AGO and RCO Establish Reciprocal Agreement
RCO Provides Free Access to iRCO Web Site
The American Guild of Organists (AGO) and the Royal College of Organists (RCO) have entered into a new reciprocal agreement that will benefit organists on both sides of the Atlantic. This expands membership benefits for both organizations by providing additional online resources during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.
During the UK’s lockdown period, and at least until the end of June, the Royal College of Organists is generously giving everyone free access to iRCO, its outstanding website. The RCO, which operates without a national office, describes iRCO as, “the College’s virtual campus – an online environment where members and guest users can explore and engage with a wide range of resources.”
Launched in 2016 under the banner “the first stop for every organist,” iRCO encompasses a broad mix of material and services. In a recent conversation with AGO Executive Director James Thomashower, RCO Chief Executive Andrew Parmley enumerated the range of resources available at the iRCO site which include educational materials, examination materials, films, “lockdown learning,” webinars, and the RCO Journal. Many more such resources are currently being developed as part of the response to the lockdown.
Access to the iRCO is normally available only to dues paying members of the RCO. However, the RCO has offered to make available to all AGO members full access to the iRCO at a special discounted rate of £25 per year (approximately $31) when the RCO reintroduces its pay wall. The AGO National Council warmly embraced this offer and in exchange will provide RCO members with access to the online edition of TAO for the same rate. The logistics necessary to achieve this collaboration are currently being studied pursuant to their implementation.
To learn more about the iRCO, click here.
For complimentary access to the iRCO site while it is temporarily open to all, create your own user id and password by logging in here.
