A NEW LOOK NEW YEAR, A A DAY IN THE LIFE… RCM MUSEUM DIGITISING THE ISSUE IN THIS MUSIC COLLEGE OF ROYALINSIDE THE NEWS FROM 2016 SPRING

UPBEAT

HIGHLIGHTS SPARKLING DIE FLEDERMAUS

‘From the moment the ’s orchestra struck up the opening notes of the overture, supple and brisk with a quicksilver scurry of strings, there was cause for optimism.’  The Guardian

Photos: Chris Christodoulou

2 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 CONTENTS WELCOME 4 NEWS The latest news and activities from TO UPBEAT the Royal College of Music 10 I am delighted to welcome you to our new look Upbeat Digitising the magazine. I hope you like the fresh and modern design. Royal College of Music Museum Discover how the RCM Museum Our new visual identity pays homage to our long-standing became the first conservatoire on Google Cultural Institute history while recognising that the Royal College of Music is a dynamic environment for young musicians. No better is this encapsulated than in our new logo, which you can see on the front cover of the magazine. You can read more about the process to refresh our brand 12 A Day in the Life on page 4. Head of ICT Mark Soole describes a typical day for the team All of your favourite sections remain in the magazine. You can read about recent RCM activities in our News section starting on page 4, and find out about recent student, staff and alumni successes in our Updates section 14 (pages 16–21). SUPPORT US Each issue of Upbeat will also contain feature articles where you can read about aspects of RCM life in more detail. This term we find out about the digitisation of the museum collections and the exciting news that we are the 16 STUDENT UPDATES first conservatoire to be part of Google Cultural Institute. We also hear from Head of ICT Mark Soole, who describes a typical day in the life of this invaluable department. 18 We would love to hear your thoughts on the new look magazine, so please STAFF UPDATES do get in touch at [email protected]. And don’t forget to tell us about your recent projects and achievements; the deadline for submissions to the summer issue of Upbeat is Monday 11 April. 20 ALUMNI UPDATES 22 IN MEMORY Professor Colin Lawson, Director

UPBEAT ONLINE Upbeat is available to read online at www.rcm.ac.uk/upbeat. Please help us to reduce our carbon footprint and receive Upbeat by email.

Director of Communications Talia Hull Editor Jacquelyn Williams Designer May Yan Man Design www.splashofpaint.com Contact [email protected] UPBEAT SPRING 2016 3 NEWS IN THE NEWS

RCM LAUNCHES PLANNING NEW VISUAL IDENTITY PERMISSION SECURED

he Royal College of Music is delighted to lanning permission has been granted for the Tannounce the launch of a new visual identity. P Royal College of Music’s transformational Opposite development of the Blomfield Building. This will Dame Evelyn Glennie The new logo and visual identity will be introduced enable the RCM to deliver its vision for the highest- and Head of Percussion into all of the RCM’s print publications and digital David Hockings quality learning environment and remain one of the communications over the coming months. You Photo: Chris world leaders in music education. Christodoulou can already see them in action in this edition of Upbeat, on our new responsive website and on Renowned architect John Simpson has reimagined Below our social media platforms. The Students’ Union the RCM site and the planned developments RCM Students’ Union football kit football team are particularly proud of their new will enhance the learning environment for team kit! students by providing new performance spaces, recording facilities and practice rooms. The More Developed throughout the last year by world- Music: Reimagining the Royal College of Music leading brand-agency Landor, we have greatly project will also transform the College’s public benefitted from their expertise, which has been engagement programme, allowing more people provided to the RCM at no cost whatsoever. The than ever before to connect with the RCM in a changes reflect the respected heritage, innovative variety of ways. spirit and collaborative environment the College has fostered since opening in 1882, while Visit www.rcm.ac.uk/moremusic for more recognising it is also a modern and dynamic information. environment for young musicians.

4 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 CONTRACTS GLENNIE OPENS RESEARCH EXCHANGED FOR PERCUSSION PROJECT RECEIVES MARKOVA HOUSE SUITE AHRC AWARD

he Royal College of Music has ame Evelyn Glennie officially opened he RCM has won an Arts and Texchanged contracts for the purchase Dthe Royal College of Music’s new THumanities Research Council 10th of Markova House in South Kensington, percussion suite on 26 November 2015. Anniversary Cultural Engagement Fund the current headquarters of English Award of £50,000 to support a three- The renowned percussionist was greeted National Ballet. month research project led by vocal by an enthusiastic group of students professor Norbert Meyn. The enlarged estate will allow for a who demonstrated the range of facilities substantial increase in practice rooms, available and the exceptional level of Entitled ‘Exile Estates – Music Restitution: as well as providing two large orchestral music-making fostered within the RCM’s The Musical Legacy of Conductor/ and opera rehearsal spaces. Markova Percussion Faculty. Dame Evelyn remarked Composer Peter Gellhorn’, the project House will also provide a new home for ‘it’s such a pleasure, not just to witness the aims to bring the work of Peter Gellhorn the RCM’s leading Research department, amazing playing from our young players, (1912–2004) – and especially his offering a dedicated environment for but to see this amazing facility.’ compositions, which remain largely work that includes research into the unpublished – to a wider audience. Introduced to the new percussion suite impact of music on health and wellbeing. by Head of Percussion David Hockings, The award will, among other things, Many administrative and academic staff Dame Evelyn saw the dedicated rehearsal enable the employment of a researcher to will also move into the new premises, spaces for timpani, vibraphone, marimba assist in archival research for the project, returning the Blomfield Building into a and orchestral percussion, as well as the which is part of the RCM’s wider research space primarily for making music and rehearsal and studio spaces and state-of- into musicians forced to emigrate from providing an extraordinary environment the-art technology for teaching, recording Nazi Europe in the 1930s and 40s. for RCM students. and rehearsing. The pair also reminisced More information can be found online at RCM Director Professor Colin Lawson said about their own time as students 30 years www.rcm.ac.uk/singingasong ‘Together with the planned development ago, when space was scarce and large of the RCM’s Blomfield Building, the instruments often unavailable for practice. acquisition of Markova House will Before cutting the red ribbon and officially contribute to a state-of-the-art creative opening the suite, Dame Evelyn praised infrastructure across both sites, supporting the new facilities and said ‘there’s a and sustaining the RCM as a world- wonderful working creative area here and leader in music education for generations that’s very important for any musician.’ to come.’ The final sale is expected to coincide with ENB’s planned move to City Island in autumn 2018.

