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Home , Antony Hopkins, Fanny Waterman, James Oldfield, Joo Yeon Sir, Katie Derham, Lara Melda

The Magazine for the Royal College of MusicI Summer 2014

Treasures beyond Measure Reimagining the Museum

What’s inside... Welcome to upbeat...

The cover of this issue shows the amazing transformation of the RCM Museum of Music, courtesy of celebrated artist Hugo Dalton. The previously grey walls have been Contents white washed and adorned with colourful paint and you can find out more about the project and the artist himself on page 13. 4 In the news The treasures in the Museum, alongside many manuscripts, books and programmes Updating you on recent RCM housed in the RCM Library, form part of the RCM collections – one of the UK’s most activities including Junior Department Martin James wide-ranging and substantial resources relating to the history of music. In recent Bartlett’s spectacular win at BBC months both departments have been involved in a reorganisation of the collections as Young Musician 2014 and our Museum Curator Gabriele Rossi Rognoni and Librarian Peter Linnitt explain on page annual visit from HRH The Prince 10. And, if you’ve never heard of a tenoroon or contrabassophon turn to page 12 for of Wales details of a very special donation to the Museum. As usual Upbeat is also packed full with news from around the RCM including pianist 10 Changing the Guard ’s spectacular performance and win at BBC Young Musician 2014 Explore the RCM collections and the premiere performance of a lost song by Mendelssohn on BBC Radio 4’s Today with Librarian Peter Linnitt and programme. Museum Curator Gabriele Rossi Rognoni We’re always keen to hear from students past and present so if you have anything you’d like us to feature in the next issue of Upbeat, please send your news and pictures to 12 New Arrivals [email protected] by Monday 22 September. Find out about two rare woodwind instruments – a NB: Please note that we cannot guarantee to include everything we receive and that we tenoroon and a contrabassophon reserve the right to edit submissions. – which have been donated to the RCM Museum of Music Upbeat online Did you know that Upbeat is available to read online at www.rcm.ac.uk/upbeat 13 Reimagining the Museum If you’d prefer to read it in this way, do contact us at [email protected] and we’ll Artist Hugo Dalton and Museum stop sending you a paper copy. If you’d like us to send you an email notification Curator Gabriele Rossi Rognoni when Upbeat is published, let us know your email address too. discuss the transformation of the Museum in the space of a few weeks

14 Meeting the supporters Upbeat meets Andrew Morgan, the Prime Warden of The Fishmongers’ Company, at their grand headquarters on the banks of the River Thames

16 Student notes… Current student success stories

18 Staff notes… News from professorial, academic and administrative staff

20 Alumni notes… Updates from RCM graduates

RCM harpists with professor Ieuan Jones and guest artist Jana Boušková after a concert in February featuring arrangements and original works for harp ensemble 22 Obituaries and births

Front cover – The RCM Museum of Music with new artwork by Hugo Dalton Inside front cover – A selection of images from ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ featuring Edward Fox Inside back cover – Images of the RCM Symphony in rehearsal with Sir Roger Norrington All photography © Chris Christodoulou

3 In the news... Pianist Martin James Bartlett is BBC Young Musician 2014 Martin studies at the RCM Junior Department with Emily Jeffrey, who also taught , and for the last two years he has also been receiving mentorship and lessons from RCM Head of Keyboard Professor Vanessa Latarche. This September Martin will be joining Lara at the senior RCM, continuing his studies with Vanessa on the RCM’s BMus programme, supported by a full scholarship. Vanessa commented: “I am delighted for Martin and for us all at the RCM. It is so exciting to see someone we have nurtured since the age of eight achieve this coveted title. His performance was just outstanding and I was thrilled to be there.” Professor , Director of the RCM, commented: “All of us at the are extremely proud that three times in a row an RCM Junior Department student has won BBC Young Musician of the Year! This is a great tribute to our teachers here and we are all very proud of pianist Martin James Bartlett, this year’s winner. No wonder the RCM Junior Department is a natural first choice for ambitious and talented young RCM student Martin James Bartlett has Martin is the third RCM student in a musicians.” been crowned BBC Young Musician 2014. row to pick up the award, following in He was awarded the trophy in the footsteps of pianist Lara Melda and You can next hear Martin perform on following a superb performance of of 2012 winner cellist Laura van der Sunday 20 July, when he is appearing Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Heijden, who presented Martin with the with his piano trio at the Royal Albert Paganini. trophy. Hall Classical Coffee Morning series.

ROSL success Saxophonist Huw Wiggin, a recent RCM graduate, has won the Gold Medal and First Prize of £10,000 in the Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition 2014.

This is the second year in a row Huw Wiggin Block4 that an RCM musician has won the prestigious top prize, following RCM Huw studied with Kyle Horch at the ROSL ARTS is the arts division of baritone Morgan Pearse’s triumph last RCM on a Ruth and Michael West the Royal Over-Seas League, and for year. scholarship, winning the RCM Concerto more than 50 years has developed a Prize before graduating in 2012. His diverse portfolio of arts activities in The final was held on Tuesday 6 May at other prizes and awards include a ‘Star music, visual arts and literature, devoted the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Award’ from the Countess of Munster to the career development of talented Hall. The evening also included a Musical Trust, a Music Education Award young professional artists and musicians performance by RCM ensemble Block4, from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, from the UK and the Commonwealth. winners of the ROSL Ensemble Prize. and a Martin Musical Scholarship With a prize fund in excess of £60,000, Formed in 2012, the recorder quartet Award. In 2012 he was selected to be a the ROSL Annual Music Competition features RCM musicians Emily Bannister, Park Lane Group Artist. is one of the UK’s most financially Lucy Carr, Katie Cowling and Ria Smith. rewarding major competitions.

4 never published, and the whereabouts Mendelssohn of the manuscript has since been Ashley Solomon something of a musical mystery. It Premiere is not known how it came to be in made Chair America. RCM mezzo-soprano Amy of Historical Williamson and professor Christopher The song is accompanied by an Glynn have given the first performance autograph letter by Mendelssohn to Performance of a lost song by on the man who commissioned the song, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. theatre manager Johann Teichmann, It is the first public hearing of the song dated 3 May 1842. The manuscript has – entitled Das Menschen Herz ist ein the composer’s customary signature at Schacht or The Heart of Man is Like a the bottom. Mine – since it went missing 140 years Thomas Venning, senior specialist in ago, having been recently re-discovered manuscripts from Christie’s, said: “This in a private collection in America. is a very exciting re-discovery: the song The 29-bar song subsequently sold was only ever a private commission and for £60,000 in a sale of Valuable we know that even in Mendelssohn’s Manuscripts and Printed Books at lifetime he deliberately prevented its Christie’s in . circulation. The manuscript has been lost for 140 years, so it seems likely that Ashley Solomon has been appointed The existence of the song was known to we have here music by one of the great to a Chair of Historical Performance at scholars as it had been sold at auction composers that no living person has ever the Royal College of Music. in 1862 and again in 1872 but it was heard.” This personal chair was created especially for Professor Solomon in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the RCM. Professor Solomon has played a major role in securing the reputation of the RCM as the natural first choice for students from around the globe. Since being appointed the RCM’s first Head of Historical Performance in 2006, he has led an astonishing number of artistic and academic projects, including: a recreation of the “24 Violons du Roi” in collaboration with the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, culminating in an acclaimed performance with Sir Roger Norrington at the BBC Proms; the RCM’s annual International Festival Amy Williamson, Christopher Glynn, Peter Ward Jones (Mendelssohn scholar) and Margaret of Viols; a new Masters programme Ford (Head of Christie’s London Books & Manuscripts department) with the manuscript in Historical Performance; and RCM student performances at festivals across the UK. After graduating, Margaret became Scholarship a highly respected and much loved Outside the RCM, Professor Solomon teacher, inspiring others to follow in her is an internationally renowned Bequest footsteps and study at the RCM. She and multi-award-winning soloist was passionate about music and about and ensemble performer on both Former RCM student, Margaret Dewey supporting her students. recorder and baroque flute. He (née Pitt), has bequeathed a generous co-founded the critically acclaimed legacy in support of students’ tuition. Scholarships transform the lives of ensemble Florilegium in 1991, and young, gifted people in a profound has been its Director since 2001. His Margaret, who died last year aged 86, way and we are immensely grateful to was a Dove Exhibitioner at the RCM work helping to edit, interpret and Margaret for her decision to support promote an extraordinary collection from 1945–1948. She studied under future RCM students. For further Thomas Fielden and Herbert Howells, of preserved by information about making a gift in indigenous Indians in the Bolivian whom she cited as her musical heroes your will to the RCM, please contact jungle has won praise around the and after whom she chose to name the Development Officer Isabelle Tawil on scholarships. 020 7591 4336. world.

