UPBEAT SPRING 2020 THE LATEST NEWS FROM INSIDE THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC UPBEAT SPRING 2020
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HIGHLIGHTS
A SURVIVOR FROM WARSAW WITH SIR THOMAS ALLEN
In autumn, esteemed baritone and RCM alumnus Sir Thomas Allen joined the RCM Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw, conducted by Michael Rosewell.
Photos: Chris Christodoulou Front cover photo: Adam Ferguson
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Welcome to the Green Issue. As organisations across the country increasingly strive towards sustainability, our cover feature foregrounds the efforts being made by the College to go green. This magazine, and its packaging, is fully recyclable. An historic institution faces unique challenges in updating its infrastructure and systems to become more ecological, but as our feature on pages 10–11 describes, that challenge is being enthusiastically taken up all over the RCM campus. Director of Estates Aida Berhamovic tells Upbeat about the great steps already taken to make the College more environmentally friendly, as well as a long-term plan for the years ahead. As we innovate in our technical capacities and expand our educational impact, we need to build on a cultural shift towards greener practices, too. We celebrate composers Helen Grime and Errollyn Wallen, RCM alumna and professor respectively, in a feature on pages 8–9 honouring the women who have studied at and shaped the RCM. Both composers were recognised in The Queen’s New Year Honours list, adding to an ever-growing history of game-changing women in classical music. The RCM has supported and protected gender equality in musical education since its inception and is proud to see the fruits of that commitment in the accomplishments of its students, staff and alumni. Elsewhere, our news items cover a visit from Andrea Bocelli, RCM success at The Ivors Composer Awards and the launch of our Weibo channel. Do please share your own recent projects and achievements by emailing news@rcm.ac.uk. The deadline for the summer issue of Upbeat is Monday 4 May.
Professor Colin Lawson CBE FRCM, Director
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NEWS
The latest news and activities from the Royal College of Music
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CONTENTS
WELCOME TO UPBEAT
HONOURING WOMEN Women at the RCM
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GOING GREEN
Sustainability at the RCM
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Facilities Supervisor Abel Tsegaye
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SUPPORT US
STUDENT UPDATES
STAFF UPDATES
ALUMNI UPDATES
IN MEMORY
UPBEAT ONLINE Upbeat is available to read online at www.rcm.ac.uk/upbeat Please help us to reduce our carbon footprint by receiving Upbeat digitally. Update your preferences via updateyourdetails@rcm.ac.uk Director of Communications Talia Hull Editor Annie Corser Designer May Yan Man Design www.splashofpaint.com Contact news@rcm.ac.uk
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NEWS
IN THE NEWS Below Andrea Bocelli, Community Jameel and Professor Colin Lawson in the Entrance Hall at the RCM
RCM JAY MEWS
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s Spring Term 2020 kicked off, students and staff moved into RCM Jay Mews, the latest addition to the RCM Estate. The new building is home to two large rehearsal studios, a wellness centre, several smaller practice rooms and a number of staff departments, as well as Student Services, and a luthier room. Sitting opposite the Royal College of Art, Jay Mews was, since the 1970s, the home of the English National Ballet (ENB). The ballet company had its first permanent premises there, over the years expanding and redeveloping the space to accommodate its growing operation. It was here that Rudolf Nureyev created his version of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet for The Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Before the ENB settled there, Jay Mews was part of Queen Alexandra’s House, originally serving as a hostel for 130 female students studying at the RCM. One of the main rehearsal spaces was originally used as the RCM performance hall, before the Blomfield Building opened in 1894. Now, Jay Mews has become part of the RCM once more. This expansion of the campus is part of the More Music: Reimagining the Royal College of Music Campaign, and marks an exciting development in the rollout of impressive new facilities opening for students, staff and visitors.
VOCAL SCHOLARSHIP LAUNCHED BY ANDREA BOCELLI AND COMMUNITY JAMEEL
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new scholarship for RCM students has been established by an endowment from Andrea Bocelli, the celebrated tenor, and Mohammed Jameel KBE, founder of Community Jameel. The donation was marked by a visit from Bocelli and Jameel on 23 November 2019, and is a major contribution to the More Music: Reimagining the Royal College of Music Campaign. The Andrea Bocelli Foundation–Community Jameel Scholarship is designed to open doors for emerging singers, allowing them to access all the opportunities the College has to offer. It is for full-time students and will be awarded on a basis of merit and need, so talented singers can be offered the support they require to access world-class training. Bocelli commented that: ‘The Andrea Bocelli Foundation believes that music education can become an integral part of the lives of children and youth … We are thrilled to take a new step in support of our commitment to music education.’ Fady Jameel, President, International of Community Jameel, said that ‘With our goal of innovating for a better future, we have found in the Royal College of Music a global institution taking a creative approach to delivering musical education for all … We are committed to improving access to the best vocal training for aspiring, talented singers from around the world.’ RCM Director Professor Colin Lawson commented: ‘We are extremely grateful to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation and Community Jameel for their strong commitment to the Royal College of Music’s More Music Campaign. This new scholarship will give young singers each year the remarkable opportunity to study at the RCM without financial burden. One of the More Music Campaign’s key aims is to make music education available to all; philanthropic partners such as this are vital to this vision.’
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NYO SUCCESS FOR RCMJD MUSICIANS
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he RCM Junior Department is sending its highest-ever number of students to join the National Youth Orchestra this year. A total of 24 musicians have been selected. Miranda Francis, Head of Junior Programmes, said: ‘I am immensely proud of the 24 young musicians who have secured places in the NYO and the many other JD students who have been invited to join the NYO Inspire programme. I would like to thank all of the inspirational teachers and orchestral tutors here at the RCMJD for supporting these talented young musicians and helping them on their way.’ The talented musicians are: violinists Betania Johnny, Ignacy Stefanowicz, Clio Harwood, Gabriella Bavetta, Catherine Alsey, Lottie Swainston, Bronagh Lee and Ross Ah-Weng; violist Emily Fraser; cellists James Dew, Kevin Zheng and Alex Wong; oboists Antonia Holloway and Tom Kirby; clarinettists Gisela Chung Halpern, Phoenix Mombru and Iona Salter; bassoonist Aidan Campbell; horn players Brendan Connellan, Alice Knight, Anna Le Huray and Sarah Pennington; harpist Tatiana Fraser; and composer Chelsea Becker. The NYO is entirely made up of young people, and it has garnered a deserved reputation for high-energy concerts and innovative orchestral performances. The 164-strong orchestra changes its line up each year, bringing new perspectives to its work and welcoming evermore young musicians to its ranks; the NYO has supported over 5,000 musicians since its inception in 1948. This year’s success for RCMJD students continues a significant legacy; RCMJD alumnae Stephanie Childress, Elodie Chousmer-Howelles and Leora Cohen have all been appointed leader of the orchestra in recent years.