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 5 NEWS

SUCCESSFUL RCMJD FINALISTS SOIREE D’OR FOR BBC YOUNG

he RCM’s annual fundraising gala, Soirée d’Or, MUSICIAN 2016 Traised £216,000 to support scholarships for talented RCM students. ive talented young musicians from the RCM Opposite F Junior Department have made it through to the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Attended by 400 guests, the event was held at the category finals of BBC Young Musician 2016. in Die Fledermaus Victoria and Albert Museum in December 2015, Photo: Chris and featured live and silent auctions. Professor Current RCMJD horn player Ben Goldscheider, Christodoulou Colin Lawson presented the RCM’s More Music Tomoka Kan, percussionist Joseph Parks and Below development plans to guests before RCM soprano flautist Marie Sato and RCMJD alumna violinist Joo Yeon Sir performs Josephine Goddard gave the appeal speech. Stephanie Childress have all been selected to at Soirée d’Or take part in category finals of this prestigious Photo: Steven Morris Musical entertainment was provided by award- competition. winning singers Gemma Lois Summerfield and Simon Shibambu and violinist Joo Yeon Sir They are all hoping to follow in the footsteps of the (pictured). Guests also enjoyed reception music previous three winners, RCMJD musicians Martin from marimba duo Aristel Skrbić and Hyun-Gi Lee, James Bartlett (2014), Laura van der Heijden and a performance of ’ Infant (2012) and Lara Melda (2010). Holy, Infant Lowly by the RCM Chamber Choir Miranda Francis, Head of Junior Programmes at the directed by Thomas Allery. RCM, comments: ‘I am thrilled that so many RCM Support for the evening was generously provided Junior Department students have been selected to by Finsbury, BAE Systems, The Dorchester, perform in the BBCYM category finals. They are all Taittinger and Steinway. The RCM thanks all those incredibly talented performers. We are all so proud who attended and donated on the night. The RCM of them, and wish them well!’ The competition is also grateful to members of the Soirée d’Or final will be held at London’s on Committee, led by Lady Carr, who are integral to Sunday 15 May. the success of this event.

6 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 OPERA STARS APPEAR IN DIE FLEDERMAUS

orld-renowned opera stars Sir Wand Dame Kiri Te Kanawa thrilled audience members by appearing as special guests in the RCM International Opera School’s November production of Die Fledermaus. Directed by internationally renowned opera director John Copley, the production featured the singers as special guests at Prince Orlofsky’s party in Act II of the popular opera. Sir Thomas Allen, an RCM alumnus, sang Some Enchanted Evening on Friday 27 November, and on Saturday 28 November audiences were treated to a performance of O mio babbino caro by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, RCM Visiting Professor of Opera. RCM Director of Opera and conductor Michael Rosewell said ’Dame Kiri and Sir Tom’s very public association with this RCM opera production shows the measure of their trust in our work and training, as well as in the high standards we consistently attain.’

RCM MUSEUM SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL LOTTERY

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced support of £3.6m to redevelop the Royal College of Music Museum. This significant investment will kick-start a three-year project to create a new museum at the Prince Consort Road site, including new displays and a performance space for the RCM’s extensive collection of historic instruments. Sir Peter Luff, Chair of HLF, said: ‘The Royal College of Music is home to an extraordinary collection. These exciting proposals are just the thing to [provide a] brighter space with increased opening times and instrument handling opportunities. Music should be for everyone’s enjoyment and I think a round of applause is due to National Lottery players for helping open up this treasure trove for that very purpose.’ RCM Director Professor Colin Lawson said: ‘This HLF grant will allow us to progress the vital work needed to establish a new Museum at the very heart of the RCM and offer greater public access than ever before.’

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 7 NEWS

RCM JOINS LSO STRING HONOURS GLOBAL EXPERIENCE AWARDED TO TRAINING SUCCESS RCM ALUMNI

PROGRAMME ine of the fifteen places available on he Royal College of Music is Nthe London Symphony Orchestra’s Tdelighted to congratulate several he RCM has joined the Global prestigious String Experience Scheme alumni and individuals closely associated TAuditioning Training Programme, an for 2015/16 have been taken by RCM with the College, who have had their innovative international project to help students. achievements recognised in the 2016 players learn more about auditioning for New Year’s Honours list. different orchestras around the world. Auditioning participants from the four London conservatoires, the scheme Pianist Malcolm Martineau was awarded The programme uses high speed network provides young string players with the the OBE. Since graduating from the technology to connect the selected music opportunity to gain work experience in RCM in the 1980s, Malcolm has made colleges worldwide, and aims to increase rehearsals and concerts with the LSO. his name as one of the world’s greatest awareness of the many diverse orchestral Participants are treated as professional accompanists. Leslie East HonRCM, traditions in different parts of the world. ‘extra’ players and receive fees for their former Chief Executive of ABRSM, was work in line with LSO section players. also awarded the OBE. The first session, on Monday 21 The scheme also provides an invaluable September, saw RCM professor and Celebrated violinist Alina Ibragimova – opportunity for young musicians to make Principal of the English Chamber who gave four performances at the 2015 professional contacts. Orchestra, Jonathan Barritt, participating BBC Proms – was made MBE, as was in the international jury. RCM violist Congratulations go to violinists Alexandra fellow RCM alumna Catherine Arlidge, a Bryony Gibson-Cornish was auditioning, Isted, Anna Lee and Lasma Taimina, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra alongside viola students at the Cleveland violists Lisa Bucknell, May Dolan and violinist honoured for services to music Institute of Music, New World Symphony, Bryony Gibson-Cornish, cellists Kristiana education. Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Ignatjeva and Zoe Saubat and double Also awarded an MBE for services to the The Royal Danish Academy of Music. bassist Jon Mikel Martínez Valgañón, who arts and education was Nigel Woolner, a have all been chosen for the scheme. Dr Tania Lisboa, RCM Research Fellow, Fellow of the RCM, former RCM Council said: ‘Joining the Global Auditioning Member and current Chair of the Mills Training Programme will open new Williams Foundation. opportunities for RCM students to work on their auditioning skills and to establish contact with leading orchestras worldwide.’

BIG GIVE CHALLENGE BREAKS NEW RECORD

The RCM received a tremendous £186,602 of support from the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2015, breaking all previous RCM donation totals. The RCM would like to extend its gratitude to all those who donated. The Big Give Christmas Challenge is the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign and provides the opportunity for charities to have donations doubled during the challenge. Raised through matched and unmatched donations, as well as Gift Aid, this year’s total will have a life-changing impact on many of the RCM’s exceptionally talented young musicians. All funds will go towards the RCM Scholarships Fund, which aims to give all talented students, irrespective of background, the opportunity to complete their studies without financial worries.

8 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 RCM-NAFA JETTE PARKER YOUNG Above NAFA President Mr PARTNERSHIP ARTISTS SUCCESS Chia Mia Chiang and RCM Director CONTINUES Professor Colin ingers Angela Simkin and Simon Shibambu Lawson S have been selected for ’s he Royal College of Music has reaffirmed its prestigious Jette Parker Young Artists programme. Tlinks with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) by signing a second five-year agreement to The singers were chosen for the two-year offer the RCM-NAFA degree programme. programme following three rounds of auditions, in which they beat off competition from more than The signing ceremony took place at NAFA on 400 applicants from 50 countries. 12 January 2016, where RCM Director Professor Colin Lawson, Head of Keyboard Professor British mezzo soprano Angela Simkin graduated Vanessa Latarche and Deputy Director Kevin Porter from the RCM last year after studying with Timothy were welcomed by NAFA President Mr Chia Mia Evans Jones as an Ian Evans Lombe Scholar. South Chiang, Dean Mr Lim Yau and Vice Deans African bass Simon Shibambu currently studies at Dr Eleanor Tan and Dr Ernest Lim. the RCM with Graeme Broadbent as an ABRSM Scholar supported by the OMT and Minerva Trust. This ground-breaking undergraduate degree Both have appeared to great acclaim in numerous programme was launched in 2011. There have RCM International Opera School productions. since been 67 graduates from the programme, with 28% achieving First Class Honours. Open The Jette Parker Young Artists Programme supports to students who have completed NAFA’s three- the artistic development of young professional year Music Diploma, the programme provides singers, conductors, directors and repetiteurs at an international placement at the RCM, where the start of their careers. During their two-year students can experience the exceptional education placement, Young Artists work on productions for and performance opportunities available, as well The Royal Opera singing small roles, covering as London’s rich cultural life. larger roles or working with music or directing staff.