5 In the news... New website K491 to SW7 for Alumni A jewel in the Royal College of Music’s extensive collection of historic We’re delighted to announce the manuscripts has been published as a ever used in a and is his launch of the Royal College of Music high-quality facsimile by Bärenreiter. only piano concerto to use both Alumni Network. and clarinets. Written in 1786 during a The facsimile is of the autograph score period of almost feverish activity, it was The network has been created with of Mozart’s Piano Concerto no 24 in completed only 22 days after the A the purpose of bringing together C minor K 491, housed in the RCM’s major concerto K 488 and during the our international and diverse Library. Its preface – which describes composition of . alumni community, who are leading the journey made by Mozart’s successful careers across the globe in a autograph manuscript following its sale Christopher Jackson of Bärenreiter says: wide range of disciplines. in 1800 by the composer’s widow to its “The autograph is exceptional in that eventual resting place in London SW7 Mozart records sketches that he later In coming months we’ll be holding – is written by Director of the RCM enlarged and extensively revised for the alumni reunions, allowing former Professor Colin Lawson, and its score, thus allowing us an insight into his students to reconnect with old friends illuminating commentary by the creative process. Mozart’s work appears and classmates. The alumni network renowned Mozart scholar and pianist here for the first time in a colour also offers professional development Robert Levin. facsimile, making it possible to easily and networking opportunities, as well recognise the contrasting colours of ink. as a weekly jobs e-bulletin and the The Piano Concerto in C minor is one [It] truly is a fascinating insight into chance to support current and future of Mozart’s greatest Piano Concertos, Mozart’s art of composition.” RCM students. not least because of its dramatic character (it is one of only two piano The facsimile is available to purchase To find out more, visit concertos he composed in minor keys). from the RCM Library and is priced at www.rcm.ac.uk/alumni It also has the largest orchestra Mozart £166.

This year the series includes fun family Woodhouse at 15 RCM and the workshops in the RCM Museum of Music and an exciting three-day course The RCM’s BBC Proms for young people aged 10 to 12. For Woodhouse Centre teenagers, a five-day composition course for Professional This summer the RCM once again plays sees participants create an eclectic new Development is a big part in the BBC Proms, the world’s ensemble and compose a new piece. celebrating its 15th greatest classical music festival. Almost Finally, hands-on workshops for children birthday this year every Prom will be preceded by a Proms aged 6 to 9 offer the chance to delve with a unique series of events. Plus event in the RCM’s Amaryllis deeper into the music at . Fleming Concert Hall. The Centre is recognised For more information about the RCM internationally as a world-leader In addition, RCM Sparks Summer Music Sparks Summer Music programme please in professional development for runs alongside the BBC Proms season and visit www.rcm.ac.uk/summermusic offers a range of events for participants of musicians, offering a huge range all ages and levels of ability. of services that help budding musicians develop successful careers. These services include managing a range of external performance opportunities, offering advice on professional skills for musicians, and mentoring for innovative artistic projects. All of these services are available to RCM students not only during their period of study but also for five years after they graduate. In 2014, the Woodhouse Centre is celebrating 15 years of success with a programme of 15 events throughout the year. Visit www.rcm.ac.uk/ rcmwoodhouse for more information about the Centre and its projects.

6 2014 Rod Williams The Boconnoc Memorial Concert Music Award The RCM was pleased to welcome Nigel Woolner and Jeremy and Keith Pickering, The Laefer Quartet has been named representatives of the Mills Williams as the recipients of the third annual Foundation, to a concert by the RCM Boconnoc Award. Classical Orchestra led by violinist Comprising RCM saxophonists Amy Matthew Truscott. Green, Ruth Hayes, Jessamy Holder and The current Mills Williams Junior Fellow, Stephen Shepherd, the ensemble will pianist Maksim Štšura, was delighted to be in residence at Boconnoc from 21 to The prize constitutes a week’s residency attend the event and be presented with 26 July. They will present two recitals at the Mills Williams Medal. Many other Boconnoc House on 22 and 24 July as on the estate, providing a valuable Junior Fellows and their donors also well as a public concert in the estate’s opportunity for the musicians to work attended the concert and a special 14th-century parish church on 25 July. intensively on repertoire and technique reception celebrating the scheme in the in a private and unique environment. Donaldson Room. The award was established in 2012 thanks to the generosity of Anthony To find out more about Boconnoc and Peter Mills established the and Elizabeth Fortescue, owners of the Laefer Quartet, and tickets for the Mills Williams award on Boconnoc in Cornwall. concerts, please visit the death of his life-long www.boconnoc.com partner Rod Williams in 1995. To date the award has endorsed 18 Mills situation, performers were given key Williams Junior Results for visual, auditory and other environmental Fellowships and cues commonly found backstage and on continues to fund the RCM’s stage at performance venues. an annual concert at the RCM. Maksim Štšura Performance The results showed that their cardiovascular reactivity and Simulator performance anxiety levels were similar for performances in front of simulated Patrons Abroad and real audition panels. Furthermore, the RCM violinists performing in the Circles for Excellence Patrons often experiment rated the experience as highly have the opportunity to meet realistic and accurate and, with repeated students and professors at special use, saw strong potential for enhancing events at the RCM. Most recently their learning and performance skills. Patrons attended a special reception after a performance of Stravinksy’s The Building upon this work, the Centre Soldier’s Tale, featuring Edward Fox for Performance Science has received and Simon Butteriss. a substantial one-year grant from the In the autumn, Patrons will have Peter Sowerby Foundation to enhance the opportunity to travel to Paris the current simulations and develop for a weekend of events with RCM further performance simulations, students. The trip includes an intimate The RCM’s ground breaking Performance including chamber performance and concert at the British Ambassador’s Simulator – developed by the Centre for public speaking. We are most grateful residence and other bespoke concerts Performance Science – allows students for this support, which will expand the in unusual spaces. to practise their performance in front of availability of this resource to RCM a “virtual audience”. But does performing musicians through the appointment If you are interested in joining this in front of a video wall really feel like the of a full-time Peter Sowerby Research trip, or a subsequent Patrons’ trip real thing? Associate in September 2014. to Salzburg planned in 2015, please contact Development Officer Isabelle A new study suggests that it does, The scientific report is available to Tawil for more information on providing evidence that performing in download at bit.ly/1hH8IcN 020 7591 4336. the simulator evokes similar physical and psychological responses to those For more information about the produced in real performance situations. Performance Simulator, including an introductory video, visit the Centre Published in the journal Frontiers in for Performance Science website at Psychology, the study looked at two www.rcm.ac.uk/cps or email Head of scenarios: a solo recital with a small Performance Science Aaron Williamon at virtual audience and an audition situation [email protected] with three expert virtual judges. In each

7 In the news...

around the needs of music students. It Introducing Prince includes 24-hour practice rooms and Alumni Reunion acoustically treated bedrooms, as well as Consort Village a gym, cinema room and performance 2014 – Save space. The new name of Prince Consort Village the Date! was announced at the RCM’s annual The RCM is delighted to announce it Open Day, where visitors were given a will be holding an Alumni Reunion on sneak preview of a sample bedroom. We’re delighted to announce that the Sunday 14 September. The Reunion is an opportunity for graduates from name for the RCM’s brand new £44 To build and manage the hall, 1975–1985 to reconnect at the RCM. million hall of residence will be Prince the RCM has engaged student Consort Village. accommodation specialists Campus The afternoon event will include a Living Villages (CLV). CLV are providing buffet reception and an opportunity This state-of-the-art new hall, which will investment and managing the build open in September 2015 and replaces to re-visit favourite ‘haunts’ in the programme, and will operate the RCM, with plenty of time to meet old the current facility on Goldhawk Road accommodation once complete in 2015. in London, is being designed specifically friends. If you wish to receive further information about this event, please get in touch with Elspeth Coates on 020 7591 4331 or [email protected]

WW1 Composers The Royal College of Music has featured in The UpbeaT two short BBC films exploring ReadeR SURvey the legacy of World War One Tell us your views! composers. Visit www.rcm.ac.uk/upbeatsurvey or fill in the ‘World War form on the back of the magazine cover sheet One’s Forgotten Composers’ was part of the BBC’s World War One Centenary Season, marking 100 years since the outbreak of the War. In the two films presenter The Magazine for the Royal College of MusicI Autumn 2012 Sara Mohr-Pietsch explored the music The Magazine for the Royal College of Music

I Spring 2012 I Spring 2014 composed during WW1, with particular The Magazine for the Royal College of Music

The Magazine for the Royal College of Music reference to RCM composers Ivor I Summer 2013

Vive I Spring 2013 Gurney and . The Magazine for the Royal College of Music le RCM!