THE BIG GIVE 2019 REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
Above RCMJD students selected for the NYO outside the Blomfield Building
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he Royal College of Music has raised a net total of £122,748 in the 2019 Big Give Christmas Challenge, exceeding its fundraising target of £100,000. The campaign ran from 3 to 10 December and raised money towards the RCM Scholarships Fund, which will go towards supporting gifted students in their studies at the College. More than 80 donors contributed to the online campaign. The final figure included the matched funds generously provided by The Reed Foundation plus £14,200 in Gift Aid. On top of this, the RCM fundraising goal was achieved 24 hours before the closing time.
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC MUSEUM NEEDS YOUR HELP! We’re looking for any objects, photographs and memories that would help us to tell the story of the RCM in our brand new gallery, which opens later this year. Do you have anything you would like to share? We would love to hear from you! Please email Museum Research Assistant Dr Anna Maria Barry at
anna.barry@rcm.ac.uk
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NEWS Above Flautist Amy Gillen performs at Soirée d’Or
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY A SUCCESSFUL FOR RCM SUPPORTERS SOIRÉE D’OR TO MAKE THEIR WILL annual fundraising event Soirée FREE OF CHARGE T hed’OrRCM’s took place at the Victoria and Albert
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upporters of the RCM in England and Wales now have the opportunity to make their Will free of charge with the help of a stepby-step questionnaire provided by the online Will-writing service Bequeathed (registered with the Fundraising Regulator). Most people who use Bequeathed will leave a gift to the RCM, however large or small, although it is by no means a condition of using the service. The RCM has always benefitted enormously from legacy gifts, enabling the institution to grow and flourish. Regardless of size, every gift to the RCM left in a supporter’s Will has helped turn the College into what it is today: one of the world’s greatest conservatoires. Legacies have long helped the RCM to achieve what might not otherwise have been possible: to provide modern facilities and performance spaces; undertake research; fund performances, creative projects and fellowships; provide scholarships and career support; and facilitate enriching musical activities for the benefit of students as well as the wider public. As musical education is becoming rarer in schools, the work of the RCM is vital in ensuring that every gifted young musician has the opportunity to study here and that music-making continues to reach a wide audience. With the help of Bequeathed, you can be guided through each step of the Will-writing process at no cost, and play an important role in securing the future of music and its life-affirming power. For further information on Bequeathed, please visit bequeathed.org/royalcollegeofmusic or contact Miriam Thiede, Supporter Engagement Manager, at miriam.thiede@ rcm.ac.uk or on 020 7591 4761.
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Musuem on 4 December, raising just over £239,000 for the RCM Scholarship Fund.
Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, dinner and live performances from some of the RCM’s most talented musicians and alumni. Flautist Amy Gillen gave an exceptional solo performance of Pièce by Fauré, followed by JS Bach’s Badinerie accompanied by a string quartet of RCM students. Violinist David Nebel then played alongside the quartet, and mezzo soprano Emily Sierra and tenor Zwakele Tshabalala delighted the guests with two solo pieces before closing with a striking rendition of ‘Je te veux’ by Satie. The RCM Chamber Choir performed ‘I Wonder As I Wander’ by Rutter, as well as Pierpont’s ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, arranged by RCM Artistic Director Stephen Johns. Chairman Lord Black of Brentwood and Director Professor Colin Lawson spoke of some of the achievements of RCM students over the past year as well the success of the More Music: Reimagining the Royal College of Music Campaign. The Soirée d’Or Committee is led by Lady Carr, and the committee’s tireless efforts made this event a success and led to significant funds being raised to support talented students. A special tribute was made, at the event and in the event programme, to Mary Cosgrave, Senior Development Manager, Events and Corporate Partnerships, who worked for the RCM for over 22 years before she passed away in 2019. She will be remembered for so many things, including her very special contribution to the success of Soirée d’Or.
RCM COMPOSERS RECOGNISED AT THE IVORS ACADEMY COMPOSER AWARDS
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he RCM celebrated impressive success in the 2019 Ivors Academy Composer Awards. Nominees included 11 current and former students and staff from the RCM Composition Faculty, and four won in their categories. The success at the awards is testament to the exceptional quality within the Composition Faculty and shines a light on the impressive careers of those who have studied under its professors. Charlotte Harding, composition and saxophone alumna, won in the Community or Education Project category. Her piece, Convo, was honoured for its skill in composition as well as for bringing young people together in concert. The piece was premiered at the Royal Albert Hall on 7 March 2019, performed by a massed choir and young musicians from schools across three London boroughs. Of the nomination, Charlotte said that: ‘it was wonderful to have the opportunity to collaborate with RCM Sparks on this very special project’. Charlotte was also nominated in the Stage Works category for her piece Them, composed for BalletBoyz and performed at Sadler’s Wells.
RCM LAUNCHES WEIBO CHANNEL
Below Performance of Convo at the Royal Albert Hall
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he RCM has launched a dedicated channel on Weibo, the Chinese micro-blogging site. One of the largest social media platforms in China, Weibo has over 400 million active monthly users and is an important source of information and conversation for Chinese audiences. Weibo is one of China’s most influential social media platforms, commonly referred to as the ‘Chinese Twitter’. The RCM’s Weibo channel joins its existing WeChat channel (WeChat ID: RCMLondon) in providing valuable avenues for alumni and prospective and current students from Chinese-speaking regions, allowing them to engage with the College’s activity. The RCM Weibo channel will utilise the platform’s built-in function for sharing videos, involving Chinese audiences in the RCM’s extensive roster of performances. RCM Deputy Director Kevin Porter says that he is ‘delighted that the Royal College of Music has launched a Weibo channel, through which we will be able to engage with more people in Chinese-speaking regions than ever before. Many talented musicians from these regions enrol at the RCM each year, joining a thriving international community that includes students from over 60 different countries.’
In the Chamber Ensemble category, RCM composition professor Dr Dai Fujikura won for his Flute Concerto, co-commissioned by the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. RCM graduate Gavin Higgins won in the Orchestral category for his trombone concerto, The Book of Miracles, which was commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Finally, Charlotte Bray won in the Solo or Duo category; her piece for viola and piano, Invisible Cities, was commissioned by the Verbier Festival. The work was recently recorded for Charlotte’s second CD on the RTF Classical label.
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FEATURE
HONOURING WOMEN ‘Fifty scholarships have been established, of which twenty-five confer a free education in music, and twenty-five provide, not only a free education, but also maintenance for the scholars. Of these scholarships, half are held by boys and half by girls.’ Extract from speech of HRH The Prince of Wales, at the opening of the Royal College of Music as reported in The Times, 8 May 1883.