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 9 FEATURE DIGITISING THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC MUSEUM Changes are afoot for the RCM Museum. Upbeat reports on its latest project to create a presence on Google’s Cultural Institute...

n a world where digital is seen as the future Google Cultural Institute – originally launched Ifor almost everything, it can be a challenge as the Google Art Project in 2011 with just 17 for museums – traditionally the guardians of the museums involved – today has more than 300 past – to know how to make the most of the partners in around 44 countries. The Royal College opportunities the online world offers. There has of Music is very proud of the fact it is the first been a lot of talk about ‘digital museums’, with conservatoire in the world to be featured on the many advocating that screens are the walls of online platform. As of November last year, items the future. Various experiments and trials have from the RCM’s internationally renowned collection achieved mixed success. So can Google’s new of musical instruments and portraits sit alongside Cultural Institute platform live up to the hype and be collections from other world-leading arts institutions the breakthrough we are all waiting for? including the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, The Metropolitan Opera and Musée d’Orsay. ‘It is tremendously exciting to work with Google to enable so many people to connect with these beautiful and fascinating objects in a myriad of It is tremendously exciting to work with Google to new ways,’ says Gabriele Rossi Rognoni, Curator enable so many people to connect with these beautiful of the Royal College of Music Museum. ‘We are and fascinating objects in a myriad of new ways. delighted that thanks to the wonders of modern technology there are so many more ways for people to explore our treasures.’ Gabriele Rossi Rognoni Royal College of Music Museum Curator Through a series of carefully curated online exhibitions you can view and hear a selection of the RCM’s most valuable pieces. One exceptional highlight is a close-up view of the RCM’s most prized object – a clavicytherium – which at more than 540 years old is the earliest surviving stringed keyboard instrument in the world. It may no longer be playable but the interactive display allows you to listen to a replica made in the 1970s to experience how it may once have sounded. You can also enjoy the novelty of listening to the strange sound of the Pochette, a type of string instrument used by dance masters in France in the 17th and 18th centuries. These little instruments were transported in specially designed coat pockets (‘poche’ in French), hence their name. Or if you’re just interested in perusing a few of the many greats who have passed through the doors of the RCM, take the tour of the ‘Royal College of Music Composers’ exhibit – from Stanford to Howells, it is a fascinating snapshot of the RCM’s remarkable history.

10 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 Left Use Museum View to look inside the RCM

Below Explore the RCM’s art collection including Jeffrey Spedding’s portrait of

Opposite A selection of Pochettes from the RCM collection

‘Working on this project has been incredibly rewarding,’ comments the Museum’s Digitisation Officer Richard Martin. ‘What I love most is the fact you can zoom in and see every brushstroke of a painting, or every detail of an instrument. Uniting objects with recordings creates a really fulfilling interactive experience, and shows just how far technology has come. It makes me very excited for what the future holds.’ In addition to getting up close and personal with the RCM’s collections, the platform also offers Museum View, a tool that grants access to the main spaces and corridors of the RCM (an extension of Google’s Street View). By standing virtually in the magnificent Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, not only can you pretend to be performing on that great stage but also explore the portraits of some of the RCM’s most illustrious alumni and Directors which decorate the walls. This partnership with Google comes at an opportune moment for the RCM as the physical museum is undergoing a transformative redevelopment, with a planned reopening in 2019. The three-year project to create a new museum is supported by a £3.6m Heritage Lottery Fund grant which will enable new displays and a performance space for the RCM’s collection of historic instruments. So although these treasures have been carefully packed away in storage for a few years, they still live on in the digital world. And now they can be enjoyed by an even larger audience no matter where they are or what time of day it is – whether they are in London, New York or Beijing. When How to Access the RCM Collections the Museum does reopen in a few years’ time the on Google Cultural Institute divide between the physical and the digital world will be much smaller than before, with more ways Visit www.google.com/culturalinstitute/collection/royal-college- than ever to enjoy, listen to and appreciate the RCM collections. of-music or type ‘Royal College of Music’ into the search box of the Google

Written by Katherine Smith Cultural Institute home page. RCM Marketing Manager From here you can explore three curated exhibitions and access Museum View.

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 11 FEATURE A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ICT TEAM The Royal College of Music’s Information and Communications Technology team is an integral part of the RCM’s digital agenda, driving innovation across the College’s many activities. Head of ICT Mark Soole tells Upbeat what a typical day is like for the team...

7am Business Applications Manager Mike Knapp 9am ICT Service Desk Assistant Bridget Danso checks results of overnight upgrades from home. opens the ICT help desk and the front line team Last night he made important upgrades to the starts to deal with calls. Staggered working hours Finance system. Most upgrades and disruptive mean that we always have someone on hand to work take place outside teaching hours so the IT deal with urgent issues. We pride ourselves on systems are available to staff and students when being a friendly department with strong working they need them most. relationships across the RCM. The ICT help desk answers around 9,000 calls per 8am Senior Service Desk Engineer Alex Razumov year, with demand continuing to grow alongside arrives on site and starts his day by checking the our ambitions. A typical day can see the team essential IT systems to make sure everything is dealing with anything from password changes to running effectively. Alex also deals with any urgent major project work such as the Estates team’s large- calls on the help desk. scale building projects or digital learning.