12 r 20 Summe sic I f Mu The footage was filmed in the RCM’s ge o olle oyal C he R or t ine f agaz The M entrance, Library and Museum of

I Summer 2014 Phone Home! The Magazine for the Royal College of Music Music and featured the original score RCM students report in from around the globe The Magazine for the Royal College of Music Composing about Architecture of Ivor Gurney’s War Elegy and a bust of Collaborative projects at the RCM I AutumnVaughan 2011 Williams. How the RCMNow… is tackling relax! performance anxiety

HRH The Prince of Wales

Celebrating 20 yearspot as RCM President the s ad 8 arks o m ition R 13/06/2012 15:49 xhib ing E Explor

TreasuresRCM Upbeat Magazine beyond - June-Summer 2012.indd 2 Measure Explore the RCM collections The President’s Visit 2014 Photos © Chris Christodoulou © Chris Photos

HRH The Prince of Wales honoured Honorary Membership of the His Royal Highness also presented awards a number of outstanding figures in Royal College of Music (HonRCM) to three of the RCM’s most exceptional international musical life on Wednesday was presented to six individuals in recent graduates: violinist Benjamin 14 May at the RCM’s Annual Awards recognition of their outstanding Baker – who received the Queen ceremony. contribution to music and to the RCM: Elizabeth The Queen Mother Rosebowl Tri-borough Music Hub manager Jean – and soprano Louise Alder and These included Andrew Lloyd Webber – Carter, philanthropist Linda Hill, Head pianist Poom Prommachart, who were the world’s best-known composer of of Estates at the RCM Matthew Nicholl, both awarded the Tagore Gold Medal. musical theatre – and internationally RCM Research Fellow in Performance They all also performed at the ceremony. acclaimed pianist , who Practice Ingrid Pearson, manager of both received their Honorary Doctorate. the RCM’s Woodhouse Professional The President’s Award was instituted Development Centre Diana Roberts and in 2013 by HRH The Prince of Wales in His Royal Highness, who is President of Chief Executive and Artistic Director of celebration of his 20th year as President the RCM, conferred Fellowship of the the London Philharmonic Orchestra Tim of the RCM to honour a student for Royal College of Music (FRCM) upon Walker. outstanding work in the community. nine outstanding figures in international This year it was presented to violinist Joo musical life: Russian pianist and RCM Andrew Lloyd Webber, who received Yeon Sir who has passionately shared her professor Dmitri Alexeev, conductor an Honorary Doctorate said: “I am musical gift with residents at St Wilfrid’s Martin André, violinist Nicola overwhelmed to receive this award from Care Home and others across the capital. Benedetti, former RCM Director of the Royal College of Music, an historic Programmes & Research Amanda British institution with close links to my Colin Lawson, Director of the RCM, Glauert, Artistic Director at the family.” said: “I am delighted that the Royal RCM Stephen Johns, Assistant Head College of Music continues to honour such of Keyboard and professor of piano said: “I am thrilled to illustrious and diverse musicians with our at the RCM Ian Jones, RCM vocal receive a Fellowship from the Royal College annual awards. HRH The Prince of Wales professors Patricia Rozario and Russell of Music, where so many highly esteemed continues to be a wonderful advocate for Smythe, and Rector of the Moscow and talented musicians have studied. It’s a the Royal College of Music and the musical Conservatory Alexander Sokolov. real privilege to be recognised in this way.” lives that we so carefully nurture. It is very special to be able to honour the most extraordinary and established musical figures alongside a new generation of ferociously talented RCM graduates.”

9 Changing the Guard

“We also found a set of medals and a couple of beautiful books belonging to the conductor Sir August Manns” added Gabriele. “He was a prominent conductor in the 19th century and was closely involved in the Crystal Palace concert series. The Library already has a volume of letters written to Manns by a number of composers and musicians so it was lovely to find these additional items. We’ve put them all on display in the Museum now.” Many of the paintings, which were previously stored at College Hall, have now been re-hung at the RCM. Gabriele commented that “Many members of staff have requested specific portraits – for example Ingrid Pearson [Research Fellow in Performance Practice] wanted one of the Italian baroque composer Giovanni Bononcini as she is working on a project about him. It shows the relationship with our paintings goes much deeper here than in most places of work. There’s a real interest in the musicians depicted.” Back in the Museum, Gabriele – who has Museum Curator Gabriele Rossi Rognoni, former Museum Curator Elizabeth Wells, Museum Administrator only been Curator since January – has Lydia Cracknell, Museum Volunteer and doctoral student Fiona Gibbs, Librarian Peter Linnitt, Museum Assistant many plans for the space. As we speak, a and doctoral student Erin McHugh sheet of flexi-glass is being put up on the mezzanine balustrade to make the upper level safe for children in preparation for The past few months have been a Over the past few months the Museum a new ‘Children’s Corner’. “We want the period of great change for the RCM and Library have been involved in a Museum to be full of noise!” explains Lydia major reorganisation. With the closure of collections. We’ve said farewell to Cracknell, the Museum Administrator. College Hall, the RCM’s Hall of Residence, “This new corner will not only feature long-standing members of staff and for redevelopment (see page 8), many exhibits specifically for children, but there hello to new members and a few items which were previously housed will also be various activities they can do, new instruments... there have been moved back to the and activity sheets they can take around RCM. All paper-based items (including with them. At the moment we have two programmes and books) are now stored exhibitions: the first one is called “Carnival Naming their favourite item from the in the Library, while all portraits and RCM’s collections proved difficult of Animals” and features a selection of instruments are looked after by the instruments – including Chinese dragon for Museum Curator Gabriele Rossi Museum. Rognoni and Librarian Peter Linnitt. bells and bird flutes – that either look “We’re really pleased the collections have or sound like animals. The second one, “It has to be the clavicytherium as it’s been brought together in this way”, said appropriately enough, focuses on small the most important instrument in the Peter. “Now if anyone wants to find out instruments and their sounds. The was Gabriele’s initial response collection” about anything, they can just get in touch renovation of this space has been made “…oh, but I do also love the Celestini with either the Museum or the Library.” possible by RCM Friend and museum Virginal!” For Peter, it was a choice volunteer Tania Chislett, and we’re very between Thomas Hardy’s portrait of Transporting all the items back to Prince grateful for her donation.” Haydn and the autograph manuscript of Consort Road was no mean feat and Mozart’s masterful Piano Concerto in took many days, while special wooden Another project to look forward to is a C minor. crates were constructed to carry collaboration with University College the most fragile objects. Among the London to develop an audio-visual It is a hard choice – the RCM’s collections treasures brought back was a box full of guide to the Museum. Funded by a grant form an astonishingly wide-ranging medals given to Ralph Vaughan Williams. from Arts Council England and Share and substantial resource relating to Academy, a tablet app will lead visitors “They were all music-related medals he the history of music. The impressive around the Museum on three possible had been given over his career. I’d read collection includes 25,000 prints paths, and will allow them to hear as well that his wife Ursula had given us these and photographs, 600,000 concert as see the instruments. Currently under medals but I’d never seen them before”, development with Dr Nicolas Gold of programmes from 1680 to the present said Peter. day, 340 original paintings and sculptures UCL, the app should be up and running and more than 1,000 instruments dating by September – details will appear in the from the late 15th century. next issue of Upbeat.

10 regarding their choice of edition. For Angela Escott Mackerras, she once had to source not only the correct edition of Mozart’s For nearly forty years, Angela Escott C minor Mass, but also the precise made an enormous contribution to markings from the Orchestra of the Age RCM life in a number of ways. of Enlightenment. Having studied piano and at Of the many hundreds of events she the RCM, she returned as Assistant contributed to, one has pride of place Librarian in 1973 and then completed in her memory: Berlioz’s at an English degree, externally, at the in celebration of In recent years Angela completed her London University. Soon afterwards the RCM’s centenary, directed by David PhD in English Literature and published she assumed the role of Orchestral Willcocks, in collaboration with the a book focusing on Hannah Cowley, a Librarian, a position which she held Bach Choir, and – most importantly of woman dramatist of the 18th century. until her retirement in 2013. Angela was all – with Angela’s violinist sister, Sarah Now that she has retired, Angela is proud to provide materials for RCM Whelan, leading the orchestra. performances with conductors such as looking forward to continuing her , , Lorin Beyond South Kensington, Angela research. Angela told Upbeat she Maazel, , Marin Alsop and represented the RCM internationally at just felt lucky to have been given the Sian Edwards. conferences in New Zealand, Canada, opportunity by the RCM to do so Australia, Russia and Scandinavia, often many different things. The RCM is just She particularly enjoyed corresponding delivering papers shedding light on the as lucky to have benefited from her with conductors such as Sir Roger RCM collections and on the life of an enormous expertise, and she will be Norrington and Sir orchestral librarian. missed.