Two women who can testify to the role the RCM has played in shaping and encouraging their careers in music are Helen Grime and Errollyn Wallen. Grime, who studied for her Master of Music at the College, and Wallen, a composition professor at the RCM, have both forged singular paths as composers of renown, and have been honoured with awards, high-profile performances of their work and, in January, an MBE and CBE (respectively) in The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
/RCMLondon Head to the RCM’s YouTube channel to hear Head of Postgraduate Programmes Dr Natasha Loges and student ensemble the Eumelia Trio talk about their experiences of studying and performing music by female composers, inspired by this year’s International Women’s Day events.
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From its inception, the RCM set out with a mandate of providing quality musical education, with an onus on ensuring access to all those with the talent and desire to learn. This has, from the College’s very first intake, deliberately included an equal number of young women and young men, and the RCM and the classical music scene have been benefitting ever since. Gender parity in the student body is a key facet of life at the College (female students made up 50% of the College according to the 2018–19 RCM Annual Review), and there have long been efforts to encourage performances of work by female composers. But women feeling represented and nurtured in classical music also means a cultural reckoning with how women experience support and encouragement from a young age, and how they see themselves playing a part in the broader history and direction of the musical profession. Creating ths supportive environment for young women is an integral part of what the RCM sets out to achieve.
Success, or even recognition, as a female composer is far from guaranteed: the Donne: Women in Music project, released in 2018, found that 97.6% of the music (classical and contemporary) performed in three seasons across Europe in 2018/19 was written by men. But Grime and Wallen have belied these figures in exciting ways: Wallen’s Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra was the first piece by a black woman ever performed at the BBC Proms, in 1998, and in 2016 Wigmore Hall hosted a day of performances of Grime’s music, in recognition of her role as the distinguished venue’s Composer in Residence for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons. For these sorts of opportunities to be available to women in classical music, there need to be places where talent and skill is nurtured, performance and commissioning opportunities offered and professional knowledge shared, so those venturing into the professional musical world can envision a successful future. The RCM knows the value of being one of those places. As well as standalone events such as the 2014 RCM Women in Music Festival, and the College’s annual roster of events for International Women’s Day, an environment of mentorship and collaboration at the RCM places emphasis on students feeling empowered to pursue careers in music. Grime agrees. When asked about being a composer in 21st-century Britain, she said that: ‘the musical landscape
From the outset, one of the most valuable ways to empower young women to enter classical music is for them to hear strong female voices in education, and so see themselves in their examples of succesful women in the industry. It’s important too for young musicians to see inspirational figures opening up opportunities that haven’t existed before. Belize-born Wallen has made a career of breaching new frontiers, both figuratively and literally; in 2006 she composed a song in collaboration with astronaut Steve Maclean while he was aboard space shuttle STS-115. As an example for young people in education, she offers a sense of confidence and conviction, crucial in allowing young women to feel there are spaces for them to occupy in the professional sphere. In an interview in 2019 with music blog I Care if You Listen, Wallen said that: ‘music and the making of music belongs to everyone. Talent isn’t about class or wealth.’ One of the RCM’s first ever teachers when it opened in 1883 was Arabella Goddard, a celebrated pianist who had been one of the first group of recipients of the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1871. As the RCM’s first female teacher, Goddard was a pioneer, and her legacy can be felt in today’s Keyboard Faculty, led by Professor Vanessa Latarche. Young women can also be inspired towards careers in musical education by the RCM’s first female director, Dame Janet Ritterman, who led the College from 1993–2005 and who remains a VicePresident. Examples of women in leadership and education are as important to the musical community as to any other, and it is with pride that the RCM is a home for pioneering women. As well as ensuring that women play a key role in musical education, both in teaching and direction, it is vital that women’s music is studied, performed and promoted. The exciting work being done by contemporary composers such as Wallen and Grime has a valuable role to play, in both inspiring young musicians and ensuring programming is innovative and modern. Grime says that: ‘there are so many composers that I had no idea about growing up, other than maybe Clara Schumann and
Fanny Hensel, and [I] have been very pleased to realise there have always been female composers right through history.’ Education will always play a vital role in enshrining women’s roles in history. This extends both to the work that students are exposed to and discover for themselves. To that end, an effort is underway at the RCM to produce a single-source glossary of work by female composers, leading to a database that students in every faculty can filter by instrument and through which discover works written by women. Grime notes that: ‘it is so important for young composers to learn that it is actually nothing new for women to compose and that is definitely something that could be right for them.’ She goes on to touch on a wider point about the role event programming can play in redressing this gender imbalance in the music that gets to be heard. ‘It’s definitely important to raise awareness of female composers and musicians. Eventually it would obviously be great to have equality in programming so that these concerts were not one-off focus events. I think we all want our music to be programmed for many reasons, not only to group women together as a genre.’ This is the type of environment that young female musicians should both experience and be able to create for themselves. And so from forwardlooking programming to visits from successful female professionals, such as Nicola Benedetti, Holly Mathieson and Dame Sarah Connolly, the RCM will continue to explore what women excelling in their careers can offer young people just beginning in theirs.
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is incredibly rich and varied and I think what the RCM offers, in terms of training and opportunities, has a strong role in feeding into that.’ Of mentorship, she says that: ‘it can be extremely important and a great way to nurture talent.’ On 8 March, one of the events at the RCM on the 2020 International Women’s Day was a ‘Meet the Professionals’ session, at which young musicians could interact with some of the influential women making an impact in the arts.
Above Errollyn Wallen CBE Opposite Helen Grime MBE Photo: Benjamin Ealovega
Helen Grime MBE Scottish composer Helen Grime MBE studied for her MMus at the Royal College of Music. She won a British Composer Award for her Oboe Concerto in 2003. She was Associate Composer to the Hallé Orchestra from 2011–15, and was nominated in the 2015 Gramophone Awards. Her work has been premiered at the BBC Proms and at the Barbican, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. She is a Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music. Errollyn Wallen CBE Composition professor at the RCM, Errollyn Wallen CBE has received critical acclaim for work across classical and contemporary genres. Born in Belize and raised in London, she has won an Ivor Novello Award and had work commissioned for the opening of the 2012 Paralympic Games. She was included in the BBC 100 Women 2018 list, and she will feature as one of Wigmore Hall’s In Focus artists in the summer 2020 season.
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FEATURE
GOING GREEN Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time. As momentum around the globe builds, how is the Royal College of Music rising to the challenge?