12 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 10am Mike meets with the RCM Junior 1.45pm ICT Service Desk Engineer Fong Wong Department team to help implement a software helps a Russian and a Chinese student who are Above system designed to administer this valuable having difficulties with the mobile phone print The ICT team at work department. The RCM has a complex IT system system; they need to print a score for a rehearsal Photos: Sheila Burnett matching the diversity of the RCM itself. The starting in 15 minutes. Cantonese and Russian technology used to teach children is very different are two of the ten languages the ICT team speak Opposite The ICT team: Mazhar to the technology for the senior college, but the between them. This allows us to help many of our Jamadar, Fong Wong, systems all still need to fit together holistically as we international students, especially those who have Gbenga Akinrodoye, are one organisation. Mike will work on technical recently arrived at the RCM. Alex Razumov, Mark setup and integration, as well as project advice Soole and Birju Patel and support. 3pm ICT Service Desk Engineer Mazhar Jamadar has a conference call with the Danish provider 10.30am ICT Support Manager Birju Patel and of our room-booking system ASIMUT to complete I conduct a review of our print services with the testing of their new mobile app. ASIMUT enables supplier. The ICT team procures and manages all students to book practice rooms and know their technology centrally for efficient management so timetables and it’s the RCM’s main planning tool that RCM resources can go into its main activity of for concerts and rehearsals. We have been teaching. The students are at the heart of everything working closely with ASIMUT in the development we do here at the RCM. I also make sure that of this app. current print systems continue to be environmentally efficient. 4pm I meet with Mike to discuss the RCM’s computer infrastructure, to see where we can 12pm Birju and I have our weekly meeting where improve speed and stability for students and we discuss the current projects and plan future staff. I take some time to plan future ICT priorities, developments. On the list is technology for the including improving our online payment systems upcoming redevelopment of our building. The More and tackling our data storage issues. We are really Music project will enable our students to stay at lucky to have such a rich audio and video archive, the forefront of digital technology for generations but we need to make sure it is stored safely and to come. We also discuss support for a studio cost effectively. event using the RCM’s pioneering real-time video collaboration system LOLA, lecture-capture systems 5pm The ICT Helpdesk closes. The team has dealt and budget planning. with requests for assistance right across the RCM today, and will be back again tomorrow to deal with new challenges!

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 13 SUPPORT US SUPPORTING THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC

Music has the power to transform lives. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, generations of gifted students from around the world have been guided and inspired at the RCM. We would like to thank in particular those listed below who have made donations of £1,000 or more in the last 12 months. Gifts are listed alphabetically in order of surname.

Supporters of named Lark Insurance Scholarship Arthur Wilson Trombone Award scholarships, bursaries and Hester Laverne Award Professor Lord Winston Junior Fellowships The Lee Abbey Award The Wolfson Foundation SUPPORTING Leverhulme Trust Andy Woodburn Memorial Award The Abinger Hammer Award Carole and Geoffrey Lindey The Worshipful Company of Drapers THE FUTURE OF ABRSM Philip Loubser Foundation The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers The Ackroyd Trust Loveday Scholarship The Worshipful Company of Musicians MUSIC The Jane Barker Scholarship Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust The Wyseliot Charitable Trust Laurie Barry and the John Barry Scholarship Mason Scholarship From becoming an RCM Friend, for Film Composition Mr James McAlinden Legacy Supporters of RCM Sparks through to leaving a gift in your Dr Linda Beeley The Mills Williams Foundation Phoebe Benham Junior Fellowship The Howard and Abbey Milstein Karina and Dhairya Choudhrie Will, there are many ways you Bell Percussion Foundation Denis and Meredith Coleman can support the Royal College The Big Give Trust Music Talks Scholarship Guy Dawson and Sam Horscroft of Music. The Bliss Trust Charles Napper Award The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Bocconoc Scholarship Lydia Napper Award J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust For more information, please visit The Boltini Trust Scholarship The John Nickson Scholarship The Hedley Foundation The Gary & Eleanor Brass Scholarship Midori Nishiura HF Awards www.rcm.ac.uk/ The Derek Butler Trust Sir Gordon Palmer Scholarship John Lewis Partnership supportus The Richard Carne Charitable Trust The Charles Peel Charitable Trust Miss Joanna Kaye Sir Roger and Lady Carr Soirée d’Or The Stanley Picker Scholarship The Oldhurst Trust Scholarship The Polonsky Foundation Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation Alternatively, contact the Stephen Catto Memorial Scholarship PRS for Music Foundation Sykes & Son Development team on The Estate of Miss Iris Chappell The Radcliffe Trust Universal Music Group 020 7591 4321 or Edgar Tom and Hilda May Cook Norman Reintamm Anne Wadsworth OBE Else and Leonard Cross Charitable Trust The Charles Stewart Richardson [email protected] The Cuthbert Smith Award Scholarship for Composition Members of the Douglas and Kyra Downie The Estate of Edith Mary Richmond RCM Chairman’s Circle Ann Driver Trust Virginia and Simon Robertson Scholarship Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Junior Fellowship Victoria Robey Scholarship Philip Carne MBE, HonRCM and Amaryllis Fleming Foundation Emma Rose Memorial Scholarship Christine Carne* Fiona and Douglas Flint Soirée d’Or Humphrey Searle Scholarship Karina and Dhairya Choudhrie+* Scholarship Frank Shipway Memorial Scholarship Denis and Meredith Coleman+ The Future of Russia Foundation Dasha Shenkman Scholarship Guy Dawson and Sam Horscroft+ Gylla Godwin Award The Siow-Furniss Scholarship Gisela Gledhill* Peter Granger Soirée d’Or Scholarships Linda Hill HonRCM and Tony Hill* The Greenbank Scholarship South Square Trust Terry Hitchcock* HF Music Award+ Steinway & Sons James and Clare Kirkman* HMD Meyer Violin Prize Opperby Stokowski Collection Trust Victoria Robey OBE* Royal College of Music Pete Handley Ian Stoutzker OBE, CBE, FRCM Roland Saam* Award Sudborough Foundation Lady Sitwell Irene Hanson Scholarship Tait Trust Scholarship Dasha Shenkman OBE, HonRCM* The Estate of HR Taylor Trust Michael and Ruth West HonRCM* Independent Opera Artist Scholarship Ian and Meriel Tegner Charles Jacobs Scholarship The Richard Toeman/Weinberger Opera Members of the The JMC Award Scholarship RCM Director’s Circle The Johnson Scholarship The Tsukanov Family Foundation John Lewis Partnership Scholarships+ The Wall Trust Daniel Chapchal The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation UK Sir Peter and Lady Walters Soirée d’Or Tania Chislett Knights of the Round Table Scholarship Helen Chung-Halpern and Abel Halpern Kirby Laing Foundation Bob and Sarah Wigley Scholarship Miss Joanna Kaye+

14 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 JOIN THE RCM FRIENDS

The support of the RCM Friends means a great deal to me... knowing there is a dedicated group who are so enthusiastic about everything at College is very gratifying. I have been lucky enough to meet many of these wonderful people and their support is second to none.

Josephine Goddard, Soirée d’Or Scholar supported by a Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Award

To join the RCM Friends please contact Rachel Bowden, Friends and Patrons Officer, at [email protected] or call 020 7591 4331. Visit www.rcm.ac.uk/friends for more information.

