YOUR FUTURE IS MUSIC’S FUTURE PROSPECTUS 2021/22 Music must always move forward. There has to be a place for new musicians to connect, collaborate and create. We are that place. A risk-taking conservatoire where the traditions of the past meet the talent of the future. Our mission: to create the music that will move the world tomorrow. This is an accessible pdf. Royal Academy of Music ©2020 Every effort has been made to ensure that the information included in this prospectus is correct at the time of publication. Please consult our website for the most accurate and up-to-date information. Please address any queries about this publication to2 [email protected] . CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION 40 OUR DEPARTMENTS 6 A message from our Principal 42 Accordion 8 Imagine yourself here 44 Brass 46 Choral Conducting 48 Composition & 10 ABOUT THE ACADEMY Contemporary music 12 Music’s future starts here 50 Conducting 14 Into our third century 52 Guitar 16 Sending music to the world 54 Harp 17 Creative partners 56 Historical Performance 58 Jazz 18 STUDENT LIFE 60 Musical Theatre 20 Your future is music’s future 62 Opera 22 The new generation 64 Organ 24 Meet your mentor 66 Piano 27 Learn by performing 68 Piano Accompaniment 28 Skills for life 70 Strings 29 Space to grow 72 Timpani & Percussion 30 Your stage awaits 74 Vocal Studies 32 Find inspiration, find knowledge 76 Woodwind 34 Musicians, united 35 All together now 78 OUR COURSES 36 London calling 80 Academy courses 38 Find your place 82 Undergraduates 39 Reaching outwards 83 One-year courses 84 Postgraduates 85 Postgraduate degrees 86 Postgraduate diplomas 88 Research 89 The art of collaboration 90 Open Academy 92 YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE 94 The next step 95 Ready to audition? 96 Tuition fees 97 Get in touch INTRODUCTION 3 4 INTRODUCTION TODAY’S ASPIRATION TOMORROW’S ARTIST We take musical potential, then challenge our students to find their own voice and develop individual excellence. From pre-school to post-doc, we help thousands of students turn aspiration into achievement. We embed risk-taking and reality into everything we do. Our graduates leave ready for a life in music. We listen outwards, continually embracing new ideas, always opening up what we do to new audiences. INTRODUCTION 5 A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL One of the biggest influences on your development as a musician will be your teacher, and at the Academy you will find the very best – their names are listed in the department pages of this prospectus. You will also work regularly with renowned visiting professors and guests – distinguished figures who are part of the Academy family – in performances and masterclasses that you will remember for the rest of your life. Indeed, the breadth and quality of collaborative opportunities here will lay the groundwork for a fulfilling musical life. As I write this, we are in Coronavirus lockdown – a situation that has brought As Britain’s oldest conservatoire, the home to all of us the importance of Academy is steeped in tradition but is music in our collective wellbeing. also one of the most progressive musical The extraordinarily special qualities of the institutions in the world. Students have Academy community have never been access to cutting-edge technology in more evident than during the various our amazing performance spaces, our stages of this crisis. In normal times, our programming is groundbreaking, and in all building resounds with music and the our disciplines, from classical to musical general hubbub of chatter and laughter theatre and jazz to composition, we as students and staff go about their encourage students to explore their business. But even while we are kept apart horizons to the limit. physically, we are finding innovative ways to connect, collaborate and create. For you, the most pressing question is probably ‘what will it actually be like to study We can’t pretend that there won’t be at the Academy?’. I hope that the pages challenges ahead as the whole world that follow – in addition to the information adjusts after the pandemic. You can be on our website – will go a long way to confident, however, that at the Academy answering this and helping you decide your individual talent will be matched to whether the Academy is the right fit for you. the opportunities and needs of the current We hope to welcome you soon. era. Musicians will need imagination, versatility and resilience as never before. Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood CBE As we turn into our 200th year of existence, we’re more confident than ever in our ability to help you realise your dreams and ambitions. 