THE RCM IS WHERE YOU WILL MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO ARTIST. JP Jennings, Master of Performance 02 PROSPECTUS 2022–2023 ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC 03 TOP 10 07 09 REASONS TO ACCESS OUTSTANDING FACILITIES TAILOR YOUR STUDIES From magnificent performance spaces to state-of-the-art We are the only conservatoire to award our own accommodation, a brand-new museum and outstanding degrees right up to doctoral level, meaning you can STUDY AT THE digital resources, our excellent facilities are at your disposal. create a bespoke course to suit your aspirations. We are continually investing in our campus and our More ROYAL COLLEGE Music Campaign has transformed and expanded our OF MUSIC facilities for our students. 08 10 GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ENGAGE WITH WORLD-LEADING RESEARCH Our Creative Careers Centre offers a wealth of opportunities The RCM is renowned for its cutting-edge research, to develop your skills, perform at prestigious events and take which informs our teaching and can help you develop music into the wider community. fully as an artist. 01 04 PERFORM AND PERFECT EXPERIENCE DIGITAL INNOVATION RCM students are invited to perform in venues across Our virtual learning environment and innovative facilities London and further afield with world-leading conductors make the RCM a world leader in the use of digital and artists, and composers can hear their works brought technologies, developing your technical skills to prepare to life by RCM musicians. you for a successful career. 02 05 LEARN WITH EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSORS JOIN OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY Our dedicated and experienced professors are at the The RCM is a truly global conservatoire. Our students forefront of their fields, and many are principal players and staff come from every corner of the world to create a with London’s major orchestras and ensembles. friendly, exciting and diverse hub of music-making, allowing you to build contacts with musicians from around the globe. 03 06 PREPARE FOR YOUR FUTURE BE INSPIRED BY OUR LOCATION Follow in the footsteps of the world’s leading musicians – Situated in the heart of London and standing proudly our students have gone on to enjoy successful international opposite the Royal Albert Hall, the RCM’s location is careers for more than 135 years. the envy of the musical world. 04 PROSPECTUS 2022–2023 ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC 05 CONTENTS LIFE AT THE RCM FACULTIES 08 Welcome to the RCM 40 Brass 10 Performance Opportunities 42 Composition 14 Learning & Development 44 Conducting 16 Prepare for Your Future 46 Historical Performance 18 RCM Graduates 48 Keyboard 22 Our Location 50 Percussion 24 Studying in London 52 Strings 26 Accommodation 54 Woodwind 28 Student Support 56 Vocal & Opera 29 RCM Students’ Union 58 RCM Opera Studio 30 Our Campus & Facilities 60 RCM Professors 34 Global Opportunities www.rcm.ac.uk/faculties 36 Scholarships www.rcm.ac.uk/life PROGRAMMES HOW TO APPLY OF STUDY 70 Undergraduate Programmes 82 How to Get in Touch 72 Masters Programmes 83 Visit Us 76 Artist Diplomas 84 Applying & Auditions 78 Research Programmes 86 Fees & Funding www.rcm.ac.uk/courses www.rcm.ac.uk/apply 06 PROSPECTUS 2022–2023 ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC 07 WELCOME TO THE RCM The Royal College of Music is one of the world’s greatest conservatoires. Ranked the top institution for performing arts in the UK for six consecutive years (QS World University Rankings 2016–2021) and no.1 in Europe in 2020 and 2021, we welcome staff and students from all over the world bringing exceptional talent, creativity and inspiration. The musical opportunities you will discover here are Your career aspirations are important to us and we will give breathtaking. We hold hundreds of events each year you the guidance you need to feel confident in navigating across our magnificent performance spaces and at external the professional landscape. In a recent Higher Education venues. Two new state-of-the-art performance spaces were Statistics Agency survey (2020), of the RCM alumni who completed at the RCM in 2020, as well as new facilities graduated in 2018, 94% of survey respondents had moved for learning and collaboration. Our rich digital learning into employment or further study 15 months after graduating. environment has expanded the experience of our students, who can access greater communication with their professors We are proud of our heritage as a conservatoire that and peers via learn.rcm, our virtual learning platform. has nurtured some of the most exceptional musical talent over more than 135 years, but we also seek to push the Here at the RCM we support you as an artist. Our boundaries of music as leaders in digital innovation. professors represent the best international talent and We know that the global partnerships that enrich life are committed to nurturing you through your studies. As at the RCM are integral to our progress as an institution. an RCM musician you will be encouraged to develop by Our students are the heart of what we do and we are exploring the research behind music in practice, and will committed to supporting you as you embark on your be well placed to do so, as we were named the London journey at the College and beyond. conservatoire with the highest percentage of world-leading research in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2014). Professor Colin Lawson, Director CBE, MA (Oxon), MA, PhD, DMus, FRCM, FRNCM, We are also dedicated to preparing you for life after FLCM, HonRAM graduation. Our Creative Careers Centre gives you access to a wealth of job opportunities and can also offer training in the transferable skills and digital practices that will help you build a successful career – plus, you can access advice and support for up to five years after you graduate. 