Mr James Lancaster and Mrs Margaret Louisa Treger Mr Peter Lofthouse Lancaster John Ward The Hon Richard Lyttelton Dr Mark Levesley and Christina Hoseason* Jane Wilson Edward Mandel/Jaques Samuel Sir and Lady Lipworth Sir Robert and Lady Wilson Bursary Vivien McLean Beckwith Dr Yvonne Winkler Mr Marcus McDonald HonRCM Sir Peter and Lady Middleton FRCM Mr Richard Wintour Sir Douglas Morpeth FRCM John Nickson and Simon Rew* Mr Rhoddy Voremberg St Marylebone Educational Foundation Richard and Sue Price The Edith Murphy Foundation Peter and Dimity Spiller Corporate Supporters Mrs Paige Nelson The Vernon Ellis Foundation Ofenheim Charitable Trust Anne Wadsworth OBE+ BAE Systems The John Ogden Foundation Quentin Williams* Campus Living Villages Mrs Helen Ogunbiyi Finsbury Mr Christopher Saul Members of the Hatch Mansfield Miss Kathleen Beryl Sleigh Charitable Trust RCM Patrons’ Circle Huawei Technologies (UK) Mr Ian Stoutzker Niquesa Fine Jewellery and Hotels Ms Simona Tappi Isla Baring OAM* Mr William Tilden Jane Barker CBE* Major Supporters Mr Rhoddy Voremberg Halina and John Bennett Mr Nigel Woolner Lady Bergman Jane Barker CBE* Mr John Wright Ms Sylvia Bettermann Nathenson Karen Cook Lorna and Christopher Bown The Robert Fleming Hannay Memorial * also supports a named award Mrs Lorraine Buckland Charity + also supports RCM Sparks Sir Roger and Lady Carr HonRCM* Heritage Lottery Fund Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM and Professor Colin Lawson FRCM Lady Cleaver The Mirfield Trust Mr Peter and Mrs Tessa Ettedgui Geoffrey Richards HonRCM Mr Kenneth and Mrs Lillemor Gardener The Rothschild Foundation Professor Alice Gast Roland Rudd MarieNoelle and Mathias Gislev The Peter Sowerby Foundation WELCOME TO Sarah Griffin Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation+ Carol Hagh Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary NEW FRIENDS Greta Hemus Settlement John and Sue Heywood The Garfield Weston Foundation We are delighted to welcome the following individuals who have joined the Mr William and Mrs AnnaMarie Hill Bob and Sarah Wigley* RCM Friends between September 2015 and January 2016. Mr David James Sir David Lees Supporters David and Sue Lewis Khaled Al-Sabah Gavin Gilligan Dame Anne Rafferty DBE Charles and Dominique Lubar Mr Peter Beckwith Nicola Anderson June Godfrey and His Honour Mr David Mildon Guy Black of Brentwood Dennis Anthony Michael Hutchinson Brian Barker CBE, QC Ellen Moloney Mr Michael Boxford Elizabeth Ashford Alison Kidd Pam Tabert Judy and Terence Mowschenson Brooks van der Pump English Song Prize Christy Austin Abigail King John and Ruth Whetsel Jennifer Neelands Mr Sudhir Choudhrie Joanna Brod Alastair and Penelope Keith and Jacqueline Russell Race* Sir David Cooksey Niall Curran and Maclachlan Williams Victoria Rock Mrs Paola Costa Sassi Susan Reid Ingrid Marsh John Wright Mrs Marcella Rossi Mr Hugh Davidson Ronald Denny Sue Neale Kerry and Dimity Rubie The Derek Hill Foundation Louis Eslami Jean-Marie and Mrs Piffa Schroder George Drexler Foundation Gilbert Gargour Elizabeth Noel Barbara Simmonds Ms Lily Harriss Betty Sutherland Mr Laurence Hopkins Sir Richard and Lady Sykes Mr Michael Jeans

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 15 STUDENT UPDATES STUDENT UPDATES

KEYBOARD Right Julien van Mellaerts ACCOMPLISHMENTS Photo: Chris Christodoulou Vitaly Pisarenko has won Third Prize at the 2015 Leeds International Competition following Below Pavel Kolesnikov a performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto Photo: Colin Way no 3 with the Hallé Orchestra and Sir Mark Elder. The only finalist from a UK conservatoire, his performance was also broadcast on BBC Four... Luka Okros (Okrostsvaridze) has won First Prize at the XIX Concurso Internacional de Piano de Valencia ‘Premio Iturbi’ in Spain. As the 2014 winner of the UK’s Jaques Samuel Intercollegiate Piano Competition, Luka also gave his debut recital at Wigmore Hall in November... Sonya Pigot has been selected for the AMF Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award at the Australian Music Foundation Awards. She was presented with her award at Australia House in November by the High Commissioner of Australia... Tolga Un won Second Prize at the Broadwood Horniman Harpsichord Competition, held at the Horniman Museum and VOCAL ACCOLADES Gardens in November... Ilya Kondratiev has won the 2015 Intercollegiate Beethoven Prize, Tenor Thobela Ntshanyana won the Clonter awarded by the Beethoven Piano Society of Opera Singing Competition in February... Bass Europe; his prize includes a recital at St Martin- baritone Simon Shibambu has received a 2015 in-the-Fields later this year... Svetoslav Todorov International Opera Awards Bursary... Soprano has won First Prize in the Soloists Section of the Julieth Lozano has won First Prize in the Emmy 9th Kyushu International JS Bach Competition in Destinn Singing Competition... Soprano Carly Fukuoka, Japan... Samson Tsoy has won First Prize Owen has won First Prize and the Audience Prize at the 9th Concurso Internacional de Piano de at the 2015 London Welsh Young Singer of the Campillos in Spain... Pavel Kolesnikov performed Year Competition... Soprano Rowan Pierce has Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini won Second Prize and Special Prize at the Early with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in February... Music Singing Competition in Poznan. Rowan RCM Junior Fellow Imma Setiadi has performed will return to Poland next year to perform with the at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall following a Poznan Baroque Orchestra... Soprano Galina successful audition for the Manchester Mid-Day Averina has won First Prize in the Bampton Concerts Society’s 2015/16 season... RCM Classical Opera Young Singers’ Competition... Junior Fellow harpsichordist Nathaniel Mander, Tenor Peter Aisher has won the Schubert Society soprano Rowan Pierce, violinist Laure Chan, Singer Prize at the London Song Festival Lieder baroque viola player Lisa Bucknell and baroque Masterclass, performing with accompanist Lucy flute player Amelia Shakespeare have performed Colquhoun. Peter’s prize includes recitals for the in a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune from London Song Festival and the Schubert Society... the opening of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Bass baritone Julien van Mellaerts won First Prize Europe 1600–1800 Galleries. RCM alumnae Elin at the 2015 Maureen Lehane Vocal Awards held White and Florence Petit also performed. at Wigmore Hall in November.

