The RCCO has partnered with Sarah Svendsen to assist her in her Doctoral research project to study the impact of organ playing on musculoskeletal health as well as the workplace characteristics experienced by organists through an occupational health lens. Please see below from a message from Sarah. 

To the members of the Royal Canadian College of Organists

My name is Sarah Svendsen and I am a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Toronto. My dissertation will involve ground-breaking research examining musculoskeletal injuries experienced by organists of all levels.

In partnership with the RCCO, a survey is being made available to you at this time. ALL organists are encouraged to complete this survey (including those who may not have experienced injury). In accordance with privacy laws, all information is confidential. The online survey program ensures that anonymity is provided at all steps and that I, as researcher, will never see from whom or where the information originates.

The results of this survey have potentially wide-reaching implications, including informing occupational injury prevention practice for student organists, teachers, and places of employment. Along these lines, my immediate intentions for the use of the survey results are to inform organist training programs and to inform churches about organist workplace health and safety in context. Upon completion of my dissertation, the RCCO will provide me with an opportunity for to present my findings to the membership.

Final date to take survey: July 1, 2020

Thank you in advance for your participation! 

Sarah Svendsen

To take the survey, please check your inbox for an email from the RCCO sent on June 6 (subject: Pipe Organist Playing Injuries Survey), which contains a link. If you cannot find this email, please let us know by emailing info@rcco.ca and we will resend it.