Engagement

There is plenty of evidence that fewer people are encountering the organ and its music in their day-to-day lives, whether in places of worship, schools or elsewhere.

Organists, venues and organisations around the world are responding to this challenge with an increasingly imaginative and diverse range of engagement and outreach initiatives to introduce people to the organ and its repertoire in order to build audiences and increase the number of new organists (First Stop! being one such project of course).

This section of First Stop! is designed to support those initiatives, providing resources and content which can be used to set up and deliver outreach and engagement activity of this kind.

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PLAYLISTS

Play the Organ Year: Resources

This playlist contains all the Play the Organ Year information sheets, session plans, templates and videos created to help organists and venues plan and deliver their own outreach and engagement events.LEARN MORE

My First Encounter

Enjoy your very first moments at the pipe organ with this series of short films, bringing the Play the Organ Year 'First Encounter' session plans to life.LEARN MORE

Resources for organ outreach

Ideas and resources for organ open days and outreach programmes aimed at a general / non-school audience.LEARN MORE

Approaches to outreach

Ideas, inspiration and practical advice for organising organ workshops, schools activity, or other outreach work.LEARN MORE

CONTENT

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Play the Organ Year: Resources for outreach and engagement

These resource sheets were produced for Play the Organ Year 2025 – a national initiative created by the RCO and its partners to spark a year-long programme of engagement and outreach.LEARN MORE
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Mickey Mouse – The Haunted House Rescored

This rescoring of the Mickey Mouse animation The Haunted House shows how the organ can be used to bring silent films to life.LEARN MORE
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Mechanical Musical Marvel

This charming animation explores the building of Birmingham's magnificent Symphony Hall organ.LEARN MORE
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How to tell people about the organ

This pdf guide from the RCO includes hints and tips and a structure for events to introduce and celebrate the organ.LEARN MORE
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My First Encounter: Film 1

Robin Harrison’s First Encounter series introduces organ fundamentals, from turning it on to navigating manuals, stops, and pedals in the first instalment.LEARN MORE
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My First Encounter: Film 2

In his second First Encounter film, Robin Harrison teaches composing and improvising a short organ piece using sounds, rhythms, and pedals. LEARN MORE
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My First Encounter: Film 3a

Robin Harrison teaches playing “Olé, Olé, Olé” on the organ with hands, pedals, and sounds.LEARN MORE
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My First Encounter: Film 3b

Robin Harrison’s First Encounter film teaches a famous tune on the organ, covering stop selection, hand co-ordination, and basic pedal use.LEARN MORE
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My First Encounter: Film 4

In the final First Encounter film, Robin Harrison shares tips on overcoming coordination challenges, mastering hands and feet, and building confidence.LEARN MORE
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Outreach work by a local organists’ association

This short film with teaching resources demonstrates a programme of outreach work carried out in local primary schools.LEARN MORE
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Planning an introduction to the organ workshop

William Saunders explains how to set up and run a workshop to introduce the organ to new players.LEARN MORE
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An introduction to the pipe organ

This films provides a comprehensive introduction to the pipe organ for those less familiar with the instrument.LEARN MORE
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A children’s animated introduction to the pipe organ

This fun animation for children reveals how organ pipes make music, what the 'stops' do, and how organists use their feet.LEARN MORE