What is Royal College of Organists?
[[File:Royal College of Organists, former headquarters in Kensingon Gore, London.jpg|thumb|The building in Kensington, London, which housed the Royal College of Organists from 1903-1991]] The '''Royal College of Organists''' or '''RCO''', is an organisation based in the [[United Kingdom]], but with members around the world. Its job is to support [[pipe organ|organ]] playing and [[Choir|choral]] music. People who learn the organ can go there to take professional organ examinations. There is a large library with more than 60,000 books about organ playing and organ music. When the RCO started in 1864 by [[Richard Limpus]] it was called the ''College of Organists''. It was given a [[Royal Charter]] in 1893. In 1903 it was offered an extremely cheap 99-year [[lease]] on a beautiful building in [[Kensington]], West [[London]]. The college was there until 1991 when it moved to a church in the [[City of London]]. In 2003 it moved again to [[Birmingham]]. ==Examinations== The RCO offers five qualifications or [[diploma]]s. *The '''Colleague Diploma (CRCO)''' is a qualification for people who are good organists, but not necessarily at a professional level. *The '''Associateship Diploma (ARCO)''' is a professional qualification. The candidate has to play the organ very well and do a [[music theory]] [[examination]]. *The '''Fellowship Diploma (FRCO)''' is for people who already have ARCO. It is harder than ARCO. *The '''Choral Directing Diploma (Dip CHD)''' demonstrates professional choral conducting. *The '''Licentiateship in Teaching (LTRCO)''' is a professional qualification for organ teachers who already have either the ARCO or FRCO. == Other websites == *[http://www.rco.org.uk// Royal College of Organists Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050904012452/http://www.rco.org.uk/ |date=2005-09-04 }} [[Category:Colleges and universities in London]] [[Category:Music schools]] [[Category:1864 establishments in Europe]] [[Category:1860s establishments in the United Kingdom]]