PROSPECTUS 2020 –2021 PROSPECTUS 2020 –2021 2021 – 2020 PROSPECTUS AT THE RCM YOU RECEIVE OUTSTANDING TUITION FROM WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS IN A PLACE YOU FEEL AT HOME. Avishka Edirisinghe, Bachelor of Science in Physics and Musical Performance ROYAL COLLEGE COLLEGE ROYAL OF MUSIC OF 02— 05 TOP 10 REASONS TO STUDY AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC 2021 – 2020 PROSPECTUS PERFORM AND PERFECT ACCESS OUTSTANDING FACILITIES 01 You will have the opportunity to perform 06 From magnificent performance spaces in venues across London and further to state-of-the-art accommodation, our afield with world-leading conductors and excellent facilities are at your disposal. artists, and composers can see their works Our More Music Campaign is transforming brought to life by RCM musicians. and expanding our campus to ensure our students have the very best opportunities. LEARN WITH EXCEPTIONAL IMMERSE YOURSELF IN OUR 02 PROFESSORS 07 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY Our dedicated and experienced The RCM is a truly global conservatoire. professors are at the forefront of their Our students and staff come from every fields, and many are principal players with corner of the world to create a friendly, London’s major orchestras and ensembles. exciting and diverse hub of music-making, allowing you to build contacts with musicians from around the globe. ROYAL COLLEGE COLLEGE ROYAL PREPARE FOR YOUR FUTURE EXPERIENCE DIGITAL INNOVATION MUSIC OF 03 Follow in the footsteps of the world’s 08 Our new virtual learning environment, leading musicians – our students have cutting-edge research and innovative gone on to enjoy successful international facilities make the RCM a world-leader in careers for more than 135 years. the use of digital technologies, preparing our students for successful careers. BE INSPIRED BY OUR LOCATION TAILOR YOUR STUDIES 04 Situated in the heart of London and 09 We are the only conservatoire to award standing proudly opposite the Royal our own degrees right up to doctoral level, Albert Hall, our location is the envy of meaning you can create a bespoke course the musical world. to suit your aspirations. GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ENGAGE WITH WORLD-LEADING RESEARCH 05 Our Creative Careers Centre offers 10 countless opportunities to perform at The RCM is renowned for its thriving prestigious events and venues and to take research community, which informs our music into the wider community. teaching and can help you develop fully as an artist. 06— 07 CONTENTS 2021 – 2020 PROSPECTUS 08 LIFE AT 08 Welcome to the RCM THE RCM 10 Performance Opportunities 14 Learning & Discovery 16 Prepare for Your Future 18 RCM Alumni 22 Location 24 Studying in London 26 Accommodation 28 Student Support 29 RCM Students’ Union 30 Our Campus & Facilities 34 Global Opportunities 36 Scholarships www.rcm.ac.uk/life 40 FACULTIES 42 Brass 44 Composition ROYAL COLLEGE COLLEGE ROYAL 46 Conducting MUSIC OF 48 Historical Performance 50 Keyboard 52 Percussion 54 Strings 56 Woodwind 58 Vocal and Opera 60 RCM Opera Studio 62 RCM Professors www.rcm.ac.uk/faculties 70 ACADEMIC 72 Undergraduate Programmes PROGRAMMES 74 Masters Programmes 76 Artist Diplomas 78 Research Degrees www.rcm.ac.uk/courses 80 HOW TO 82 How to Get in Touch APPLY 83 Visit Us 84 Applying & Auditions 86 Fees & Funding www.rcm.ac.uk/apply 08— 09 The Royal College of Music is one of the world’s greatest conservatoires. Ranked the top institution for performing arts in the UK and Europe and second in the world for two consecutive years (QS World University Rankings 2017 & 2018), we welcome staff and students from all over the globe bringing exceptional THE RCM talent, creativity and inspiration. WELCOME TO 2021 – 2020 PROSPECTUS The musical opportunities you will discover We are also dedicated to preparing you here are unparalleled. We hold more than for life after graduation. Our Creative Careers 500 events each year across our magnificent Centre gives you access to a wealth of job performance spaces and at external venues, so opportunities, as well as support and advice you are sure to find an outlet for your particular on how to forge a successful career. In a recent musical interests. Higher Education Statistics Agency survey, of the RCM alumni who graduated in 2017, Here at the RCM we support you as an artist. 100% of survey respondents had moved into Our professors represent the best international employment or further study six months after talent and are committed to nurturing you through graduating. This demonstrates our continued your studies. We are delighted to have achieved commitment to supporting our musicians in their a gold rating for our outstanding teaching and career aspirations. learning for undergraduates in the first ever Teaching Excellence Framework (2017). We are proud of our heritage as a conservatoire which has nurtured some of the most exceptional As an RCM musician you will be encouraged musical talent of the last 135 years, but we also to develop by exploring the research behind seek to push the boundaries of music as leaders music in practice, and will be well placed to do in digital innovation. Our £40 million More