director - Region 8		Sandra Fletcher (Victoria BC)

The RCCO is pleased to announce the creation of a brand-new online resource -- the Buy & Sell Forum! On the Buy & Sell Forum, anyone can post advertisements for organs or other music-related items that are being offered or sought. This service is offered free of charge and is open to the public. For more information, check out the new webpage here!

Congratulations to Honorary Patron ⁦‪Angela Hewitt on receiving the Bach Medal in Leipzig and thank you for your sublime performance of the Goldberg Variations (available online at here.) So much joy and love. Such a gift.

The RCCO Hamilton Centre is pleased to announce that renowned organist Matthew Larkin is presenting a virtual concert of the music of Louis Vierne, recorded at the the organ of St. George’s Cathedral in Kingston. Maestro Larkin will also provide commentaries on his selected pieces.

The virtual concert is available as of this Friday, November 20 at 7:30 PM ET.

On the program:

• Symphonie no. 1 op. 14 24 pièces en style libre: Arabesque, Pastorale, Berceuse, Elégie, Carillon
• Pièces de fantaisie suite no 1 op 51: Prelude
• Pièces de fantaisie suite no 2 op 53: Hymne au soleil
• Pièces de fantaisie suite no 4 op 55: Cathédrales
• Pièces de fantaisie suite no 3 op 54: Carillon de Westminster
  

Join on Friday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Purchase your access to the online concert here.

Entry is $20. Once you have purchased your ticket, you will receive a link to view the video.

Good news, if you cannot attend the premiere on Friday, November 20, starting at 7:30 PM ET, the concert can be viewed at any time afterwards. Just use the link above to purchase your access code.

Help us promote this great concert and pass this information along to your friends. (Just don't give the link to the video for free.)

Please see below for information from the Hamilton, Toronto and Victoria Centres regarding their upcoming online Halloween concerts:

Hamilton Centre

Our Halloween concert is taking place online this year.

Thanks to several of our dear colleagues, this program is absolutely fantastic.

Join on October 30 at 7:00 p.m. at https://youtu.be/ywkOmgDBkmc

This is a fundraiser for the 2021 Organ Festival, so please share widely and help with a generous donation.

Toronto Centre

Our annual "Phantoms of the Organ" is happening on Friday, October 30th at 8 pm. For more information, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/340927733784386.

A YouTube trailer is also available at https://youtu.be/v_qHHRHj7aY.

Victoria Centre

Do you like music from Phantom of the Opera, Star Wars and the famous d-minor organ toccata? We’ve got you covered!

On Saturday, October 31, 2020 put on your favourite Halloween costume, grab a tasty beverage, some yummy snacks, and then sit down in your favourite comfy chair and join us online (via Facebook) at 6:00pm PDT for a live-streamed Halloween organ concert!

Eight fabulous organists on 6 different instruments in Alberta and B.C. will perform a variety of “spook-tacular” music suitable for audiences of all ages.

Check out this live-streamed concert via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/events/654202658823581

For more information about the Victoria Centre and this event, go to:

Website: http://rcco-victoria.org

Facebook: Royal Canadian Centre of Organists – Victoria Centre

Instagram: @rccovictoria

Twitter: RCCOVictoria

Congratulations to the successful 2020 examination candidates! We are very pleased to award the following diplomas:

Ryan Baxter, ARCCO

George Langley, CRCCO

Kristiana Renée Nikkel, CRCCO