Next door in the RCM Library, Peter is excited about the recent publication Paul Banks by Bärenreiter of the autograph score of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C minor After more than 15 years at the RCM, K 491 (see page 6). “We’re really thrilled Head of Special Collections Paul Banks about this publication. The preface has left to pursue his research into and introduction by RCM Director musical life in Vienna. Colin Lawson and Robert Levin are so interesting and show such an in-depth After joining the RCM as the knowledge of the score. It’s definitely the Research Development Fellow, most important publication that will he took on responsibility for the be published during my time here as RCM’s Department of Portraits and Librarian.” Performance History in 2004, devoting much of his energy to the organisation With these and other initiatives, more Paul’s interest in the history of the and documentation of these important RCM came in particularly useful when people than ever before are enjoying collections. the RCM’s unique collection of priceless the BBC programme Who Do You musical treasures. So next time you’re Between 2004 and 2007 he was Think You Are contacted the RCM at the RCM, why not pay a visit to the closely involved in the establishment about the Fox family. Paul featured Museum and Library, and discover them of a national database of concert on the programme as he explained for yourself? programmes, funded by the AHRC. to the actress Amelia Fox the role her Work on the database continues, great-great-grandfather, Samson Fox, with discussions about international played in the founding of the RCM – a donation of £45,000 which paid for For information about items in the collaboration; a new website will be launched later this year. the building of the iconic Blomfield RCM collections, please contact Building. either the Museum or the Library: Paul was also responsible for the RCM’s RCM Museum of Music contribution to the Public Catalogue One of his favourite discoveries was the Bradley Bulletins – hand written reports www.rcm.ac.uk/museum Foundation’s project to provide an by music-loving librarian Lionel Bradley • Instruments online catalogue of every original on the performances he attended or • Paintings, engravings and sculptures oil painting in a public collection in the UK. As a result, all of the RCM’s heard on the radio. This remarkable RCM Library paintings are available to view online collection of documents provides an www.rcm.ac.uk/library on the Your Paintings website at unusual insight into what ordinary • Manuscripts www..co.uk/arts/yourpaintings members of the audience made of • Printed music & books the classical music scene in mid 20th- • Programmes century London. We wish Paul all • Archives the best.

11 New arrivals

Museum Curator Gabriele Rossi Rognoni, Jane Wilson with the tenoroon and RCM Director Colin Lawson

When retired Bostonian bookseller RCM Museum of Music Curator Jane Wilson went online to order new Gabriele Rossi Rognoni explains Tenoroon by reeds she didn’t also expect to why he’s so excited about these new find two rare woodwind instruments. acquisitions: “Our collection is very strong Jean Nicolas Savary But having seen a tenoroon and a on so I’m keen to build on this from Paris, dated 1835 contrabassophon advertised on Jim’s strength and our international reputation Trading Post, an online store run by for woodwind instruments. We already professional bassoonist James Kopp, she have a beautiful Savary instrument in our couldn’t bear to let these rarities go to collection so I’m hoping to create a specific another buyer. And she knew the perfect display of his instruments in the museum. place for them – the RCM Museum of The maker of this instrument was Music. “These two instruments will form part known as the “Stradivari” of the of an exciting project over the next four bassoon and only eight Savary “It was a total fluke really. When I clicked years dedicated to studying how playing tenoroons are reported in the world. on the link and saw the instruments he early instruments affects their condition. It’s likely the tenoroon – similar to was advertising I was so excited as I knew Each European institution will be focusing a bassoon but in a higher register how rare they were”, Jane told Upbeat. on a different instrument family but as – would have been played in a “Initially I was very interested in the far as I’m concerned studying woodwind marching band as it is much lighter Savary tenoroon as I knew this was a very instruments is the most interesting field as than a bassoon and its sound is more sought-after make and didn’t pay too there is so little research in this area and piercing making it effective in the much attention to the contrabassophon. it’s also the most restrictive – you’ll hardly open air. But after writing to American organologist find a museum in the world that will let Albert Rice I took more interest as he you play old woodwind instruments.” thought it was even rarer than the tenoroon!” The idea that old woodwind instruments Contrabassophon by shouldn’t be played comes from research H J Haseneier from Jane first came across the Royal College done in the 1960s and 1970s when of Music through listening to CDs instruments inexplicably split after they Coblenz, ca 1850-80 recorded by period clarinettist and RCM were played. Gabriele explains: “Much of Director Colin Lawson. On a previous the problem came from recorders. One visit to London last November she visited famous Dutch recorder player declared the RCM to meet Professor Lawson and that he would stop playing old talk about his recordings. She also had instruments after he destroyed the 16th the opportunity to see the museum recorder in a museum collection. But we and kindly donated an Albert system are in a stronger place to scientifically clarinet. Colin Lawson commented: “It’s address this issue today and will make During the 19th century there were very kind of Jane to donate these exquisite sure the instruments are properly many experiments to develop a more instruments to the RCM. I hope they will preserved and survive.” powerful be a source of interest and inspiration for in the contra-bass register. In this The two instruments are on display in many students for years to come.” instrument, the maker widened the the RCM Museum of Music, which is bore and gave it large finger holes The instruments were previously owned open Tuesday to Friday from 11.30am to and keys to achieve a strong, loud by John Miller, principal bassoon in the 4.30pm. Find out more at sound. Minnesota Symphony since 1971. www.rcm.ac.uk/museum.

12 Reimagining the Museum

The RCM Museum of Music has been given a dramatic facelift, courtesy of celebrated artist Hugo Dalton. During the Easter vacation, Hugo and his team created a brand new artwork on the north and west walls of the museum. Museum Curator Gabriele explained how and why this came about: “The museum is such a wonderfully vibrant and active place! In addition to hosting the collections, we also host a huge number of concerts, workshops, rehearsals, outreach events. However the building didn’t reflect what we were, and what we wanted to be. I was introduced to Hugo by RCM Director Colin Lawson, and admired his wonderful painting in the Royal Albert Hall, so I talked to him about this problem and he said ‘well, why don’t we transform it completely?’ It’s really amazing that an artist would commit so much of his time, effort and enthusiasm to the institution.” In creating his artwork, Hugo was inspired by performances by RCM students, and in particular by a performance of Dario Castello’s Sonata Secunda for recorder and harpsichord. He described his working methods: “The idea was to try and convey the momentary and intangible experience of listening to music. The work represents the quest for a perfect note, thus some marks on the wall are refined and complete whilst others are in the process of emerging. Visitors I hope will get a strong visual feeling that the architecture and museum exhibits have been animated though the wall painting.” Not only did Hugo give his time and energy without any fee, but he also secured the support of Little Greene paints. As an environmentally and socially responsible company, Little Greene were only too happy to support the project, and kindly agreed to supply all of the paint free of charge. Gabriele is absolutely thrilled by the end result: “It gives you a sense of energy, of wanting to be here. You feel invigorated, and that is what you want to feel not only if you are a visitor, but also if you are a musician performing here.” To witness the artwork yourself, visit the RCM Museum of Music, open Tuesday to Friday 11.30am to 4.30pm.