so as we were named the London conservatoire Music Campaign will support and promote with the highest percentage of world-leading innovative academic initiatives, providing an research in the latest Research Excellence inspirational environment in which you can Framework (2014). create, research and perform music. Professor Colin Lawson, Director CBE, MA (Oxon), MA, PhD, DMus, FRCM, FRNCM, FLCM, HonRAM GOLD RATING FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHING AND LEARNING Teaching Excellence Framework (2017) ROYAL COLLEGE COLLEGE ROYAL OF MUSIC OF 10 —11 At the Royal College of Music you will have access to unmatched performance opportunities. Every year we present more than 500 events ranging from masterclasses and solo and chamber recitals to large orchestral concerts and fully staged operas, giving you as much performance experience as possible. PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES 2021 – 2020 PROSPECTUS We have several large ensembles in addition CHAMBER MUSIC to our main orchestras, and composers can You can perform solo and chamber works hear their works performed by fellow musicians in our chamber music series, and all students too. Solo opportunities are numerous, with are able to apply to take part in these many concert slots available each week, and lunchtime and rush-hour concerts. There are students are actively encouraged and supported also opportunities to play at venues across to form chamber groups to help broaden their London, including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan repertoire further. Hall, Southbank Centre, the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, the Victoria and Albert Museum and RCM ENSEMBLES churches including St James’s Piccadilly and The RCM Symphony Orchestra is frequently St Mary Abbots, Kensington. joined by some of the world’s greatest conductors Visiting ensembles, including the Harlem Quartet and artists. Recent visitors have included Bernard and Sacconi Quartet, provide further opportunities Haitink, Vladimir Ashkenazy, John Wilson, Jac to play alongside professional performers. van Steen, Rafael Payare, Thomas Zehetmair and Martin André. The RCM Philharmonic’s Orchestral Masterworks FIND OUT MORE series ensures that students have opportunities www.rcm.ac.uk/performance to play the core works of orchestral repertoire. Our other ensembles cover a wide range of genres: contemporary music with RCM New Perspectives, historical performance with the RCM Baroque Orchestra, electronic music in our From the Soundhouse series, and jazz and Image swing with the RCM Swing Band and RCM Big RCM pianist Daniel Kharitonov performing with the RCM Symphony Band. RCM conductors also lead rehearsals and Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy concerts with our ensembles throughout the year. at the Royal Festival Hall 13 12 ROYAL COLLEGE COLLEGE ROYAL OF MUSIC OF — 2021 – 2020 PROSPECTUS Ravel’s atmospheric portrait of pre-war Vienna was masterly in its orchestration, its glaring colours and shadows fully explored by the highly accomplished RCM students. John Wilson judged the work’s inherent solemnity to perfection. David Truslove for Classical Source on the RCM Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Ravel’s La valse, conducted by John Wilson CONCERTOS AND COMPETITIONS COLLABORATIONS The RCM runs a regular concerto competition There are many collaborative projects at the and the winners receive showcase performances RCM each year, both cross-faculty and with with our ensembles. Composers are also able external institutions. Principal players from the to win the chance to have their works rehearsed Chamber Orchestra of Europe visit regularly to and premiered by a full orchestra. Recently, work and perform with students. Our musicians pianist Nikola Avramovic performed Ravel’s have recently collaborated with the Salzburg Piano Concerto for the left hand with conductor Mozarteum in performances in Austria, Germany John Wilson, and composer Lara Poe’s new and London. work, Taivaanranta, was premiered by Martin André and the RCM Philharmonic. Our faculties RCM composers and musicians have created also run their own competitions for a wide music to accompany exhibitions at the Royal range of soloists and chamber ensembles. Academy of Arts and the National Gallery. Our Great Exhibitionists series offers you the chance to devise your own experimental events OPERA PRODUCTIONS with full support and mentorship. Students can The Royal College of Music Opera Studio collaborate to create and present unique projects presents three fully staged opera performances that redefine what classical music means today. each year, along with opera scenes and special projects. Some of the world’s most acclaimed FESTIVAL ATMOSPHERE directors, designers and choreographers join us for these productions, providing a professional Every year we stage many festivals which experience within a supportive environment. provide a platform for individual faculties In addition, we present biennial fully staged to showcase their talents. Our Keyboard productions of mini-operas written by RCM Festival features a live-streamed marathon of performances, while Super String Sunday and student composers.