TOP INITIATIVES More than 1,000 LEDs save 160,000 kWh per year New waterless urinals save 270,000 litres of water per year 25,000 demolished bricks were used to build the foundations of the new More Music development All single-use plastic cutlery has been replaced with metal reusable cutlery 50% of hot drink purchases are now made using reusable mugs All statistics used in this article are correct at time of going to print.
I’ve noticed a real change in staff and student attitudes to sustainability. Aida Berhamovic Director of Estates
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How many musicians does it take to change a light bulb? Well, over the past five years more than 1,000 bulbs have been replaced with energy-efficient LEDs across the College campus. Not only do they use less energy, they also last much longer and can be recycled at the end of their life. This is just one of a number of initiatives to minimise the College’s impact on the environment that Director of Estates Aida Berhamovic has been championing since arriving at the RCM three years ago. ‘Replacing the historical infrastructure in a building like ours is time consuming and challenging, but through a process of phased improvements we’ve made some significant steps forward’, Aida comments. ‘In 2018 we were awarded a “B” rating on the DEC framework, which is such an achievement and demonstrates how successful our programme has been. It’s amazing how even the smallest of actions, for example turning the lights off when you leave a room or your computer at the end of the day, can have such a big impact when we all do them.’ The focus over the past few years has been transforming the Prince Consort Road campus with a multi-million-pound More Music: Reimagining the Royal College of Music Campaign building development. It will offer students and visitors a series of vibrant new communal and performances spaces alongside an interactive museum for our internationally significant collections. ‘We’re really proud to be have been awarded a BREEAM rating of “Very Good” for the redevelopment’, comments Aida. ‘This is the world’s longest established method for assessing and rating the sustainability of buildings and it evaluates how efficient the building is in terms of energy and water use as well as health and wellbeing. Given that we will have nearly doubled the size of our campus as a result of these works, it’s more important than ever to ensure our buildings are working as effectively and efficiently as they can.’ One of the aspects of the new spaces that Aida is particularly excited about is the new Atrium and the Courtyard. ‘The whole area will be flooded with light. Given that we spend so much of our time indoors, being able to
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offer our students, staff and visitors a peaceful outdoor space to enjoy in the middle of bustling South Kensington will, I hope, offer them a real sense of wellbeing.’ Darren Chadwick, the RCM’s consultant from Brite Green Sustainable Strategy, added: ‘Sustainability was a key consideration during the construction project. Working closely with the contractor Gilbert-Ash, we were able to deliver some great initiatives. We reused crushed bricks from the demolished building in the new foundations, reducing our waste significantly. We also managed the impact of noise from the construction really closely and used industry-leading techniques to keep the College open throughout the construction process. The completion of the works heralds a new chapter for the College, and we have set some challenging targets to reduce our carbon emissions.’ To make a real impact on the environment there has to be a cultural shift in an organisation and according to Aida this is now happening. ‘Since I’ve been working here, I’ve noticed a real change in staff and student attitudes, particularly among the student body. It’s an issue they feel incredibly strongly about and we are always keen to hear and support their initiatives.’ One such initiative being spearheaded by RCMSU President Joel Wilson is Green Week, which runs 16–20 March. ‘This year’s theme is the small things you can do, on a day-today basis’, comments Joel. As Upbeat went to press, plans included park walks, the creation of an allotment at Prince Consort Village (the RCM’s halls of residence), a Veggie Week at the RCM Café and a concert on Friday 20 March to raise funds for the Australia bushfires relief efforts. Joel said ‘environmental issues are really important to students, and I hope we can use Green Week to start a whole range of new initiatives that will help the RCM be more environmentally friendly all year round.’ ‘Single-use’ was named Collins Dictionary’s word of the year in 2018. It defines it as ‘a term that describes items whose unchecked proliferation are blamed for damaging the environment and affecting the food chain’. It’s certainly an issue that rings true for many at the RCM and one the student body is firmly behind. Inga Ryan, who manages the catering outlet at the College, reports that ‘we have almost halved our reliance on plastic cups thanks to reward initiatives such as introducing a discount when you purchase a hot drink using a reusable mug. Last year, that equated to more than 19,000 hot drink purchases.’ The RCM now also sells a reusable coffee mug at its shop, alongside a number of other products made from sustainable and recyclable materials. Over the past year,
other initiatives have included replacing singleuse plastic knives and forks with metal reusable cutlery, introducing compostable straws and a reward scheme for anyone who brings their own Tupperware to purchase hot food. Looking forward to the next decade, Aida aims to embed sustainability across all aspects of the RCM. And there’s certainly an appetite for it. There are already experiments with digital programme notes to reduce the amount of paper used, live-streamed concerts reaching a global audience and lessons with professors all over the world using the innovative LOLA technology which allows for real-time performance and reduces the need to travel. Aida says: ‘My ultimate goal is that we are a forward-looking institution and a role model in terms of our sustainable credentials. I want to ensure a positive environment that our staff, students and visitors are proud of.’
Above Student with an RCM reusable cup in the RCM Café Photo: Phil Rowley
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COMING SOON
RCM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL This summer, musicians from the Royal College of Music visit Southbank Centre for two captivating concerts. Three Concertos: Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Ireland 7.30pm | Thursday 7 May Carneiro conducts Mahler 4 7.30pm | Monday 29 June Tickets: £5, £10, £15, £20 Concessions 25% off (limited availability)
Booking Information RCM Box Office 020 7591 4314 www.rcm.ac.uk/QEH Open Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Southbank Centre Box Office 020 3879 9555 www.southbankcentre.co.uk Open daily, 9am–8pm Transaction fees apply
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FEATURE
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: ABEL TSEGAYE Abel Tsegaye talks to Upbeat about his 18-year association with the RCM and his journey from part-time security guard to busy Facilities Supervisor.
Abel Tsegaye is not a man who enjoys being idle. When Upbeat managed to persuade him to sit down for half an hour to discuss his pivotal role at the Royal College of Music, he had been on his feet since 7.30am, working a busy morning shift. Abel is responsible for the management of the security rota at the College, among other things, ensuring that the Reception and security desks across the South Kensington campus are fully staffed and operational. It’s a vital job that ensures the safety and security of all RCM students, staff and visitors and requires Abel to coordinate two separate security agencies. It’s a good job, then, that Abel relishes work. ‘I can’t just stand around, I have to be doing something’, he says. This appetite for responsibility didn’t go unnoticed when Abel worked for the RCM as part of a security agency between 2002 and 2009. ‘I was in charge of guarding the back door of the College. One member of the RCM Facilities team in particular noticed me and recognised my potential. I had the opportunity to join the RCM full time in 2009 and in 2010 I became a Facilities Officer.’ The person who noticed Abel was Matt Wilfing, who also still works at the College as another valued member of the team Abel says he loves and is proud to be part of. Abel hasn’t always worked in security. When he first came to the UK in 2002 he initially studied to be an electrician, before joining the agency that posted him to the RCM. Originally from Ethiopia, Abel travels back to his hometown at least once a year to visit his mother. When his father sadly passed away a year and a half ago, it brought about a change for Abel in the way he is known to his colleagues. ‘My name is spelt A-b-e-l, but when I came to this country the Home Office made a mistake and spelt it A-b-i-e-l. This caused confusion when I joined the agency, and my supervisor there decided to call me Sami, because it was the name of a previous employee and easier for him.’ This decision meant that Abel was known as Sami for many years, but when his father died he decided it was time for a change. ‘My whole
family changed their surname to Tsegaye, my father’s name, as a mark of respect. At the same time I corrected the Home Office’s mistake and changed my name to Abel everywhere.’ Although he knows the change will take some getting used to for his colleagues, Abel doesn’t get annoyed if people get it wrong. ‘But it’s Abel now. Any time someone calls me Abel Tsegaye, I make my dad proud.’
