Organ
As a student at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, you will be part of one of Europe’s most celebrated organ departments.
Known for its exceptional teaching, and its warm, supportive, and focussed atmosphere, Birmingham is a place where musicians develop and thrive. Alongside your studies, a vibrant programme of events and projects contributes to an extraordinarily rich student experience
The department is also known for its remarkable facilities, which include eight on-site instruments, and a concert and practice space dedicated solely to the use of organ students.
Whether your ambitions lie in the concert hall, the church, or the varied life of a portfolio musician, we have a proven record of producing leaders in the profession. You are warmly welcome to get in touch.
Learn from top performers
You will be inspired, challenged and supported by some of the world’s great organists and teachers.
Dame Gillian Weir
“I very much admire the standard and scope of the work being done in the Conservatoire’s Organ Department, and warmly congratulate them on their glowing international reputation.”
Dame Gillian Weir
Professor Nathan Laube
“The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is absolutely paving the way of the future of organ art in the UK and has emerged as its leader of serious organ study over the last years. Daniel Moult and his team's indefatigable energy and strong vision are responsible for that. Birmingham is filling - admirably - a large void in the UK for comprehensive and holistic organ education - long may it continue! For me, it is a great honor and joy to take part in all of this in a small way.”
Professor Nathan Laube,
International Consultant, RBC,
Organ Professor, Eastman School of Music,
International concert artist
Benefit from unique resources
Study in our £57m, RIBA award-winning building. The only conservatoire in the UK with a concert space dedicated exclusively to the organ, students do not have to compromise on access to incredible instruments.
Over the past five years, we have invested £2.8m in spectacular new organs in distinct historical styles.
Centre of excellence
Organ music plays a vital role in the life of the city of Birmingham, with regular profile recitals given by City Organist Thomas Trotter and guests on the Town Hall's historic instrument by William Hill and Symphony Hall's newer Klais organ. Birmingham is also home to the libraries of the RCO and British Institute of Organ Studies. The city therefore offers a unique combination of resources and opportunities.
The arrival of a new instrument by Marc Garnier at the University of Birmingham in 2014 has also put the city firmly on the map as a centre of excellence in organ building, performance study and research.
Overview article from Organists’ Review
The Wolfson Organ (Flentrop Orgelbouw, 2020)
Inspired by the 1698 Arp Schnitger in St Laurentius, Dedesdorf, North Germany.
Read more
The Juliet Organ (William Drake Ltd, 2024)
Inspired by the 1882 John Nicholson now in St Christoforuskerk, Schagen, The Netherlands.
Read more
The Lady of Clare Organ (Wiliam Drake Ltd, 2025)
A creative reimagining of an early English Baroque wooden organ, taking inspiration from surviving fragments at Knole House.
Read moreOverview article from Organists’ Review
The Tunku Sarina Organ (Forthcoming)
A symphonic concert organ of 40 – 50 stops for the Bradshaw Hall, the conservatoire’s flagship concert space.
The Walker organ at St Chad’s Cathedral
We have weekly access to this iconic organ in a sumptuous acoustic.
Notable historic instruments
There is a number of significant organs in and around Birmingham.
Overview article from Organists’ Review
A suite of four mechanical practice instruments
A suite of four mechanical practice instruments.
Historical keyboard collection
The organ department shares a corridor with the Early Music Department, and has access to a wide range of original and copied historical keyboard instruments.
Significant libraries
In addition to our own, well-stocked collection, Birmingham is home to the libraries of the Royal College of Organists and the British Institute of Organ Studies.
Combining all the conservatoire has to offer with the city’s remarkably vibrant cultural scene, Birmingham provides the ideal environment for the serious study, research and performance of organ art music.
Solo organ courses
We believe truly great playing is the result of you taking complete ownership of your performance - musically, technically, and intellectually. To that end, once solid technical foundations have been laid, our tuition is informed, questioning, and non-dogmatic, encouraging you to think independently.
We emphasise performance psychology and other professional skills that make a huge difference both to your music-making, and the success and happiness of your career.
Undergraduates, postgraduates, professionals in work and gap-year students (space permitting) are welcome to apply.
A rich programme
Our busy timetable offers significant ‘added extras’: weekly group performance classes, career-focussed seminars, celebrity/student concerts, organ festivals, the Dame Gillian Weir Messiaen Prize, and annual international tours to significant historical instruments.
Other recent initiatives include a major outreach project in local primary schools, a young organists’ academy, and an ongoing creativepartnership with the Royal College of Organists.
Church Music
Church music is one of several career options for our graduates, some of whom occupy top jobs in the profession.We take church music training very seriously: unlike old-fashioned, ‘sink or swim’ approaches, we offer expert, systematic training in directing, accompanying, continuo playing, and improvising.Complementary hands-on experience is provided by scholarships, our innovative Church Music Training Scheme, and in collaboration with conservatoire ensembles.
Scholarships
Church music scholarships are available at a variety of cathedrals and greater churches.Secular scholarships are available at B:Music (Symphony Hall), as well as for continuo players and those with a particular interest in early music.Details of all are provided after application.
Student successes
Recent appointments:
- Alexander Robson, Sinfonia Smith Square Organ Fellow, 2025/26 & Sub-Organist, Worcester Cathedral
- Nicholas Freestone, Director of Music, Westminster Cathedral Choir School
- William Fox (Junior Fellow), Director of Music, St Albans Cathedral
- Nicholas Morris, Director of Music, Queens’ College, Cambridge, and Assistant Director of Music, St George's Church, Hanover Square, London
- Anne Michael, Kantorin, Hauptkirche St. Nikolai, Hamburg
- Sebastian Moreau (Gap year), Organ Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford
- Conor McGlone, Assistant Director of Music, Birmingham Cathedral
- Joseph Jacob, Organ Scholar, Rugby School
- Thomas Howell, Organist & Assistant Director of Music, St Leonard’s Church, Streatham, London
- Elli-Mae McGlone, Organist, St Peter’s Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton
- Carolyn Craig (Junior Fellow), Assistant Director of Music, Wells Cathedral
- Charles Francis, Assistant Organist, Third Presbyterian Church, Rochester, New York
- Callum Alger, Head of Chapel Music, Solihull School & Organ Tutor, Uppingham School & Radley College
Prizes:
- Conor McGlone, Dame Gillian Weir Messiaen Prize, 2026
- Thomas Howell, Dame Gillian Weir Messiaen Prize, 2025
- Tim Stewart, First Prize, IAO/RCO National Organ Competition, 2024
- Thomas Howell, Second Prize, IAO/RCO National Organ Competition, 2024
- Charles Francis, Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, 2022
- Charles Francis, Winner, IAO/RCO National Organ Competition, 2022
- Callum Alger, Finalist, St Albans International Organ Competition, 2021
- Ben Bloor, Finalist, St Albans International Organ Competition, 2021
- Ben Bloor, Second Prize, Boston Bach International Organ Competition 2021
Stay in touch!
If you have any questions, or would like to arrange a consultation lesson, please contact daniel.moult@bcu.ac.uk