Honorary Awards
The RSCM has the power to confer diplomas and awards. Some are honorary; others are awarded as a result of academic study or other training. Details of criteria, nominations and presentation of the honorary awards can be found on this page.
Awards Criteria
The RSCM Council has agreed the following broad criteria as a normative guide when making nominations for awards. Council will continue to exercise its discretion in making awards.
Awards
FRSCM – Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music
is an award for achievements in church music and/or liturgy of internationally recognised significance, or for exceptional musical and/or liturgical work within the RSCM which has had an impact at a national level.
ARSCM – Associate of the Royal School of Church Music
is an award for achievements in church music and/or liturgy of nationally recognised significance, or for important musical and/or liturgical work within the RSCM which has had an impact across several Area Teams.
HonRSCM – Honorary Member of the Royal School of Church Music
is an award for exceptional or very significant work within the RSCM which is not primarily musical or liturgical that has contributed to the cause of church music and/or liturgy at international or national levels.
Nicholson Award (formerly Certificate of Special Service)
is an award for significant administrative work as a voluntary officer or member of staff within the RSCM; or an award for a significant contribution to church music and/or liturgy at a local RSCM Area level.
Loyal Service Award
is an award for a significant contribution to church music and/or liturgy through either musical or administrative work within an affiliated member church.
Available to present at local level, the certificates and medals associated with this award, awarded at the discretion of an individual church, can be purchased from the RSCM Webshop.
Nominations
Nominations may be submitted by:
- Members of RSCM Council
- Senior RSCM Staff
- Diocesan Representatives
- President or Secretary of an RSCM National Governing Body
- Chair or Secretary of an RSCM Overseas Branch
Nominations submitted by any other person must be seconded by one of the above.
Nominations will be considered by a scrutiny group for presentation to RSCM Council for approval. There is no certainty that the RSCM will be able to act on every nomination, and all nominations should therefore be treated with total confidentiality.
Nominations must be received by 1 December each year. All nominations will be acknowledged. If acknowledgement has not been received by the end of the first working day after 1 December, please contact the RSCM Centre to check whether the nomination has been safely received.
Presentation of Awards
FRSCM, ARSCM, HonRSCM and Nicholson Awards will normally be awarded at a national RSCM celebration in the UK.
Awards relating to members of RSCM America, RSCM Australia, RSCM Canada, RSCM New Zealand and RSCM South Africa may be presented at a significant local body event in their own country, such as a national or branch festival or summer school if the recipient is unable to travel to the UK to receive the Award.