08 PROSPECTUS 2022–2023 ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC 09 We have several large ensembles in addition to our main CHAMBER MUSIC PERFORMANCE orchestras, and composers can hear their works performed You can perform solo and chamber works in our many by fellow musicians too. Solo opportunities are numerous, chamber music and song series, and all students are able to with many concert slots available each week, and students OPPORTUNITIES apply to take part in these lunchtime and rush-hour concerts. are actively encouraged and supported to form chamber There are also opportunities to play at venues across groups to help broaden their repertoire further. London and beyond, including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Performance experience is at the heart of what we offer Hall, Southbank Centre, the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, RCM ENSEMBLES Victoria and Albert Museum and local churches including students at the Royal College of Music. Your studies will The RCM Symphony Orchestra is frequently joined by some St James’s Piccadilly and St Mary Abbots, Kensington. of the world’s greatest conductors and artists, with students be filled with opportunities to take part in our events on Visiting ensembles, including the Harlem Quartet and offered remote sessions as well as in-person performance Sacconi Quartet, provide further opportunities to play opportunities. Guest artists have included Martyn Brabbins, campus and beyond, including masterclasses, solo and alongside professional performers. Vladimir Jurowski, Sir Antonio Pappano, Rafael Payare, Jac chamber recitals to large orchestral concerts and fully van Steen, Holly Mathieson, Joana Carneiro and John Wilson. CONCERTOS AND COMPETITIONS staged operas. The RCM Philharmonic’s Orchestral Masterworks series The RCM runs a regular concerto competition and the provides students regular opportunities to play the core winners receive showcase performances with our ensembles. works of the orchestral repertoire. Our other ensembles Composers are also able to win the chance to have cover a wide range of genres: contemporary music with their works rehearsed and premiered by a full orchestra. RCM New Perspectives, historical performance with the In recent years pianist Viktor Maslov played Rachmaninov’s RCM Baroque Orchestra, electronic music in our From the Piano Concerto no 3 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the Soundhouse series, and jazz and swing with the RCM RCM Symphony Orchestra; while at the RCM Timothy Edlin Swing Band and RCM Big Band. RCM conductors also sang Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death, Maja have the opportunity to lead rehearsals and concerts Horvat played Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto no 1, and with our ensembles throughout the year, and we have Ashby Mayes performed Weber’s Bassoon Concerto. close relationships with all the London orchestras, with many offering side-by-side opportunities. Our students are often part of innovative and groundbreaking projects: in 2020 this included performances with the Chineke! Orchestra and being part of virtual events such Image left as Andrea Bocelli’s Believe in Christmas concert. Our Students perform Elizabeth Maconchy’s String faculties also run competitions for a wide range of soloists Quartet no 5 for our online In Focus concert series and chamber ensembles. Image below Sir Thomas Allen performs Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw with the RCM Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Michael Rosewell 10 PROSPECTUS 2022–2023 ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC 11 OPERA PRODUCTIONS RCM composers and musicians have created music to accompany exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts, The Royal College of Music Opera Studio presents three the National Gallery and the Head On Festival, Sydney, fully staged opera performances each year, along with Australia. Our Great Exhibitionists series offers you the frequent opera scenes and special projects; in the last year, chance to devise your own experimental events with full our production of opera scenes was filmed on campus support and mentorship. Students can collaborate to create and streamed online. Some of the world’s most acclaimed and present unique projects that redefine what classical directors, designers and choreographers join us for these music means today.