13 Meeting the supporters...

Eventually I became more involved and We try to give money to organisations was elected onto the Court in 2000. And where it will make a real difference. For 13 years later here I am as Prime Warden. example, recently we gave a small I have quite an unusual background – amount of money for a mussel bed for a you don’t get many from the arts lock in Somerset. Lo and behold it made profession, most come from the city. its way to Farming Today at 5.45am on BBC Radio 4 with people thanking us for How did you first hear about the RCM? our support. While I was at RADA in the 1960s I shared a flat with a student at the Royal How often to do you see your current College of Music. His name was William scholars? York and he was a clarinettist from Kausikan and Natasha have actually just Scotland. We used to have parties full of been here today for our annual scholars’ actors and musicians in our flat – we had lunch. Natasha has also sung for us here such a good time! – and I used to come at the Hall and I heard Kausikan play a along quite frequently to the RCM. I kept beautiful Scarlatti piece a while ago. It in touch with Bill after our studies and he really means a lot to us to meet with our became a composer – he lived all over scholars and we’re hoping to build up a the place first in South Africa, then network of past scholars. It would be Amsterdam and ended up in Prague – lovely to have a concert here one day and but sadly he died a couple of years ago. invite many of them back to perform. The Fishmongers’ He was a little off-the-wall – he once wrote an opera on the common Why is it important to support students Company European sausage! So we had a great at the start of their career? time together and I’ve always been very There are so many talented young people One of the twelve great livery fond of the RCM and enjoyed visiting the around, but I do worry about their College. futures. Particularly with a background in companies of the City of London, theatre I know how hard it is, so I’m so and among the most ancient of the How do The Fishmongers support keen on anything we can do to support city guilds, The Fishmongers’ the RCM? them at the beginning of their career. I’m only too pleased that The Fishmongers Company has supported the Through The Fishmongers we give scholarships to three conservatoires and other Livery companies support fisheries industry for more than 700 including the RCM. We have a concert organisations like the RCM and help years. As well as upholding here at the Hall every January where the promote these young musicians. standards in the trade of fish and Prime Warden asks scholars to perform. Each year we ask a different conservatoire shellfish they also devote significant Welcome to new resources to supporting education and this year it was the Guildhall’s turn. But we asked our RCM scholars – pianist Friends and Supporters and charitable causes, including Kausikan Rajeshkumar and soprano two scholarships at the Royal Natasha Day – to come along to another We are delighted to welcome the College of Music. Upbeat talks to dinner, as we were so impressed with following people who have recently them when we heard them sing and play. made their first donation to the RCM Prime Warden Andrew Morgan at I hope they enjoyed it and found it a Ms Carol Baker their grand headquarters on the good opportunity. Mrs Rachel Brooks banks of the River Thames. We’ve supported students from the RCM Mrs Deanna Brostoff Mrs Barbarina Digby-Jones How did you become the Prime Warden as far back as the 1970s, and we started of The Fishmongers’ Company? to sponsor scholarships from 1976. Back Mrs Ursula Gibbons My family have been Fishmongers since then we gave £150 a year – that wouldn’t Ms Anne Gill the 1730s. They had a fish shop near the go very far today! Mr Kenneth Goodwin old Billingsgate market and used to Ms Jo Hamlyn import dried fish from the Far East and What other areas do The Fishmongers Mrs Caroline Jackson so it’s been going down through the support? Mrs Virginia Luce family since then. My grandfather Ben We have two committees which are Ms Elizabeth Lydekker Travers was the Prime Warden here just responsible for giving money to various Mr Sasa Mandic after the war and we had a very close organisations. One is the Fish and Mr John Mcvittie relationship when I was growing up. Fisheries committee and the other is our Mrs Emmy Nash Education and Grants committee which Mr Christopher Pease My grandfather was not only Prime gives money to various educational Mr Francis Roos Warden but also a playwright, and I establishments, including the RCM, and Mr David Shreeve actually studied at RADA and became an local charities. We try to balance our Ms Jane Thompson actor for a few years before working for giving so 50% goes to fish charities and Mr Anthony Thornton the BBC. I came here for the occasional 50% to other causes. We like to keep a Mr Keith Tranmer dinner and became a Liveryman in 1965. wide range of interests going.

14 Supporting the future of music...

Music has the power to transform lives. Sir Peter and Lady Walters Mrs Lorraine Buckland Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Edward Brooks FRCM Lillemor Gardener generations of gifted students from around Sir Gordon Palmer Scholarship Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM and Lady Cleaver the world have been guided and inspired at Douglas and Kyra Downie Anonymous the RCM. We would like to thank in particular Mark Loveday Scholarship Mary Godwin those who have made donations of £1,000 or Knights of the Round Table Carol J. Hagh more in the last 12 months. Gifts are listed in Arthur Wilson Trombone Award Ms Greta Hemus descending order. Else and Leonard Cross Charitable Trust John and Sue Heywood Award Mrs R Rothbarth Supporters of named scholarships, bursaries Midori Nishiura Scholarship Barbara Simmonds and Junior Fellowships Bell Percussion Betty Sutherland Estate of Dr Neville Wathen Kirby Laing Foundation Dr Yvonne Winkler Estate of Fiona Searle Peter Granger Mr Victor and Mrs Lilian Hochhauser ABRSM Paul Booth Sir Peter and Lady Gershon Leverhulme Trust The Donald Paterson Award Sir David Lees Soirée d’Or Scholarships The Nicholas Hunka Fund

The John and Marjorie Coultate Scholarship The Bliss Trust Corporate Partners Royal Garden Hotel Estate of Roselyn Ann Clifton Parker Norman Reintamm The Richard Carne Charitable Trust Hatch Mansfield Laurie Barry and the John Barry Scholarship Supporters of RCM Sparks Little Greene J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust for Film Composition Other generous donors Estate of Dr John Birch FRCM John Lyon’s Charity Universal Music Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation+ The Wolfson Foundation Mr Paul Brewer H R Taylor Trust John Lewis Partnership The Stanley Foundation Bouygues UK H F Awards Mayor of London’s Fund for Young Musicians Bob and Sarah Wigley Andrew and Karen Sunnucks Anonymous The Henry Wood Trust John Lewis Partnership Scholarships The Oldhurst Trust The Robert Fleming Hannay Memorial Charity The Tsukanov Family Foundation Angus Allnatt Charitable Foundation The Amaryllis Fleming Foundation Richard and Rosemary Millar Karen Cook The Worshipful Company of Musicians Members of the RCM Chairman’s Circle The Hon Richard Lyttelton Hester Laverne Award Philip Carne HonRCM and Christine Carne* The Seary Charitable Trust Charles Napper Award Michael and Ruth West* St Marylebone Educational Foundation Lydia Napper Award Linda and Tony Hill John Hosier Music Trust The Michael Bishop Foundation John and Catherine Armitage* Roland Rudd The Big Give Trust Dr Leonard Polonsky and Dr Georgette Bennett* The Sharp Foundation The Reed Foundation Jane Barker* Centrica plc Croucher Hong Kong Charitable Trust Sir Roger and Lady Carr HonRCM* Daniel Chapchal The Hon Ros Kelly Karina Choudhrie+* The Rothermere Foundation Opperby Stokowski Collection Trust Guy Dawson and Sam Horscroft+ Geoffrey Richards HonRCM The Lee Abbey Award Gisela Gledhill* Dasha Shenkman HonRCM Stephen Catto Memorial Scholarship James and Clare Kirkman* The Leche Trust The Worshipful Company of Drapers Dr Mark Levesley and Christina Hoseason* Mark Messenger FRCM The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers John Nickson and Simon Rew* Ann Driver Trust The Estate of Mr Charles Knoll Emma Rose (deceased 12 November 2013) Fidelio Trust Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust and Quentin Williams* Mr Douglas Flint Ian Stoutzker CBE FRCM Victoria Sharp* Serena Fenwick Ian and Meriel Tegner Alethea Siow and Jeremy Furniss* Anonymous The Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation Members of the RCM Director’s Circle Dr Franz Humer The Foundation UK Sir Peter and Lady Middleton FRCM Mark Wood Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Junior Fellowship Judy and Terence Mowschenson Paul Wayne Gregory Phoebe Benham Junior Fellowship Vivien McLean Webster and Davidson Mortification The Mills Williams Foundation Tania Chislett for the Blind The Dasha Shenkman Scholarship Charles and Kaaren Hale Sir David Cooksey The Derek Butler Trust The Vernon Ellis Foundation The Derek Hill Foundation Monica and Guy Black Scholarship Terry Hitchcock Professor Colin Lawson FRCM The Boltini Trust Scholarship Metherell Family Janis Susskind HonRCM The Charles Peel Charitable Trust Richard and Sue Price Blair Wilson Award The Ackroyd Trust Peter and Dimity Spiller Moira D Witty The Richard Toeman/Weinberger Opera Joanna Kaye + David D Sieff Scholarship Louisa Treger Irisa Frankle The Wyseliot Charitable Trust Sir Sydney and Lady Lipworth Edward Mandel/Jacques Samuel Bursary The Wall Trust Sir Robert and Lady Wilson Michael Steen OBE HonRCM The Stanley Picker Scholarship Members of the RCM Patrons’ Circle The Nicholas Branston Foundation Professor Lord Winston John Ward Mrs Terry Collins-Tveter Lark Insurance Scholarship Russell Race * Helena Morrissey Steinway & Sons Jane Wilson Nicola Jones The Gary & Eleanor Brass Scholarship Mrs Piffa Schroder Richard Davey The Estate of Betty Brenner Ellen Moloney Friends of the National Libraries The Robin Ritzema Scholarship (Lady Harrison) Rhoddy Voremberg Brian and Hana Smouha Richard and Debbie Ward Dimity and Kerry Rubie David Laing Foundation Scholarship Mr and Mrs Charles Robinson * also support a named award The Greenbank Scholarship Mrs Victoria Moore-Gillon + also support RCM Sparks Independent Opera Artist Scholarship David and Sue Lewis For more information about supporting the South Square Trust Mrs Isla Baring RCM, visit www.rcm.ac.uk/supportus The Tait Trust Scholarship Halina and John Bennett Alternatively, contact Joanne Hodson on The Radcliffe Trust Lorna and Christopher Bown 020 7591 4861 or [email protected]

