Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the organ
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The pipe organ is played with hands and feet together, on keyboards and a pedalboard, and choosing the stops (registration) is taught alongside. Church music courses are written partly for pianists who have been asked to play the organ for services.
Demanding£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A year or moreIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
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Where adults learn
The Royal College of Organists accepts students without audition at all levels, from beginner to advanced, and says its regular students are aged 10 to 90. You can take organ classes, individual lessons or both, without committing to a whole term. Its three-hour RCO Academy classes are mostly limited to six players, and you do not need to be a member.
The RSCM's Church Music Skills is a distance-learning course for anyone who wants foundational organ skills in a church setting, including pianists asked to play for services; it says players at about Grade 5 piano get the most from it. In the US, the American Guild of Organists' POE+ is a four- to five-day course for adults, run by local chapters, covering basic technique, pedalling, improvisation and registration for beginners.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Royal College of Organists (UK) | RCO Academy classes (three hours, up to six players) and individual lessons; all levels | Not listed on the tuition page; contact the College |
| RSCM Church Music Skills (UK, distance learning) | Study at home plus practical work in your own church; assessed by tutors; no deadlines | £120 registration, then £390 for the first level (£330 for RSCM members) |
| Goshen College Community School of the Arts, Indiana | One-to-one lessons on the college's pipe organ; some piano experience strongly preferred | $372 per 15-week semester for 30-minute lessons |
| American Guild of Organists, Rockford chapter, Illinois | POE+, a five-day course for adults, June 2026 | $425 |
How to start
- Ask the Royal College of Organists (UK) or your local American Guild of Organists chapter (US) to point you to an organ teacher near you.
- Get piano to a reasonable standard first if you can, since the RSCM says players at about Grade 5 piano get the most from its course.
- Buy or borrow organ shoes before your first pedal lessons, and ask a local church about practice time on its organ.
Where to go
- Royal College of Organists: tuition UK
- RSCM: Church Music Skills (organ, distance learning) UK
- American Guild of Organists: Pipe Organ Encounters (POE+ for adults) US
- Goshen College Community School of the Arts, Indiana: organ lessons US
We opened these links on 10 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need to play the piano before learning the organ?
Not always, but it helps. Goshen College strongly prefers some piano experience, and the RSCM says players at about Grade 5 piano get the most from its organ course.
Why do organists wear special shoes?
Brigham Young University's Organ Tutor says organ shoes make the heel easier to use and give a flat sole, so the foot is less likely to play sharps by accident. They can be as simple as house slippers.
How much do organ lessons cost?
As last listed, Goshen College charges $372 for a 15-week semester of 30-minute lessons. The Royal College of Organists does not list its adult rate online.
Is there a Pipe Organ Encounter for adults?
Yes. The American Guild of Organists' POE+ is for adults aged 19 or older who want to play the organ or already play in a church or synagogue.
Where this comes from: Royal College of Organists, Tuition; Royal College of Organists, Courses and classes; RSCM, Church Music Skills; American Guild of Organists, Pipe Organ Encounters; Northern Public Radio, Pipe Organ Encounter Plus (POE+); Goshen College Community School of the Arts, Organ lessons; Brigham Young University, Organ Tutor, Organ shoes. Opened 10 November 2026.
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