6 INTRODUCTION MOVING MUSIC FORWARD INTRODUCTION 7 IMAGINE YOURSELF HERE 8 INTRODUCTION AT THE ACADEMY YOU WILL… Hone your performance Prepare physically and skills. Our students mentally for a career at the take part in around 500 top of an ever-expanding events every year music profession Learn from the masters. Develop professional skills Experience inspiring one- that will help you thrive to-one tuition with the in today’s musical world world’s finest teachers and build your audience Work with your musical Collaborate internationally heroes. We have an with many leading illustrious roster institutions, including of visiting professors The Juilliard School Be inspired by different Showcase your talent with genres – classical, jazz, cutting-edge technology opera, musical theatre, and in our world-class historical and all forms performance spaces of new music Live in the heart of Make lifelong friends London, one of the most and professional contacts vibrant, creative cities in from around the world the world Raise your musical game Earn an internationally by working alongside respected degree awarded outstanding peers from by the Academy and the over 50 countries University of London INTRODUCTION 9 ABOUT THE ACADEMY 10 ABOUT THE ACADEMY You come to the Academy knowing that big personalities have walked through these same doors, and they were students once, just like you ABOUT THE ACADEMY 11 MUSIC’S FUTURE STARTS HERE The Royal Academy of Music moves music Every student benefits from a stimulating forward by inspiring successive generations curriculum and an ambitious range of of musicians to connect, collaborate and concerts and events. Legendary artists come create. We are the meeting point between here not just to perform, but to become the traditions of the past and the talent of mentors, friends and musical partners. the future, seeking out and supporting the musicians today whose music will move A world of music comes to us – and we the world tomorrow. send music back out into the world. As we enter our third century, our aim is to Join us and you will become part of a shape the future of music by discovering musical melting pot. Our students come and supporting talent wherever it exists. from more than 60 countries. We challenge them to find their own voice, take risks There is so much music to be made. and push boundaries. Simon Rattle, Felicity We look forward to helping you make it. Lott, Elton John and Harrison Birtwistle all learnt their craft here. We are excited to discover who’s next. 12 ABOUT THE ACADEMY 90% BMus students graduated with a first or upper second 93% MA/MMus students graduated with 550 distinction or merit performance events 881students from 61 countries 6106participants worked with Open Academy in 57 projects £4.6minvested in scholarships and financial support for talented musicians All data from 2018/19 academic year ABOUT THE ACADEMY 13 1957 Harrison Birtwistle 1991 The innovative INTO OUR studies clarinet at BMus degree the Academy is launched THIRD CENTURY The Sinfonia travels overseas for the first time, to the Republic of Korea 1800 1900 1961 Former student 1992 The refurbished 1903 Aged 13, Sir John Barbirolli Duke’s Hall reopens Myra Hess wins a becomes conductor of scholarship to study the first orchestra piano at the Academy 1822 The Royal 1968 HM Queen 1994 Ligeti attends the Academy of Music is Elizabeth The Queen 10-year anniversary founded as Britain’s 1911 The Academy Mother opens our of the International first conservatoire, moves to custom- new library Composer Festival, in Tenterden Street, built premises on which has previously Hanover Square Marylebone Road celebrated Messiaen, 1826 Carl Maria von Berio, Henze Weber conducts our and Tippett first orchestral concert 1997 The Academy is 1830 King George IV the first conservatoire grants a Royal Charter 1969 Felicity Lott to found its own becomes a student recording label 1856 Arthur Sullivan enters the Academy 1971 Simon Rattle 1998 HRH The 1923 Sir Henry Wood, becomes a student Duchess of Gloucester a former student, joins becomes the as a professor Academy’s President 1935 Junior Academy The Sinfonia makes its is founded first orchestral visit to Beijing and Tokyo 1936 Richard Strauss visits the Academy 1976 The Sir Jack 1999 The Academy 1886 Franz Liszt visits Lyons Theatre becomes the first the Academy is opened conservatoire to be admitted as a 1982 Evelyn Glennie full member of the becomes a student University of London 1-5 York Gate is 1953 HM The purchased for the Queen becomes the Academy by the Academy’s Patron Heritage Lottery Fund 14 ABOUT THE ACADEMY 2010 Honorary 2013 The Sir Elton The new Susie Doctorates are given John/Ray Cooper Sainsbury Theatre and 2000 to Stephen Sondheim, organ is installed in Angela Burgess Recital 2001 The two-year Pierre Boulez and the Duke’s Hall Hall open postgraduate Royal Daniel Barenboim Academy Opera course is introduced 2011 Royal Academy