15 Student notes notes String successes Vocal achievements Keyboard Cellist Jamal Aliyev has been awarded Junior Department singer Meg Griffiths accomplishments the 2014 Muriel Taylor Scholarship, has been selected to join Genesis Sixteen, a prize set up in memory of Muriel the young artists’ scheme run by The Dinara Klinton and Pavel Taylor by Yehudi Menuhin and Maurice Sixteen which aims to nurture the Kolesnikov have been awarded 2014 Gendron among others. next generation of talented ensemble Yamaha Scholarship awards. Dinara singers… Peter Kirk has been Klinton has also won the Concerto invited to join the Opera National Prize and the opportunity to perform du Rhin’s prestigious Young Artist Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no 5 with Programme in Strasbourg for the the Milton Keynes City Orchestra… 2014/2015 season… Soprano Soraya Pianist Alexander Krichel has given a Mafi has won the 2013 Maggie Teyte sold-out recital in Tokyo. Following the Competition and a Licette Award. concert he was signed by the Japanese agency Pacific Concert Management for local representation… Pianist Samon Tsoy, an award-winner of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, has performed a programme of Beethoven, Schumann and Mussorgsky at the Purcell Room… Pianist Hin Yat Tsang has been awarded the Gold Medal and First Prize at the Chopin International Piano Competition Jamal Aliyev in Tokyo.

Violinist Olivia Scheepers has won the Brighton & Hove Springboard Festival Anna Rajah Concerto Competition. Her prize includes a concerto performance with the Brighton Youth Orchestra next year… Soprano Anna Rajah has been awarded Violinist Joo Yeon Sir has been selected a Help Musicians UK Licette Scholarship. for the 2014 Making Music Award for She has also been awarded a place at the Young Concert Artists, supported by Bayerische Staatsoper Opera Studio from Philip & Dorothy Green… Guitarist Laura September 2014… Tenor Gyula Rab has Snowden has won First Prize in the been selected to sing the role of Louis in Worshipful Company of Musicians Ivor Angels in America by Péter Eötvös at the Mairants Guitar Competition 2014. opening night of the World Music Days She received a cash prize, a Manuel Festival 2014 in Poland in October… Rodriguez guitar, the complete Rodrigo Soprano Marie Jaermann has been guitar works, and recital opportunities awarded a place on the Dutch National with leading UK guitar societies… Opera Academy. She has also been ‘Mainly Two’, comprising violinist Marie selected to take part in the Georg Solti Schreer and alumnus John Garner, has Accademia in July 2014 where she will performed at the Norfolk House Music give two performances in Castiglione Room at the V&A and at Zaha Hadid’s della Pescaia in Italy and a concert at the architecture gallery. Verbier Festival in Switzerland. Hin Yat Tsang Composition congratulations Steven Daverson has received the prestigious Staubach Honoraria from the Darmstadt Summer Course. He has been commissioned to write a piece for Ensemble Decoder, based in , and their unusual set up of female voice, clarinet, cello, percussion, keyboards, electric zither and live electronics, which will be performed at the course in Mainly Two Marie Jaermann August.

16 Works by Nicholas Moroz, Joanne Sy and Dani Howard, specially composed Spotlight on… for the Royal Academy of Art’s Sensing Spaces exhibition, have been played by Nick Luscombe on BBC Radio 3’s … New works by Michael Taplin and Nicholas Moroz have been performed by the Britten-Pears Ensemble at Aldburgh… A new work by Benjamin Woodgates has been performed by the John Armitage Trust at St Bride’s Fleet Street. Woodwind triumphs Raquel García-Tomás Isobel Clarke, Elspeth Robertson, alumna Mary-Jannet Leith and Raquel García-Tomás’ opera Go, Janet Forbes have completed a highly Æneas, Go has been premiered at the successful tour of Scotland with RCM baritone Morgan Pearse has Russisches Haus and Neuköllner Oper their recorder quartet Audite Nova. been selected as a member of the in Berlin. She has also been selected as The ensemble performed at venues 2014–15 Houston Grand Opera Guest Composer at the Dresden Music in Aberdeen, Perth, St Andrews Studio (HGO) programme. Festivals’ project Bohème 2020 – an and Edinburgh with three different initiative to bring together artists from programmes. The Australian baritone is one of a variety of countries and disciplines to just six new artists to be awarded present their work and connect with positions in the Houston Grand industry professionals… Lillie Harris’ Doctoral successes Opera Studio for the 2014–15 season vocal piece Qinah has been shortlisted out of 552 performers that applied for the National Centre of Early Music Doctoral student David Kirby has been from all over the world. Composers’ Competition Final… Adam invited by Professor DiLutis to give Kornas’ string quintet Paradise Regained a lecture at Baton Rouge University, HGO Studio Director Laura Canning has been performed at the Salzburg Louisianna in August. Part of an commented “These extraordinary Festival… Johannes international conference, his talk is individuals will make major provisionally titled Marmen’s Waiting for violin and piano, The Genesis of the contributions to the musical life of . commissioned by Hugo Ticciati, has Clarinet Sonata Houston and to the field of opera as a whole”. been released on a CD entitled Sonic Ballo Baroque, directed by doctoral Philosophy: Colour and Affect by Orchard student Randall Scotting, has presented Morgan is the RCM’s inaugural Classics. the modern-day premiere of an oratorio Dame Scholar, by Caldara. The little-known Italian studying with Simon Lepper and composer’s work Le Gelosie is based Russell Smythe. This outstanding on the historical account of Abraham, achievement comes not long after his Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael. The ensemble success in last year’s prestigious Royal featured a number of RCM musicians Over-Seas League Competition, in including Tai Oney. which he won the Gold Medal. Randall has also sung the title role in Handel’s Orlando at the Theatre Royal in One of the most respected and Hobart, Australia. highly competitive young artist programmes in the world, the HGO Studio provides comprehensive career development during a residency of up to three years for young artists who have demonstrated potential to make major contributions to the field of opera. Founded in 1977, the Studio Lisa Illean has been awarded a New was established to help young artists Work Grant from the Australia Council make the transition from their for the Arts. The grant will support academic training to careers in opera, the creation of a new chamber work in with Studio artists being often cast in collaboration with Australian flautist major and supporting roles in main- Laila Engle and guitarist Ken Murray, for Randall Scotting stage HGO productions. premiere in late 2014. Photography © Hastie Photo