Above Abel Tsegaye in the RCM Entrance Hall
Abel cites his promotion to Facilities Supervisor in 2017 and his pivotal role in significant changes to the RCM Estate as his proudest achievements during his 18-year tenure. ‘I am particularly proud of my work on RCM Jay Mews. We moved several teams from their existing offices into the new building in fewer than two days, so the staff left one office on the Friday and returned to a different one on the Monday that was all set up and ready for them.’ The hard work of Abel and his fellow team members has been vital for ensuring the smooth running of the College during recent campus changes, not least enabling students’ musicmaking to continue unhindered. ‘I’m not good with music,’ Abel confesses with a grin, candidly admitting that although he enjoys hearing music all around the College, he still chooses an Arsenal football match over a classical concert on the rare occasions he takes the weight off his busy feet.
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SUPPORT US
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC From becoming an RCM Friend to leaving a gift in your Will, there are many ways you can support the Royal College of Music. For more information, please visit www.rcm.ac.uk/ support Alternatively, contact the Development team on dae@rcm.ac.uk
Music has the power to transform lives. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, generations of gifted students from around the world have been nurtured and trained at the Royal College of Music (RCM). We would like to thank all those listed below, as well as those who wish to remain anonymous, who have made donations of £1,000 or more between 1 January 2019 and 1 January 2020. We would also like to thank those who have pledged a gift to the RCM in their Will. More Music Founding Patrons ABRSM The Estate of George Frederick Burgan The Estate of Basil Coleman The Croucher Hong Kong Charitable Foundation The Estate of Christopher Hogwood CBE HonDMus Kingdom Music Education Group Rena & Sandro Lavery National Lottery Heritage Fund Geoffrey Richards HonRCM & Valerie Richards The Estate of Neville Wathen Ruth West HonRCM & Dr Michael West Garfield Weston Foundation Leadership Supporters Jane Barker CBE FRCM Andrea Bocelli Foundation The Derek Butler Trust Philip Carne MBE HonRCM & Christine Carne Colt Clavier Collection Trust The Estate of Thomas Cottrell The Estate of John & Marjorie Coultate The Estate of Jocelyn Cruft The Estate of Margaret Dewey The Foyle Foundation The Future of Russia Foundation G & K Boyes Charitable Trust The Harry & Gylla Godwin Charitable Trust HEFCE Linda Hill HonRCM & Dr Tony Hill Sara Nelson Horner Community Jameel The Kirby Laing Foundation The Leverhulme Trust The Countess of Lichfield
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The Linbury Trust Philip Loubser Foundation The Estate of William Mealings The Mirfield Trust The Polonsky Foundation The Julia & Hans Rausing Trust The Reed Foundation & The Big Give Christmas Challenge The Estate of Michael Rimmer Victoria, Lady Robey OBE HonRCM The Estate of Emma Rose The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Dasha Shenkman OBE HonRCM Soirée d’Or Scholarships Their Serene Highnesses Prince Donatus & Princess Heidi von Hohenzollern The Wolfson Foundation Principal Supporters Amaryllis Fleming Foundation C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik AG Meredith & Denis Coleman The Estate of Heather Curry Peter & Annette Dart Fishmongers’ Company Martin Fraenkel J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust H R Taylor Trust The Harbour Foundation John Lewis Partnership The Estate of Sir Neville Marriner FRCM Rosemary Millar HonRCM & Richard Millar John Nickson & Simon Rew Pro Musica Ltd Pureland Foundation Leopold de Rothschild 1959 Charitable Trust The Estate of Humphrey Searle CBE FRCM The Peter Sowerby Foundation
The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation UK The Estate of Ivor Charles Treby The Estate of Gweneth Urquhart Van Cleef & Arpels Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement Bob & Sarah Wigley The Worshipful Company of Musicians Major Supporters The Alchemy Foundation The Art Fund Laurie Barry The Estate of Brian Guinness Clifford Brooks Finsbury Kay Huffner James & Margaret Lancaster The Estate of Zoe MacGibbon The Estate of Mary Midgley The Mills Williams Foundation The Estate of Ann M Naysmith Michael & Dorothy Needley The Estate of Dr Michael & Mrs Margot Reece Sir Simon & Lady Robertson The Estate of Frank Salter The Segelman Trust Alethea Siow & Jeremy Furniss Kathleen Beryl Sleigh Charitable Trust Richard H Stilgoe Betty Sutherland Vaseppi Trust QuiPing Wu
Supporters The Aldama Foundation Robert Anderson Arts Council England/ V&A Purchase Fund Australian International Opera Awards BAE Systems Vivien & Peter Beckwith Dr Linda Beeley Lord Black & Mark Bolland Ingbert Blüthner The Boltini Trust David Brownlow Charitable Foundation Claus & Anne Budelmann Brian & Janice Capstick Sir Roger & Lady Carr HonRCM Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM & Lady Cleaver Noël Coward Foundation The Manny & Brigitta Davidson Charitable Foundation Diane Davies Lord Davies of Abersoch CBE Douglas & Kyra Downie The Drapers’ Company Bob & Susan Eagle The Gilbert & Eileen Edgar Foundation Lesley Ferguson Fiona & Douglas Flint Irina Gaydamak Dr Chris Gibson-Smith Elaine Greenberg & Linda Perez The Estate of Jeanne Henbrey Terry Hitchcock The Honourable Society of the Knights of the Round Table Gillian Humphreys OBE HonRCM & Peter J David Sir George Iacobescu CBE & Lady Iacobescu Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells David James JMC Karaviotis Foundation Ruth Keattch David & Mary Laing Lark Music Professor Colin Lawson CBE FRCM Lee Abbey London The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust Dr Mark Levesley & Christina Hoseason Li Tzar Kai Richard LIBER Foundation Professor Christopher & Vivienne Liu The Loveday Charitable Trust Mrs Violet M Lucas Lord & Lady Lurgan Trust The Hon Richard Lyttelton & Romilly Lyttelton