16 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 STRING SUCCESS RCM JUNIOR

Cellist Jamal Aliyev performed live in the studio for DEPARTMENT BBC Radio 3’s In Tune in January... Violinist Emily ACHIEVEMENTS Sun has won the Strings Section of the Royal Over- Seas League competition. Vocal student Ella Rainbird-Earley has won First Prize and the Marian Lines Prize for best spoken poetry in the Association of English Singers and Speakers Catherine Lambert Junior Recital Prize. Isabelle Tett and Clover Kayne were also

DOCTORAL ACTIVITIES finalists in the competition... Three students have secured principal positions in the National Youth Tamara Thompson has delivered her paper ‘Sibyl Orchestra. Flautist Marie Sato, clarinettist Matt Sanderson and Massenet’s Esclarmonde: musical Glendening and bassoonist Lucy Dundas were training and critical response’ at the Francophone among 18 RCMJD students who were conducted Music Criticism annual colloque at the Bibliothèque by RCM alumnus John Wilson in January at Leeds nationale de France... Bruno Bower, Isobel Clarke, Town Hall and the Barbican... Laura Newey has Vera Fonte and George Waddell have given been appointed as a National Youth Orchestra presentations on how musicians and audiences composer… Pianist Calvin Leung won the Kingston approach unfamiliar repertoire at the 2015 upon Thames Young Musician Competition 2016 International Conference of Students of Systematic in January. Musicology in Leipzig, ... Nicholas Morrish Rarity has won a New Dots competition and has been commissioned to write a new work for the Workers Union Ensemble. He was also selected for the Divertimento Ensemble International Workshop for Young Composers, held in Italy in July... Edwin Hillier’s piece for alto flute, viola and percussion entitled engine oil and charcoal Above Lillie Harris has received its premiere at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, by Luxembourg- Below Left based ensemble, LUCILIN. He also completed his Samson Tsoy year-long residency at Handel House Museum with the curation of a two-week new music series, an installation work and a large-scale commission, premiered at St George’s, Hanover Square... Shiva Feshareki has been invited to give a presentation with Ivan Hewett at the Science SHARE Museum’s Alternative Histories of Electronic Music YOUR NEWS conference in April. Tell Upbeat readers about your recent successes by emailing [email protected] COMPOSITION CONGRATULATIONS

Samuel Hall has written the score for the winning film in the Shortlist Shorts Competition at London’s Raindance Film Festival. His music accompanied the winning entry Dan?, directed by Uzo Oleh... Lillie Harris has been selected as one of five young composers to join the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s first Composers Hub… Youngjin Lim has won Third Prize at the 2015 Chengdu- China 11th Sun River Prize Students New Music Composition Competition with his chamber piece In the Shadow of Your Wings.

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 17 STAFF UPDATES STAFF UPDATES

RCM Junior Department recorder teachers Rebecca Two works by outreach mentor John Cooney Austen-Brown and Sarah Humphrys have have received notable premieres in Cardiff. The Below Jess Cresswell and recorded a CD with their ensemble the Fontanella BBC National Orchestra of Wales performed a her husband David Recorder Quintet. Woods so Wild, launched at the movement from In These Dark Waters, while Lisa RCM in January, features music inspired by nature Nelsen and Gwenllian Llyr gave the premiere of Below Right from the 14th–16th centuries and was recorded Ellipse for flute and harp. Clara Rodríguez on the quintet’s consort of 15 instruments, made for Concert and Venue Manager Jess Cresswell (née them by Adrian Brown. Pearce) married David on Tuesday 27 October, Assistant Head of Undergraduate Programmes, at Weybridge Registry Office. They followed the Anastasia Belina-Johnson, gave a talk on the ceremony with lunch and a honeymoon ‘cruise’ Rebel of the Keys documentary about André along the Thames before returning in time to collect Tchaikowsky at Warsaw’s Jewish History Museum, their daughter Mimi from nursery! in November. She also gave a talk on Jewish RCM Junior Department Choral Conductor James creative artists at the International Musicological Davey has enjoyed success with his London choir, Conference on the Centenary of the Death of Chantage, at the Malta International Choir Festival Karl Goldmark at the Institute of Musicology in 2015. The choir won First Prize in both secular and Budapest. sacred categories, plus a special award for best Timpani professor Adrian Bending has released choreographed performance. The choir gained the Bending Bach’s Basslines, a higher level teaching highest score of the Festival and went on to win the book for timpanists which adapts the bass lines of overall ‘Grand Prix’. Bach’s chorales for timpani. The book also includes Vocal professor Roderick Earle has directed the an accompanying CD of professional recordings. chamber choir at the McKinsey Music Festival in Adrian is donating all proceeds of the book to Kitzbühel, Austria. He also directed the Colchester Cancer Research UK. Chamber Choir in the first modern performance of RCM Junior Department viola teacher Sarah-Jane Robert Ramsey’s Dialogues of Sorrow (reconstructed Bradley has made world premiere recordings of by Andrew Kerr and Hugh Keyte), 400 years after viola concertos with the Hallé Orchestra conducted the first performance in Cambridge, for King by Stephen Bell. Recorded in Manchester, the CD James I and Prince Charles, in 1615. includes an orchestration of Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Composer Russell Hepplewhite has been Sonata by Ruth Lomon, as well as the Benjamin included in the Evening Standard’s Top 1,000 Dale Romance in its orchestrated version by the Most Influential Londoners List 2015. The paper composer. The disc is due for release in 2016 on described him as ‘one of the most exciting young the Dutton Epoch label. talents to emerge in recent years’. Clarinet professor Janet Hilton visited Australia for a two-week residency at the Melbourne Conservatorium in September. Her visit also included a recital at Melba Hall with RCM alumnus and pianist Rhodri Clarke and a masterclass at Sydney Conservatorium. Works by composition professor Joseph Horovitz were featured in the Royal Northern College of Music’s Brass Band Festival in January to celebrate his 90th birthday. The Euphonium Concerto, Music Hall Suite, Ballet for Band, Concertino Classico, Tuba Concerto, Theme and Co-operation and The Dong with the Luminous Nose were performed by leading artists, including Black Dyke, Grimethorpe, Fairey, Tredegar and Foden’s Bands. Vocal professor Janis Kelly will be appearing at Glyndebourne Festival Opera this summer as Berta in Rossini’s ll barbiere di Siviglia.