17 Staff notes

Professor of Advanced Piano Dmitri Professor Ashley Solomon and RCM Alexeev has performed at Le Petit Ensemble in Association Florilegium Trianon Theatre in San Jose, USA, as have released a CD of music by François part of the Steinway Society Bay Area Couperin and Jean-Fery Rebel on the concert series. His programme included Channel Classics label. The ensemble a selection of Mazurkas by Chopin, has performed widely across the UK, Schumann’s Sonata no 1 op 11 and Liszt’s including at St David’s Hall, Die Loreley. and Kings Place, as well as further afield at the Philharmonie in Berlin. They have The world premiere ofKenneth also continued their collaboration with Hesketh’s work for string quartet The Bach Choir and David Hill in their Sisyphus’ Punishment (commissioned by annual performance of Bach’s St Matthew the Britten-Pears Foundation and given Passion at the Royal Festival Hall. by the Haba Quartet) and a performance of his orchestral work Knotted Tongues Guitar professor Carlos Bonell has (performed by the Shenzhen Symphony Peter Stark performed at the Isle of Jersey’s Orchestra), have been given at the 2014 Liberation Arts Festival. His programme Beijing Modern Music Festival in China. included music by Russian masters professor Peter Stark has Koshkin, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and been appointed Rehearsal Director for Vassiliev. the European Union Youth Orchestra. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing Cello professor has all aspects of the orchestra’s rehearsal performed Elgar’s Cello Concerto at period and is deeply involved in the St David’s Hall in Cardiff. Accompanied audition process, making visits to many by the Philharmonia Orchestra and of the 28 member states. conducted by Edward Gardner, the programme also featured Elgar’s Director of Opera and ETO Music Symphony no 1 and Wagner’s Director Michael Rosewell attended the Rienzi overture. 2014 Olivier Awards ceremony to accept the award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. The award was given to English Touring Opera for its ‘brave and challenging’ spring productions of two operas by RCM alumni: ’s Kenneth Hesketh King Priam and ’s Paul Bunyan. Michael accepted the award with ETO General Director James Vocal professor Janis Kelly has sung Conway. the role of Mrs Julien in Britten’s opera Owen Wingrave. This new production at the by Neil Bartlett featured David Matthews’ chamber version of the score, conducted by Mark Wigglesworth. Piano professor Ian Jones has given a number of recitals and masterclasses in the USA. He performed a programme of Chopin and Schumann in various Michael Rosewell concert series, including the Steinway Piano Series in Tampa, and gave classes at several institutions including Vocal professor Justin Lavender has , University of been appointed Artistic Director Natalie Clein South Florida and the Chicago College of and Principal Conductor of Opera at Ahlburg © Sussie Photo Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Bearwood in Berkshire. Since taking on the role, Justin has conducted Bizet’s Piano professor Ashley Wass has Professors Norbert Meyn and Terence and Offenbach’s Orpheus performed with violinist Matthew Charlston have recorded a CD of works in the Underworld. He is currently Trusler at the Isle of Arts Festival on by C P E Bach. Released by Toccata rehearsing Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet the Isle of Wight. Commemorating Classics to commemorate the 300th for performances in July. The production the centenary of the First World War, anniversary of the composer’s birth, features many RCM singers including the concert included sonatas by Elgar, C P E Bach: Spiritual Songs features Rachel Bowden, Craig Jackson, Oscar Janáček and Debussy as well as readings religious songs that have never been Castellano, William Wallace Morgan, from Wilfred Owens’ letters and poems recorded with their complete texts. Ben Smith and Katie Coventry. by actor Timothy West.

18 Dr Katy Hamilton and Dr Natasha Loges have attended the 18th Biennial Spotlight on… International Conference on 19th- Century Music in Toronto, where they took part in a panel session on the evolution of public German song performance in the late 19th century. Katy is also attending the annual conference of the International Association of Music Librarians in Antwerp in July, where she will present a paper about a series of entertainment concerts held for veteran soldiers at Wigmore Hall after the First World War. Piano professor Sofya Gulyak has performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto Academic professor Jonathan Pitkin, no 1 at Town Hall, accompanied assisted by Performance Science students by the Hallé Orchestra and conducted Sogol Shirazi and George Waddell, by Sir Mark Elder. She has also released a has given a presentation on the theme CD on Champs Hill Records of works by of misbehaving instruments at a ‘Lates Russian masters Medtner, Rachmaninov with Mastercard’ event at the Science and Prokofiev. Museum. His talk focused on a digital piano, which visitors were invited to try Research professor Richard out, only to find out it had its own ideas Langham Smith has published two about the music it wanted to play. new publications on Bizet’s opera Carmen. Horn professor Roger Montgomery has released a recording of Mozart’s Horn A vocal score of his new edition Concertos with the Orchestra of the of the work, styled a ‘Performance Age of Enlightenment. As well as lesser- Urtext’, was published at the end of known gems of Mozart’s horn repertoire, last year and is available from Peters the CD features the popular fourth Edition (EP7548a) and music shops. Concerto (K 495) with its unforgettable Based on the first Opéra-Comique hunting call and brilliant dialogue performances, and including much between the horn and orchestra. new material from the staging books and a new scene mocking an English traveller in Spain, it has French and English texts and an illustrated preface aimed at performers. Previously only on hire, it has RCM Research Fellow in Composition already been used worldwide, most Mark-Anthony Turnage’s orchestral notably by Sir ’s magnum opus Speranza has been period-instrument Orchestre performed in Stockholm, following Révolutionnaire et Romantique for a performances in London and Boston run at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. and a CD release on LSO Live. The four- movement work grew from reflections Carmen is also the latest addition on the post-Holocaust poetry of Paul to the new Overture Opera Guides, Celan, and the music is coloured by produced in association with ENO lamenting melodies – Palestinian, Jewish by Alma Publishing. Given a five-star and Israeli – supplemented by the use rating in the March 2014 BBC Music of the Armenian and Eastern Magazine, it includes a complete European cimbalom. original libretto and a literal Harpsichord professor Robert Woolley translation and articles by Richard, as Junior Department piano teacher has made video and audio recordings well as other essays. Alma Publishing Yekaterina Lebedeva has set up a new at Kew Palace of a harpsichord are offering a special discount to the summer school for and singers. commissioned in 1740 by Frederick RCM on this volume (£9 instead of Musical Odyssey runs from 22 to 29 July Prince of Wales from Burkat Shudi, £12) as well as all the other books in in Nafplio, Greece. For further details which is featured in an exhibition on the series, which currently amount please visit www.musical-odyssey.com the Georgians at Buckingham Palace. to 13 Opera Guides. For details see or email Yekaterina at The recordings were also featured in an www.almaclassics.com/overture. [email protected] interview with Sean Rafferty on BBC To order any of these either enter the Scholarships are available. Radio 3’s In Tune. code ‘RCM’ on the website or phone 0208 948 9550 quoting the code.

19 Alumni notes

Guitarist Steven Joseph has won the Countertenor Tim Mead has performed Westbourne Symphony Orchestra with baroque ensemble La Nuova Concerto Competition. His prize includes Musica at the London Handel Festival the opportunity to perform Rodrigo’s at St George’s, Hanover Square. The Concierto de Aranjuez with the orchestra programme showcased the virtuosic as part of their summer season. piece Salve Regina by Porpora and some of Handel’s greatest arias. Soprano Louise Alder has performed at Wigmore Hall as part of the Park Lane Group Young Artists season. Her programme featured songs by early 20th-century composers including Britten’s “Nocturne” from On this Island and Strauss’ “Der Stern”. Anna Meredith Composer Charlotte Bray has participated in a new scheme conceived Three tracks by composerAnna by Music-in-the-Round which offers Meredith have been used in Prada’s audiences the chance to buy individual spring advertising campaign. The video is bars of her new piece. The three- available to watch on the fashion label’s movement work written for Ensemble website at bit.ly/1kvZu52 360, is entitled Shadow Games and lasts approximately 15 minutes. Steven Joseph Liz Armour has joined Clowns Without Borders, a humanitarian organisation in Flautist Emilía Rós Sigfúsdóttir has South Africa which aims to promote the released her debut album Portrait. Composer Simon Coleman’s music psychosocial wellbeing of children. Over Nominated as Album of the Year at has featured in a new series of Ade a period of three weeks, Liz performed the Iceland Music Awards 2013, the at Sea on ITV. The six-part show in 30 different schools on the trumpet recording features works by Schubert, followed comedian and presenter Ade and tenor horn, as well as the melodica Sancan, Fauré, Sveinsson, Younis and Edmondson as he set sail to explore and ukelele. Find out more about the Jolivet. Portrait is available to buy Britain’s maritime past and discover how organisation at www.cwbsa.org through CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon. it continues to influence the lives of the people who depend on the sea today. Flautist Anna Stokes and her duo partner Lisa Friend have released a CD of flute music.Luminance – Solo & Duo Works for Flute and Piano features mainly French repertoire, including works by Saint-Saëns and Fauré. The album also includes an arrangement of Piazzolla’s Oblivion and pieces by Carl Joachim Andersen, a 19th-century Danish flute virtuoso. Liz Armour

Paul Handley and Odele Prince have reunited and are teaching piano at Music Muswell Ltd, Paul’s family-owned music shop in Muswell Hill. He is happy to offer a discount to RCM alumni and students who mention this article. You Emilía Rós Sigfúsdóttir can contact Paul on 0208 444 9884 or at www.musicmuswell.com Tenor Austin Gunn has made his Louisa Treger’s debut novel will be Scottish Opera cover debut as Don published later this year. The Lodger is the Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. He has first biographical novel about Dorothy also sung solo roles in Verdi’s Requiem at Richardson: lover of HG Wells, peer of Alexandra Palace, Bach’s St John Passion Virginia Woolf, and pioneer of the new at Bury St Edmunds Cathedral and style of fiction that became known as Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius at Dunblane ‘stream of consciousness’. Cathedral.