The Hon Mrs Rita & Mr Ronald McAulay The Mercers’ Company Sir Peter & Lady Middleton FRCM Jamie Milford The Howard & Abby Milstein Foundation Professor Luigi & Elisabetta de Simone Niquesa Midori Nishiura HonRCM Noswad Charity Opperby Stokowski Collection Trust The Charles Peel Charitable Trust The Stanley Picker Charitable Trust Pilgrim Trust Richard Price FRCM & Sue Price Russell Race The Estate of Charles Stewart Richardson Alan Rubin Roland Saam Christopher & Anne Saul The Estate of Monika Saunders Hilda Scarth South Square Trust Peter & Dimity Spiller Steinway & Sons Bryan Stott Sir Ian Stoutzker CBE FRCM Tait Memorial Trust Gordon & Barbara Taylor Ian & Meriel Tegner Anthony Thornton Mrs Lynette Tiong Richard Toeman / Weinberger Opera Scholarship Rhoddy Voremberg Anne Wadsworth OBE & Brian Wadsworth Sir Peter & Lady Walters Marc Wassermann & Lisa Osofsky Garry Watts MBE & Carolyn Ward Anthony Weldon FRCM & Jane Weldon Professor Lord Winston & Lady Winston Henry Wood Accommodation Trust The Wyseliot Charitable Trust Core Contributors The Abinger Hammer Award Mary Batten John & Halina Bennett Vivian & Alex Bhak The Bliss Trust Gary & Eleanor Brass Peter Brooks Lady Buchanan Roger Chadder HonRCM & Rosemary Chadder Jane WY Cheung-Yung
Jonathan & Belinda Davie Heidi Degen Dr Ian & Janet Edmondson Mike J Evans Marc Feigen Lyndall Foldvary-Khouri Douglas & Adele Gardner The Estate of Joy Cynthia Garnham The Hon. Mrs Gilmour Peter Granger Margaret Guido’s Charitable Trust Julian Hardwick Lily Harriss HonRCM & Julian Harriss Greta Hemus The Derek Hill Foundation The Hintze Family Charitable Foundation Il Circolo Richard & Susan Jarvis Michael Jefferies ARCM in memory of Beryl May Jefferies (West) The James & Lucilla Joll Charitable Trust Catherine Lambert HonRCM Peter & Veronica Lofthouse Maestro Tour Management Ltd Richard Mansell-Jones Sir John Margetson Robert & Julie McCallough Marcus McDonald David Mildon Ellen Moloney Music Talks Peter Neal Humphrey Norrington OBE FRCM Ofenheim Charitable Trust Gordon Palmer Charitable Trust Kathrine Palmer Kevin Porter HonRCM Xenophon & Zoe Protopapas Thomas Purcell John & Jenny Reid Jack Steinberg Charitable Trust Sudborough Foundation Siqi Sun Janis Susskind OBE HonRCM Craig Terry Edmund Truell & Cédriane de Boucaud Paul Tucker Rev Lyndon van der Pump FRCM & Edward Brooks FRCM Veronica Wadley CBE Qing Wang Marie Wells Lifei Weng Moira Witty Juliet Woodman The Worshipful Company of Cutlers Wing-Sie Yip
RCM Legacy Ensemble Jill Anderson Robert C Andrews Brian Barker Jane Barker CBE FRCM Lord Black & Mr Mark Bolland Elizabeth Blackman Brenda Bunyan Valerie Byrom-Taylor Sir Roger & Lady Carr HonRCM Chris Christodoulou HonRCM Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM Colin Cree Katia de Peyer Dr John Donnelly Paul Duffy Lady Victoria Harrison Michael Hodges Susan Holland Catherine James Edwards Graham Fearnhead Bryan Kelly Nicholas King FRCM Matthew Knight Noel Lamont Professor Colin Lawson CBE FRCM Juliet Merz Madeleine Mitchell FRSA MMus GRSM ARCM Avril Nelson GRSM ARCM Grant Newman & Neville McDonough John Nickson & Simon Rew Humphrey Norrington OBE FRCM Sue Pudifoot-Stephens Dame Janet Ritterman DBE HonDMus Hilda Scarth William & Valerie Shackel Barbara Simmonds Robert Sutherland Frances Tait
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STUDENT UPDATES
STUDENT UPDATES COMPOSITION CONGRATULATIONS
Right The poster for Alex Ho’s stage work Below Avi Taler
CONDUCTING ACHIEVEMENTS The Bob and Beryl Harding Bursary for Young Conductors for the 2019/20 season has been awarded to Avi Taler. The bursary gives a young conductor an opportunity to assist with the Havant Symphony Orchestra.
Composer Owen Ho has jointly won First Prize at the Association of English Singers & Speakers’ Composers Song Writing Competition 2019 and won the Arcubus Ensemble Call for Scores 2020. In 2019 he also made his debut as Music Director of the Goodensemble Orchestra at Bloomsbury Festival 2019, and founded Ensemble Matters together with alto Beth Stone, clarinettist Anna Webster, violist Lena Segal, cellist Tamaki Sugimoto and pianist Michaella Livadiotis… The world premiere of composer Alex Ho’s new stage work, A Story Untold, took place at the Round Chapel in Hackney, with Alex co-directing... Composer Lara Poe has been commissioned by the Santa Fe Music Festival to write a piece for the Young Composers String Quartet Project. The piece will be premiered in August 2020. She has also been selected to take part in The Sibelius Festivals’ Nursery Garden project, with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra set to perform her orchestral piece... Doctoral composer Liam Taylor-West has been commissioned to write an encore for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Turning Points was performed by the CBSO and Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. It has been recorded and will be broadcast by BBC Radio 3.
VOCAL VICTORIES Soprano Ceferina Penny has won The Pamela Hart Third Prize in the Junior Ferrier Bursary Competition… Mezzo sopranos Annabel Kennedy and Rebecca Leggett have won Second Prize and the Audience Prize (respectively) in the Maureen Lehane Vocal Awards at Wigmore Hall. Ana Manastireanu won the Accompanist Pianist Prize.