18 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 Professor Colin Lawson and Professor Vanessa Latarche have visited the University of Macau, where they led an afternoon masterclass. They also joined Michael Kirby, Principal Clarinet of the Macau Symphony Orchestra, for an evening performance. Piano professor Simon Lepper has released a CD of Debussy songs with soprano Gillian Keith. Entitled Songs for his Muse, it includes the premiere recording of an unpublished song called Seguidille. He has also performed with Mark Padmore, Sally Matthews at La Monnaie and a recital with RCM alumna Anna Huntley in Vienna. Piano professor Leon McCawley has performed a solo recital at Wigmore Hall. His programme included works by Haydn, Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn and Chopin. Head of Strings Mark Messenger ran the Oslo Marathon in September 2015. He completed the race in 3 hours and 52 minutes. Vocal professor Norbert Meyn has visited Berlin with RCM supporter Lord David Ogilvy to continue Organ professor Margaret Phillips visited Nigeria, his research into émigré musicians. He examined in December, with 11 members of the Band of the Above the manuscript of Robert Kahn’s ‘Tagebuch in Household Cavalry. Together they accompanied Russell Hepplewhite Tönen’ (diary in music) at the Akademie der Künste the choirs of Lagos Cathedral and two Methodist and discussed further research with Dr Werner churches for various carol services and concerts. Below Adrian Bending’s Grünzweig. Margaret also spent a day teaching the three Bending’s Bach resident cathedral organists. Violin professor Madeleine Mitchell has undertaken Basslines a three-week US tour, giving recitals of British Paul Robinson’s score to the Russian silent classic music, masterclasses and talks at universities and Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera arts centres in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, received its premiere at the Barbican as part of Florida, Texas, Arizona, Colorado and California. the City Visions series in October. Three further performances in Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea Area Leader for Electroacoustic Music, Michael followed, given by HarmonieBand and violist and Oliva, has featured on BBC Radio 3’s series RCM alumna Shiry Rashkovsky. Modern Muses. The downloadable podcast features Michael discussing the creative process of RCM Junior Department piano teacher Clara composition with RCM alumna, flautist Carla Rees. Rodríguez will perform a recital at St James’s Piccadilly on Saturday 16 April. The programme Dr Rosie Perkins, Research Fellow in Performance offers a vibrant insight into the rich diversity of Latin Science, has been recognised as a Fellow of the American music and includes the famous Alma Higher Education Academy in acknowledgement llanera joropo by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez. of her attainment in teaching and learning support in higher education. Ensemble in Association Florilegium, directed by SHARE Head of Historical Performance Professor Ashley YOUR NEWS Solomon, has recorded a new CD of works by Tell Upbeat readers about your Telemann. The recording celebrates the group’s recent successes by emailing 25th anniversary and will be released at a special [email protected] concert at Wigmore Hall on 3 June. Their recent release of the complete Brandenburg concertos was selected as one of Gramophone’s ‘CDs of the Year’ in December 2015. Percussion professor Ralph Salmins has been voted one of the ten best pop/session drummers in the world by Rhythm magazine readers. He was also nominated for best drummer in the recent British Jazz Awards. Head of Conducting Peter Stark has visited China and Russia. During his trip he gave masterclasses at both the State Conservatory in St Petersburg and the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 19 ALUMNI UPDATES ALUMNI UPDATES

Guitarist Carlos Bonell released his new album Violinist Martyn Jackson has joined the Allegri SHARE Guitar Magic in November. The album features String Quartet. The London-based quartet, founded YOUR recordings of some of the world’s most famous in 1953, is Britain’s oldest chamber group. guitar pieces including the Adagio theme from Pianist Olga Jegunova has founded OlgaRhythm NEWS Concierto de Aranjuez and Recuerdos de la with Glyn Eggar. The charity is dedicated to Tell Upbeat readers Alhambra, as well as arrangements of Eleanor supporting talented musicians of any age and about your recent Rigby and Freddie Mercury’s Love of My Life. successes by emailing ability by providing teaching and performance Pianist Chen Chen has been appointed a full-time opportunities. [email protected] professor at the Central Conservatory of Music Violinist Mihkel Kerem has taken up the position Piano Academy in Gulangyu, Xiamen, China. of Joint Assistant Leader with the Royal Liverpool Photographer Chris Christodoulou recently Philharmonic Orchestra. He is joined by fellow celebrated the milestone of having worked with RCM alumnus Benjamin Mellefont, who has been the RCM for 25 years. Chris regularly captures the appointed Principal Clarinet. RCM’s opera productions as well as taking official Composers Peter Longworth and Cameron photographs, with many of his images being Graham have been selected to join the Royal featured in Upbeat magazine through the years. Scottish National Orchestra’s first Composers Hub. Pianist Margaret Fingerhut has been awarded an They will work with the RSNO’s contemporary Honorary Fellowship at Birmingham Conservatoire group Alchemy and write a short piece for full where she is a piano tutor. She received the honour symphony orchestra to be performed at the at an awards ceremony held at Symphony Hall, RSNO Centre in Glasgow, in April. One work Birmingham, in March 2015. will be chosen to be performed in the orchestra’s 2016/17 season. The Foyle-Štšura Duo – Michael Foyle and Maksim Štšura – has won First Prize in the Salieri-Zinetti Soprano Marie Lys (Jaermann) and her ensemble International Competition. Their Abchordis have released their first recording. prize includes a concert tour of Italy and a debut Entitled Stabat Mater, the CD features music by recital in New York. They also recently performed Manna, Santangelo and Sellitto. for the Beethoven Society at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Pianist Warren Mailley-Smith has recorded a new CD, featuring a solo piano version of Gershwin’s immortal . The disc also includes a selection of popular works including Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee and Gottschalk’s Souvenirs d’Andalousie. Pianist Alison Mathews has released her first collection of piano pieces by Elena Cobb Publications. Piano Planets is a space-themed collection aimed at at Grade 1–2 level. It is designed to develop a variety of different technical challenges in an imaginative way, using contemporary styles. Adrian More’s piano concerto was premiered by the Cape Town Philharmonic and pianist Francois du Toit in November. His chamber operetta Anti- Laius was performed by Cape Town Opera in the Artscape Theatre. Chris Mothersole has been appointed Principal Clarinet in the Great Falls Symphony Orchestra. Future concerts with the Montana-based orchestra include Carmina burana and Brahms’ Symphony no 1 in April.

20 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 Trumpeter Niall O’Sullivan has released his second Guitarist Laura Snowden gave a recital at studio album, produced by Julian Lloyd Webber Wigmore Hall. Presented by the Julian Bream Trust, on Ard Aidhin Records. Entitled Niall O’Sullivan the concert included the world premiere of Julian Above and Friends, the CD features Danielle de Niese, Anderson’s Catalan Peasant with Guitar. Niall O’Sullivan Grammy-winning jazz guitarist Larry Carlton, Pianist Natalia Sokolovskaya won First Prize and Kim Criswell, Lisa Lambe, Emmet Cahill and the Below the Audience Prize at the 11th International Piano RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Niall will also make his Florian Uhlig Competition MozARTè in Aachen, Germany, in Broadway debut this April in a show called The September last year. Opposite Left Bloody Irish. Marie Lys Suzie Thorn has been appointed Principal Former Mills Williams Junior Fellow, pianist Luis Oboe with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Her sister, Opposite Right Parés, has taken up the position of Head of Alison Mathews’ bassoonist Tammy Thorn, has taken up the position Keyboard at Dulwich College. Piano Planets of Principal Bassoon at Bournemouth Symphony Tenor Gyula Rab has received a 2015 Orchestra. International Opera Awards Bursary. The Awards South-African based organist Roucher du Toit has were founded in 2012 with the aim of generating received the Andrew Murray Bishop Desmond funds to support aspiring talent in opera from Tutu Prize 2015 for his contribution to retaining the around the world. organ as ‘king of the music instruments’ in church Clarinettist Elaine Ruby has secured a full-time and society. Future performances include a recital appointment with the Danish Chamber Players. The at St John’s College, Cambridge on 9 October. ensemble celebrates its 25th anniversary this year Amy Turner has been appointed Principal Oboe at the Summer Music at Fuglsang festival in August. with Scottish Opera. Performing across Scotland Kriss Russman’s completed version of George in a range of concerts, forthcoming performances Butterworth’s Orchestral Fantasia has been include Dvořák’s Rusalka and Gilbert and Sullivan’s premiered by the BBC Scottish Symphony The Mikado. Orchestra at Glasgow City Halls. Kriss has also Pianist Florian Uhlig has been appointed Deputy arranged Butterworth’s music for a new recording Director of the Musikhochschule in Dresden. He with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. also continues his active concert schedule with Released in April by BIS Records, the CD will performances at the Musikverein in Vienna, Leipzig include an arrangement of A Shropshire Lad Gewandhaus and Dresden Semperoper. performed by baritone James Rutherford. Composer Clive Smith’s arrangement of I Saw Three Ships has won Classic FM’s annual carol contest. The work was recorded at King’s College, Cambridge by the King’s Singers and featured on their album Christmas Presence.

