ISOC was founded originally in Huddersfield, England in 1986 by Nigel with Naji & Marie-Bernadette Hakim, Nicolas Kynaston, Leslie Howard and Piet Kee. For a number of years it used the renowned resources of the University there before moving in 1992 to Oxford. For one year (2001)  ISOC resided in Bitche (Lorraine) and held its first Nicolas de Grigny Competition in St Catherine's Church. The Jury was Dame Gillian Weir, Prof. Dr Ewald Kooiman and Nigel.
On 14th September 1992 in Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye (the day following the inauguration of the Bernard Aubertin organ), Nigel was invited by Bernard, The Deputy Mayor, Père Bin and the Organist of the Abbey to bring ISOC to the village. This historic picture shows that lunch in the shadow of the Abbey on the terrace of the Auberge with other noted guests!

For 2007, ISOC moves northwards in France to take advantage of the two new organs of Bernard Aubertin in Orléans (Saint-Marceau) and Paris (Saint-Louis). These spectular instruments provide instruments ideally suited for our celebrations of Buxtehude. Both cities (which are 1 hour a part) have numerous other instruments for our use and we also intend to mark the Centenary of Langlais too with appropriate instruments.

For players from the UK in particular, this is an unprecendented opportunity to discover the musical attributes of an Aubertin instrument. One has already been installed in King's College Chapel, Aberdeen University to the highest acclaim. The month after this Conseravtoire, St John's College, Oxford will welcome their's. These are exciting times for organists in Europe and the UK in particular. Come share them with us!

This is ISOC's 20th Anniversary year and so a new and glamorous programme of classes and venues is under construction centred upon Saint-Marceau in Orléans.