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The Nova Caeli Wind Quintet – Layla Baratto (oboe), Julia Flint (bassoon), Olivia Gandee (horn), Robbie Marrs (clarinet) and Maria Sato (flute) – performed Nielsen’s Quintet with the RCM Wind Ensemble at St Bartholomew’s Church in January and Croydon Minster in February, alongside a world premiere by former RCM composer and bassist Darren Sng… Clarinetist Carlos Caballero has been awarded a place in this year’s European Union Youth Orchestra… Clarinettist Matt Glendening has played Principal Clarinet with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and will soon play guest Principal with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Opera House with Sir Antonio Pappano… Clarinettist Lewis Graham has performed with the City of London Sinfonia and with the orchestra of the English National Opera… Clarinettist Elliot Gresty has been playing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra – having been a member of its Future Firsts scheme – conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, and with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the orchestra of the Welsh National Opera… Saxophonist and clarinettist Mebrakh HaughtonJohnson has played with the Nu Civilisations Orchestra at the BBC Proms alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra, broadcast on BBC Radio 3. He will soon be going on tour and producing a CD with the Chineke! Orchestra.
STUDENT UPDATES
WOODWIND WINS
KEYBOARD ACCOLADES Victor Maslov has been awarded Third Prize at Società Umanitaria Piano Competition in Milan… Dmitrii Kalashnikov has won First Prize at the final of the Jacques Samuel Intercollegiate Piano Competition, which was held at Wigmore Hall. This is the second year running that the RCM has taken the top prize. Dmitrii also won First Prize at Les Etoiles du Piano International Competition in France... 2014 BBC Young Musician of the Year Martin James Bartlett has been awarded First Prize in the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York City... Thomas Kelly has won the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe Senior Intercollegiate Piano Prize with a performance of the Beethoven’s Eroica Variations... XueLin Xie has organised two charity concerts in Foshan and Shenzhen in China. Both concerts were performed by RCM students XueLin Xie, Jonathan Ma, Matthew Leung, John Lee, Angela Lau, Karrie Yip and Tiffany Cheng... Organist Daniel Floyd has been appointed as the Bert Allwood Organ Scholar at Alexandra Palace.
Above Jobine Siekman performs at the European Young Soloists Festival in Venezuela Below Daniel Floyd at Alexandra Palace
STRING SUCCESSES Cellist Tamaki Sugimoto has been accepted on to the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Foyle Future Firsts scheme… Cellist Jobine Siekman has travelled to Caracas, Venezuela, to perform in the European Young Soloists Festival. She played Schumann’s Cello Concerto with the Simón Bolívar Orchestra.
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STAFF UPDATES
STAFF UPDATES Right David Hockings, Alex Neal and RCM alumni at the Barbican
Piano professor Danny Driver recently recorded György Ligeti’s complete Études for Piano for Hyperion Records (scheduled for release in November 2020). He performed them in December 2019 in a recital recorded by BBC Radio 3. Piano professor Norma Fisher gave masterclasses at the prestigious Jerusalem Music Centre and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Her latest CD, Norma Fisher at the BBC Vol 2, was voted Gramophone Magazine Critics Choice 2019. She discussed the CD on the Gramophone podcast. Philip Headlam, conductor and coach in the Vocal and Opera Faculty, performed a vocal recital in the Marienkirche at the prestigious Kurt Weill Festival in Dessau, Germany. The concert featured songs in English by four European composers who were forced to flee persecution after the imposition of the discriminatory Nazi race policies in the 1930s. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Brass Instruments, which is edited and authored by Professor of Music Research Dr Trevor Herbert, has been listed as one of the Choice Outstanding Academic Titles of 2019 by the Association of College and Research Libraries: A Division of the American Libraries Association. Head of Percussion David Hockings and percussion professor Alex Neal were joined by RCM alumni Louise Goodwin, Joe Richards, Sam Howes and Olly Lowe in a performance of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances by the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican.
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Chair of Vocal Performance Professor Janis Kelly has announced the launch of a film, made in collaboration with Digital Production Co-ordinator Danny Holland, and supported by the RCM, about Robert Sutherland, former RCM professor and accompanist to Maria Callas on her final world tour. Vocal Repertoire Coach and Collaborative Piano Coordinator Simon Lepper, is to release a CD for Harmonia Mundi with French baritone Stéphane Degout. EPIC is an album of ballades and songs by Schubert, Brahms, Loewe, Wolf and Liszt. The record will be toured to Geneva Opera, La Monnaie, Brussels and Wigmore Hall. Natalia Luis-Bassa, undergraduate professor of Conducting, has been working with The Benedetti Foundation on the first Benedetti Sessions, launched in Glasgow, as part of Nicola Benedetti’s initiative to support young musicians and music teachers around the UK. Catherine Martin, viola d’amore professor and historical viola professor, is featured as a soloist on Odysseus and the Sorceress, a retelling of Homer’s Odyssey with words and music from English composer Rachel Stott. Violin professor Madeleine Mitchell has recorded the Grace Williams Violin Concerto live in concert with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff for Nimbus. Her album of Grace Williams’ Chamber Music with the London Chamber Ensemble, which she directed, was a ‘What a Performance’ 2019 winner. She has also recorded a new work written for her
STAFF UPDATES
by Robert Saxton with pianist Clare Hammond, which they premiered at the 2019 Three Choirs Festival together with the premiere of a forgotten work by Ivor Gurney. Head of Composition William Mival has been invited to the Shanghai International Composers Workshop at the Shanghai Conservatory, where the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Zhang Liang, performed his piece Pluen. He also gave lectures and masterclasses. Musicianship teacher Dr Jonathan Pitkin has given a paper at the 2019 International Computer Music Conference, held at New York University in a joint venture with the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival. Jonathan spoke about his QTCheck software, which assists composers writing for quarter-tone alto flute. His reviews of NYCEMF concerts have also been published in the journal Array. Early career researcher Jorge Ramos has won the Artistic Improvement in Music Scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He has also released a CD with the Movimento Patrimonial pela Música Portuguesa label. Vocal studies professor Patricia Rozario, working with the Giving Voice Society, has helped to launch the first Art Song Festival in India, in conjunction with KM Academy of Music in Chennai. The launch saw performances of Schubert, Liszt, Robert and Clara Schumann, Chausson, Rachmaninov and Vaughan Williams. Historical Violin professor Lucy Russell has released three recordings with the Fitzwilliam Quartet. A recording by Linn Records of Shostakovich Quartets nos 13, 14 and 15 received excellent reviews. In the USA, the quartet’s recording of Schubert’s A minor and
Death and the Maiden Quartets was quickly followed by a CD of Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas, released for the Acis label. Professor Ashley Solomon, Chair and Head of Historical Performance, has recorded a new CD for Channel Classics on nine original onekeyed flutes from the 17th and 18th centuries belonging to a private collector in Frankfurt. The Spohr Collection was launched at Florilegium’s Wigmore Hall concert in March, where Ashley performed on the earliest flute from 1680, brought by the collector.
