You needn’t be a pianist to master the organ

SIR – As a 22-year-old organ scholar at Oxford University, I disagree with Richard Hubbard’s comment (report, April 2) that you normally need to have Grade 5 piano to start on the organ.

Any professional organist knows that the piano and organ are fundamentally different instruments. An organ, for example, has a keyboard played with the feet. I have never had a single piano lesson and passed Grade 8 organ with distinction in less than three years.

Most “church organists” I have come across turned out to be pianists with no idea what they were doing at an organ bench. It’s no surprise that many churches prefer backing tapes.

Benjamin Maton

Senior Organ Scholar St Peter’s College, Oxford

SIR – Contrary to the impression given by previous correspondents (Letters, April 3), the Royal College of Organists is heavily involved in work around the country to attract new people to the organ and to raise the standard of organ-playing at all levels. Your readers may wish to visit the college’s website for more information.

Martin Baker

President, Royal College of Organists New Milton, Hampshire

SIR – I will be 74 on Sunday and I had my first organ lesson last Tuesday.

My only qualification is Grade 1 piano, taken 64 years ago.

Tanya Garstone

Cricklade, Wiltshire

SIR – On Christmas Day, we attended a service in a North Shields church where the accompaniment to the carols was pre-recorded.

To paraphrase Eric Morecambe, the recordings had all the right notes, but pieces were not necessarily played in the same order as the service sheet.

Malcolm Macdonald

Whitley Bay, Northumberland