20 Pianist Stefan Stroissnig has released a recording of Beethoven’s Piano Spotlight on… The opera’s innovative cinematic Concerto nos 2 and 4 with the Vienna backdrop, involving specially- Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted filmed and original archival footage, by Heinrich Schiff. Recorded on the immerses the audience in the Gramola label, the album is available nightmarish world of a naval officer, from Presto Classical. marooned on a lonely islet in the Atlantic, who is forced to relive events from his ruthlessly selfish past. The production features many RCM alumni, including starring roles for Colette Boushell (Mary Lovell) and Philip Shakesby (Christopher Martin), while violinist Rowan Bell leads the orchestra. The first night also features a talk by renowned public intellectual Roger Scruton. Composer Oliver Rudland’s new Tickets are now on sale from the opera, Pincher Martin, based on the RCM Box Office atwww.rcm.ac.uk/ novel by William Golding, receives its boxoffice. For more information world premiere in the RCM’s Britten about the production please visit Theatre from 24–26 July. www.pinchermartinopera.com

Pianist Melanie Spanswick’s new book So You Want To Play The Piano? has been The Brook Street Band, directed by cellist published by Indepenpress. She has also Tatty Theo, returns to Wigmore Hall conducted a series of interviews with with soprano Nicki Kennedy on Sunday eminent classical pianists, including 20 July with Triumph Over Tragedy, a RCM professors Vanessa Latarche, programme of virtuosic baroque works Ashley Wass and Ruth Nye, which by Bach, Handel and Telemann. The Band are available to watch on her website will also be joined by natural trumpet melaniespanswick.com player Simon Desbruslais and violist The Brook Street Band John Crockatt. Violist Isabel Villanueva has Soprano Katherine Crompton has been performed at the closing concert of the offered a place at the National Opera MustonenFest at the Estonia Concert Studio for 2014/15. She was selected Hall in Tallinn. Isabel played Neharót, from hundreds of applicants, and made Neharót by the Israeli composer Betty it through three rounds of auditions to Olivero. be chosen for the prestigious placement. For the final audition she sang three Pianist Alan Chu has performed arias in front of a large panel made up Gershwin’s with the of representatives from English National Hong Kong Wind Symphony under Opera, Glyndebourne, Opera North, the the baton of Maestro Lee. Alan is , Scottish Opera and currently Principal Keyboard of the Hong . Kong Sinfonietta. Pianists Dominic Anthony Ferris and Ronald Leith has been honoured by Elwin Hendrijanto – aka “The Piano His Holiness, Pope Francis, for his 40 Brothers” – gave their official London years’ service in the R C Diocese of launch at Kings Place. They performed an Aberdeen as Organist and Director of eclectic programme featuring Bernstein’s Music of St Mary’s R C Cathedral, and as The Piano Brothers Symphonic Dances from West Side Story accompanist to the R C Diocesan Choir. along with fiery arrangements of modern He was presented with the Pro Ecclesia classics from Adele to Muse. et Pontifice Cross or ‘Cross of Honour’ Pianist Nicholas McCarthy has been by Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen on announced as a new BBC Proms The London Firebird Orchestra, founded behalf of His Holiness. presenter for BBC Four television. by pianist Marc Corbett-Weaver, has Nicholas joins established television performed at the Royal Festival Hall with Soprano Ruby Hughes has been awarded presenters Katie Derham, , conductor and comedian Rainer Hersch. a 2014 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award. , Petroc Trelawny and Samira The performance featured many RCM Former winners include RCM alumni Ahmed to guide viewers through a students and alumni including Oompah , and selection of televised concerts. Brass and baritone James Oldfield. Alina Ibragmiova.

21 Obituaries and births

RCM alumnus Antony Hopkins has Liedtke to Lidka to make it sound ‘more the Leeds Piano Competition, which died. A conductor, pianist and composer, Czech’. Throughout her performing has since provided a platform for many he was best known for presenting career Maria championed new music, pianists including Murray Perahia, Dmitri the weekly BBC Radio 3 programme performing regularly at Myra Hess’ Alexeev, and András Talking about Music for more than 36 lunchtime concerts at the National Schiff. Her marriage to Lord Harewood years. Born in north London, he was Gallery, often with Benjamin Britten. unravelled between the first and second adopted by Major Tom Hopkins, a Two of her most notable performances competition, resulting in a divorce in housemaster at Berkhamsted School, were the premiere of Tippett’s Fantasia 1967. She later went on to marry Jeremy and his wife Lillian, following the death Concertante on a Theme of Corelli, Thorpe, leader of the Liberal party, in of his father when he was four. After conducted by the composer, at the 1973. In 1986, Marion Thorpe sat on the Berkhamsted, he studied at the RCM Edinburgh Festival in 1953 and the RCM’s Centenary Appeal Committee, from 1930–1942, where he won the premiere of Fricker’s first Violin Concerto, raising significant funds to build the Chappell Gold Medal and Cobbet Prize which was composed for her. She was a Britten Theatre. She also attended the for composition. Encouraged by Tippett, much sought-after violin professor at the anniversary gala dinner in 2011. She he composed prolifically for the theatre, RCM from 1968–1985. maintained a strong interest in the RCM radio drama and film, but by the 1960s all her life, and was awarded an HonRCM was concentrating on lecturing, writing Organist and director of music at by our President HRH The Prince of and broadcasting. Beside his popular Beverley Minster for 42 years, Dr Alan Wales in 2005. She was awarded the CBE radio shows, he also became known Spedding, has died aged 70. Alan was in 2008 for services to music. for his books of musical analysis, which born in Wimbledon and educated at included Talking about Symphonies. Rutlish School in South London, before As Upbeat went to press we were sorry He remained in contact with the RCM training at the RCM where his studies to learn of the death of former chairman throughout his life, and kindly gave a included cello and organ, the latter of Glyndebourne opera house and large collection of music to the Library in with professor John Birch. As a choral festival Sir George Christie (FRCM), 2010. He was awarded Fellowship of the conductor, organist and teacher he was former principal bassoon of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra RCM in 1964 and was appointed CBE in inspirational and worked long and hard Brian Pollard (FRCM), and former secretary to the 1976 for services to music. to combine excellence with enterprise. As music master at Beverley Grammar RCM International Opera School Nidia Accompanist, repetiteur and orchestral School, a teacher in Hull, and in his long Clarke (HonRCM). pianist Barbara Henvest has died. She and devoted work at the Minster, he was studied piano at the RCM, gaining an an inspiring trainer of young musicians. ARCM in Piano Teaching and LRAM in He participated in many radio and Births Piano Accompaniment. She taught at television broadcasts and in 1979 took Research Fellow in Performance Science Bryanston School, Brockenhurst Sixth the Minster choir to sing at the Festival Rosie Perkins and her husband Dan are Form College, Twynham Comprehensive of Remembrance at the Royal Albert delighted to announce the birth of their and Durlston Court. In more recent Hall. Alan was a devoted supporter of son Benedict Pip Perkins on 20 January years, she worked as an accompanist the work of major musical organisations, 2014, weighing 8lbs 2oz. at Brockenhurst and Alton Sixth Form most notably the Royal College of Colleges, assisting students with their Organists, the Royal School of Church performance. Barbara also held the post Music, ABRSM, and the Incorporated of principal keyboard player with the Association of Organists for whom he Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from was associate editor of the Organists’ 1978. She worked with the Palm Court Review. Theatre Orchestra, the Grange Choral Society and accompanied many recitals Pianist and joint founder of the Leeds (including those by José Carreras). Piano Competition Marion Thorpe has Barbara recently took up the trombone died. Born in Vienna in 1926, her father, and was a member of New Forest Big Erwin Stein, was a pupil of Schoenberg Band, Lymington Town Band, New Forest and became a distinguished music Brass Band, Marchwood Orchestra, editor. Her childhood was immersed Meridian Winds and Winchester in music; Mahler was an acquaintance Symphony Orchestra. of her father, as was Alban Berg. Her father took a post at Boosey & Hawkes Violinist and former RCM professor in London and Marion studied at the Maria Lidka has died aged 99. She was RCM from 1944–1945, studying piano a notable figure in British musical life with Kendall Taylor and composition and gave numerous performances of with Herbert Howells. She went on to new works. Maria followed her teacher, play the piano professionally, forming Max Rostal, to London from Germany a duo with Catherine Shanks. In 1949 in 1934 to escape the Nazi regime. In Marion married George Lascelles, the 1941 she was chosen to replace Marie 7th Lord Harewood, and moved to Hlounova in the Czech Trio, along Harewood House, where she had three with Walter Susskind and Karel Hritz, children. In 1961, where she changed her name from enlisted the help of Marion to set up Benedict Pip Perkins

22

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