RCM students receive opportunities for solo and communal music-making in prestigious venues with the most highly regarded guest artists.
The following includes just some of the performing opportunities that RCM students had in 2008/9,and shows what you could be part of.
Our orchestral concerts offer chances for solo performers, and are regularly conducted by the likes of Vladimir Ashkenazy, Bernard Haitink, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Sir Roger Norrington. Our operas are directed by internationally renowned directors and designers, and are reviewed in the national and international press. Our many solo concerts and chamber series see singers, pianists and all our other instrumentalists per form every week in London’s most prestigious venues. Our jazz ensembles perform with distinguished guest artists in a variety of settings.
Performance Opportunities
September 2008 to July 2009
RCM Chamber Music and Solo Performances
RCM singers and instrumentalists performed in our regular concert series at London’s most prestigious venues, including St Martin-in-the-Fields, the National Gallery, Steinway Hall, the Royal Academy of Arts, Cadogan Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and St James’s Piccadilly.
Sir Roger Norrington Resonate
8 and 10 October 2008
Fresh from conducting the Last Night of the Proms, Sir Roger Norrington conducted the RCM Symphony Orchestra and current vocal student Philip Tebb in London and Cambridge in a programme of Schubert, Mahler and Brahms.
17 October 2008
Five RCM composers collaborated with choreographers from the Ballet Rambert School on brand new dance works, per formed in the RCM’s Britten Theatre.
NOVEMBER 2008
1 November 2008
Trans “The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly Trans... the brilliant young players of the Royal College of Music.” – Daily Telegraph
“Trans was stunningly played (and acted) by the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra” – The Times The RCM International Viol Festival II 13 November 2008 John Wilson “This concert was as good as anything you’d be able to hear in any Concert Hall in London with playing of the very highest calibre and a spirit and enjoyment which comes with youth... The ending left the audience spellbound and sitting in silence at the sheer magnificence of what it had heard... A fabulous show, one of which both the students of the RCM, and the RCM itself, can be very proud.” – Music Web International
España!
11 to 14 November 2008
Some of the world’s greatest gamba players congregated at the RCM for four days of concerts, lectures and masterclasses.
The RCM alumnus and conductor took the RCM Symphony Orchestra to Cadogan Hall for a programme of Debussy, Copland and Rimsky-Korsakov.
18 to 19 November 2008
In collaboration with the London International Guitar Festival, Gary Ryan led a two-day celebration of Spanish music for guitar and keyboard.
DECEMBER 2008
La finta giardiniera RCM Sinfonietta
1 to 6 December 2008
The RCM International Opera School presented four performances of Mozart’s sparkling early opera.
4 December 2008
At Cadogan Hall, current piano student Kumi Matsuo performed the Ravel Piano Concerto for Left Hand.
JANUARY 2009 16 January 2009 Gordan Nikolitch Elliott Carter: A Celebration The Contemporary Piano
The inspirational leader of the London Symphony Orchestra directed the RCM String Band and Chamber Orchestra in Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
26 January 2009
The RCM and pianist-conductor Julian Jacobson celebrated the American composer’s 100th birthday with two concerts of his most important chamber works.
28 January 2009
Internationally celebrated composerpianist Rolf Hind visited the RCM for a masterclass and concert of contemporary classics alongside brand new works by RCM composers.
FEBRUARY 2009
4 February 2009
The Sound of Perfume Chilingirian ChamberFest @ RCM
Three RCM composers took home £1,000 prizes from this special event, after writing piano works exploring the evocative relationship between perfume and music.
14 and 15 February 2009
Resident RCM ensemble the Chilingirian Quartet led RCM chamber ensembles in a weekend of events dedicated to the music of Haydn.
MARCH 2009
5 and 7 March 2009
Britten War Requiem
After a £5 million transformation, the RCM’s concert hall re-opened with a performance by massed RCM performers of this monumental work by RCM alumnus Benjamin Britten.
“Listening to these young musicians I know that the future of the performance of classical music is in very safe hands.” – Music Web International
March to September 2009
City of
RCM chamber groups and soloists participated in the Philharmonia Orchestra’s celebration of Viennese music written between 1900 and 1935.
APRIL 2009
30 March to 2 April 2009
Our annual collaboration saw singers from the
“This annual collaboration between the London Handel Festival and the RCM has again produced a riveting show.” – The Times
“The
22 April 2009
RCM Big Band and Jazz Ensemble
The RCM’s two major jazz ensembles entertained crowds in the Britten Theatre.
April to July 2009
The Listening Gallery
RCM musicians per formed in live recitals at the
29 April 2009
Film Music Showcase
Students on the RCM’s Composition for Screen course witnessed screenings of their most recent collaborations at a special gala concert.
MAY 2009
7 May 2009
Stokowski World Première
The RCM Sinfonietta under Robin O’Neill per formed the world première of an early symphony by the celebrated RCM alumnus Leopold Stokowski, and current student Alison Murphy per formed the Ibert Flute Concerto.
“This was a concert of which any orchestra could have been proud... the RCM’s young players directed by Robin O’Neill did a remarkable job.” – Tempo
8 May 2009
RCM Percussion Showcase
“A fantastic insight into the creativity and versatility of this section of the orchestra. The student players displayed high levels of skill and musicianship, and left the audience hoping for more of the same in the future.” – Music Web International
12 May 2009
The Sound of Martinů
RCM wind players commemorated the 50th anniversary of Martinů’s death.
15 May 2009
New Perspectives
New music specialist Tim Lines directed a programme of new works by RCM composers among works by Henze, Takemitsu and Boulez.
JUNE 2009
June to July 2009
Rising Stars
Cadogan Hall once again invited RCM soloists and chamber groups to perform alongside the likes of former BBC Young Musician of the Year Guy Johnston, in a series of special recitals.
19 and 20 June 2009
Esa-Pekka Salonen
The Finnish maestro conducted the RCM Symphony Orchestra in two performances of Mahler’s mighty 9th Symphony.
“The string ensemble achieved such a full-blooded, yet rounded integration the like of which I’ve not heard in
21 June 2009
Exhibition Road Music Day
RCM musicians entertained thousands of visitors to
21 June 2009
Wigmore Hall String Showcase
RCM alumna Natalie Clein joined current students and special guests for world premières and Brahms’ String Sextet.
29 June to 4 July
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The
“Ian Judge has brought a touch of raffish magic to Kensington... The look of it is top class; how does everything else add up? Extremely well, I’m delighted to report... Utterly magical” - What’s On Stage
30 June 2009
RCM Sinfonietta
Trumpet student Robin Totterdell performed the Tomasi Trumpet Concerto, and the orchestral year came to a triumphant end with Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.
JULY 2009
July 2009
Castleton Opera
Lorin Maazel invited a dozen RCM instrumentalists to spend a month at his ranch in
“A sparkling production of Benjamin Britten's comic opera ‘Albert Herring’. The orchestral accompaniment, provided by musicians from
“A compelling Turn of the Screw... superb playing by students from
3 July 2009
RCM Brass Ensemble with Zone One Brass
RCM students joined resident ensemble Zone One Brass for a celebration of brass music.
9 July 2009
Historical Performance Day