UPBEAT SPRING 2016 21 IN MEMORY IN MEMORY

Timothy Bond was an academic professor at RCM alumnus John Harper was born in 1933, the Royal College of Music from the mid-1970s and attended choir school in Oxford before until 2004. Fondly remembered for the infectious taking up the bassoon at 13. He studied at enthusiasm of his history lectures, his passion Clifton College, Bristol, before attending the for the music of Schoenberg inspired countless RCM. He spent his National Service in the Royal students. Timothy was also an eminent organist Signals Band and joined the London Mozart who, as an unashamed modernist, specialised in Players in 1954. He was Principal Bassoon of the most advanced contemporary repertoire. His the London Symphony Orchestra (1955–1965), performances at the BBC Proms and Royal Festival later emigrating to Australia in the 1960s. He Hall generated considerable critical praise. Timothy worked with the ABC orchestras before joining died on 27 December 2015. the Australian Chamber Orchestra as Orchestra Manager in 1991. He died on 6 October 2015.

Composer and conductor Pierre Boulez was born on 26 March 1925 in France. He studied at Margaret Hearn, née Plummer, studied at the the Paris Conservatoire and, after graduating in RCM under Arthur Benjamin, Angus Morrison and 1945, he became established as a conductor of . She returned later and became great orchestras around the world, including the a professor of keyboard for many years. She died BBC Symphony Orchestra (1971–75) and New on 11 January 2016, aged 96. She was an York Philharmonic (1971–77). He was also the exceptional teacher, and is remembered fondly by director of the Institut de Recherche et Coordination her pupils. Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM) until 1991. Boulez was a leading compositional voice of the 20th century and his 90th birthday was celebrated John Heath Stafford was born in 1953, and across the world in 2015, including at the BBC showed early musical talent, going on to study Proms. Winner of 26 Grammys as well as multiple organ and piano at the RCM. He worked as a honours including France’s Ordre des Arts et des staff pianist for the Royal Opera House, before Lettres, Boulez was awarded Fellowship of the working at Oundle School and then Rugby School. RCM in 1976. He died on 5 January 2016. He was assistant director of music at Woodbridge School for 21 years, and artistic director of the East Anglian Academy of Organ and Early Pianist and former RCM professor Peter Element Keyboard Music. He was also an accomplished was born in Croxley Green, and began playing performer. John died on 28 October 2015, at the the piano at the age of five. He joined the Royal age of 62. College of Music in 1948, where he studied with Eric Harrison and Herbert Fryer. He made his London debut in 1954 and went on to give more Former RCM professor Marion Studholme was than 100 performances for the BBC with the major born in Blackpool on 27 June 1927. She was British orchestras. He returned to the RCM in 1959 awarded a scholarship to the RCM in 1948, to take up the position of piano professor and was where she met her future husband, singer and awarded a Fellowship of the RCM in 1982. Peter actor Andrew Downie. She had a distinguished died on 13 November 2015, aged 84. performing career, appearing with Sadler’s Wells Opera for many years, as well as on BBC radio and television. She returned to the RCM as Composer Samuel Alexander ‘Sandy’ Faris vocal professor (1975–95), and was awarded was born in County Tyrone in 1921. He studied Fellowship of the RCM in 1983. Marion died on music at Christ-Church, Oxford, where he was a 6 January 2016. Kitchener scholar, at the RCM under Richard Austin and at the Juilliard School in New York. He forged a successful career as a conductor, working with Former RCM Registrar Jasper Thorogood devoted the Carl Rosa Opera Company and Royal Ballet, his career to the development of young musicians. among others. He was a popular composer of He was Director of Music at Chingford Girls themes for television programmes. His theme for School and Felsted School and was an examiner Upstairs Downstairs, entitled Edwardians, won him for ABRSM. Most recently, he directed the an Ivor Novello Award in 1975. Sandy died on Chelmsford Cathedral Choral Foundation. He 28 September 2015, aged 94. succeeded Michael Gough Matthews as Registrar of the RCM 1984–1988, before moving to the Royal Academy of Music. He died on 23 January 2016, aged 72.

22 UPBEAT SPRING 2016 COMING SOON the at ymphony Symphony in 3 Movements Song of the Nightingale The Firebird Suite (1945 version) Capriccio Hall to Festival Royal to London’s returns Orchestra RCM Symphony The the myths and rituals exploring perform programme a thrilling all-Stravinsky behind his works. Suite; Firebird of The wizardry orchestral Expect to be captivated by the of the Nightingale; feather in a Song of a different charmed by a bird Tsoy RCM pianist Samson of award-winning by the technical feats impressed cinematic- final entertained and by Stravinsky’s Capriccio; in the virtuosic Symphony. inspired Diego Masson, conductor French delighted to welcome we’re conduct, To music. of 20th and 21st century exponents leading of the world’s one Part of the ’s Stravinsky: Myths and Rituals series supported by Vincent Meyer £5, £10, £15, £20, £25 Tickets: 020 7591 4314 Office: RCM Box www.rcm.ac.uk/stravinsky 7.30pm | Festival 7.30pm | Royal RCM Symphony Orchestra Diego Masson conductor Samson Tsoy piano Stravinsky Sunday 26 June 2016 RCM S Orchestra Hall Festival Royal RCM ONLINE

Discover more music from the Royal College of Music through our YouTube channel.

At youtube.com/RCMLondon you can:

• watch selected performances from Prince Consort Road the RCM orchestras, ensembles and London SW7 2BS International Opera School +44(0)20 7591 4300 • explore masterclasses with some of [email protected] today’s greatest performers, including www.rcm.ac.uk Sir András Schiff, and Sarah Connolly facebook.com/royalcollegeofmusic • enjoy great music from wherever you @RCMLondon are in the world youtube.com/RCMLondon

Box Office: 020 7591 4314 You can also watch selected performances weekdays 10am–4pm live from South Kensington on the RCM Upbeat: 020 7591 4730 website at www.rcm.ac.uk/live [email protected] Alumni: 020 7591 4861 [email protected]

Supporting the RCM: 020 7591 4331 [email protected]

Hiring RCM facilities: 020 7591 4764 [email protected]

Hiring RCM musicians: 020 7591 4367 [email protected]

The Royal College of Music is a registered charity. No 309268

Upbeat magazine is printed using a waterless print process. It is printed on UPM Fine Offset, which is FSC-credited, made from 100% renewable sources and Elemental Chlorine Free.