Above Natalia Luis-Bassa conducting at the Benedetti Sessions in Glasgow Below Madeleine Mitchell
Polonsky Visiting Professor of Violin Maxim Vengerov is set to celebrate 40 years on stage in 2020 with a series of concerts, culminating in a gala performance at the Royal Albert Hall in June, which will feature students from the RCM. He has also signed a deal with classical music audio streaming service Idagio to release three new recordings this spring.
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ALUMNI UPDATES
ALUMNI UPDATES SHARE YOUR NEWS Tell Upbeat readers about your recent successes by emailing news@rcm.ac.uk
The Dionysus Ensemble, including cellist Léonie Adams and violinist Robert Gibbs, has played an ‘East Meets West’ fusion concert at the Indian High Commission’s Nehru Centre in Mayfair, performing classical, Bollywood and new Indian compositions. The ensemble has also delivered an education outreach project in the Solomon Islands, as part of its role as Ensemble in Residence for the Commonwealth Resounds. Violinist Emmanuel Bach has been awarded the JS Bach Prize in the 2019 Rodolfo Lipizer International Violin Competition in Italy. Composer Mark Bowden’s release, Five Memos, has been selected for the International Society for Contemporary Music World Music Days Festival 2020 in New Zealand. Mark was also nominated for an Ivors Composer Award for his saxophone concerto Sapiens, which was commissioned by the London Sinfonietta.
Below Tippett Quartet at Abbey Road Studios Opposite Thalia Myers
Pianist Yosuke Chatmaleerat has set a world record for flying a helicopter solo through the 48 contiguous US states. He spent a total of 90 hours in the air over 12 days.
Composer Connor D’Netto has written a piece for the inaugural Queensland Agent-General Award ceremony, in association with the Tait Memorial Trust.
Pianist Alan Chu has performed with the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble in the US premiere of the trilingual chamber opera Mila in New York and San Francisco. He was also invited to serve as an adjudicator for the Asia Music Competition for Young Artists in Busan, South Korea.
Pianist Laura Farré Rozada has toured North America, performing the US and Canadian premieres of works by Escaich, Djambazov, Manoury, Ben-Amots and Järventausta.
Singer and composer Denis Coleman’s new single ‘All I Wanna Know’ was released in December. Denis studied violin at the RCM Junior Department.
Soprano Milly Forrest has won the Czech Song Prize at the Emmy Destinn Singing Competition, with pianist Hamish Brown accompanying. Percussionist Louise Goodwin has been appointed as Principal Timpanist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Guitarist Jack Hancher has been awarded Second Place in the Antwerpen International Guitar Competition. Joseph Horovitz’s Jazz Harpsichord Concerto has been performed by Mahan Esfahani with the Prague Philharmonia at the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague. The Tippett Quartet, featuring violinists Jeremy Isaac and John Mills, has performed as the featured quartet in the recording of the score for Knives Out, a film by director Rian Johnson. They recorded composer Nathan Johnson’s score at Abbey Road Studios. Melanie Marshall, currently in the musical Only Fools and Horses at the Haymarket Theatre, performed a concert of classic poems set to music by Clement Ishmael at King’s Place in London. The evening included a special
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appearance by a choir made up of musical theatre performers from the West End. Pianist Thalia Myers has been awarded a Gold Badge by The Ivors Academy in recognition of her advocacy for new music. The award celebrates outstanding contributions to the musicmaking community.
An Oxfordshire Organ Book has been edited by organist Malcolm Pearce. He has also contributed an original composition, alongside work by fellow alumni Martin Ball, Richard Vendome and Magdalen Pemberton. A foreword to the volume has been provided by Thomas Trotter. Soprano Ellie Penfold and pianist Eleanor Kornas have toured the UK with their ensemble Transposed, performing Try Me, Good King by composer Libby Larsen. The group of five songs, performed in Tudor venues, incorporate Shakespearean and Tudor stories. Duo Durato, featuring David Pollock on harpsichord, has released A Bohemian in London, a new CD of Gottfried Finger’s Violin Sonatas. The recording was given five stars in BBC Music Magazine. Trio Klein, featuring violist Shiry Rashkovksy, cellist Riccardo Pes and violinist Kamila Bydlowska has finished an Italian tour, performing music by Penderecki, Francesco da Milano and Riccardo Pes alongside live painting and theatrical readings to mark the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. Castalian String Quartet, featuring violinist Daniel Roberts and cellist Christopher Graves, has won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artists Award for 2019. The awards were presented in association with BBC Radio 3, which broadcast highlights from the event including the Castalian String Quartet performing the last movement of Haydn’s Quartet op 76 no 1.
Cellist Ben Stevens has been appointed Director of Music for Hertfordshire Music Service, leading more than 500 instrumental teachers. Soprano Sara Stowe has launched her Métier CD, The Man Hurdy-gurdy and Me. The album features Howard Skempton’s music for early and folk instruments. Also featured on the recording is lute player Matthew Spring as soloist in the title track.
ALUMNI UPDATES
Left Castalian String Quartet with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artists Award
CONNECT Join our LinkedIn group at www.linkedin.com/ groups/1806681 or contact the Alumni team on alumni@rcm.ac.uk or 020 7591 4353.
Singer Seb Valentine has founded the Blue Light Symphony Orchestra (BLSO), the UK’s only orchestra made up entirely of Emergency Services personnel. The BLSO was launched with a charity concert at which more than 40 musicians played Britten’s Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes to raise money to fund musicmaking groups and music therapy. Violinist Mercel Vercammen has launched The Zoo, an album project of free violin improvisations made with eight duo partners. Her previous album from 2019, Symbiosis, was named no 27 in the top 40 albums of 2019 list by Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. Violist Bourby Webster, founder and CEO of Perth Symphony Orchestra, has been named as the 2019 Western Australian of the Year for Arts and Culture. She founded the PSO in 2011 to bring together musicians from across Western Australia. Former Fellow of Harpsichord and Continuo Claire Williams has played organ on the new Musica Secreta CD, From Darkness into Light – The Complete Lamentations of Jeremiah for Good Friday by Antoine Brumel, released on the Obsidian label. Laurie Stras, co-director of Musica Secreta, discovered the complete set of Lamentations that led to the recording.
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IN MEMORY
IN MEMORY Right Mary Cosgrave Below Brian Hawkins
Born into a large family in Dublin, Mary Cosgrave settled in London where she worked in a range of arts-related posts, taking a degree in music before joining the RCM in 1997. Unfailingly stylish, she arrived for her interview in a memorable hat and lacy gloves, and was thus considered a natural fit for a role in the Vocal and Opera Department. From there she moved to External Engagements, and later to the newly established Woodhouse Centre, where she ensured that students and alumni were comprehensively prepared for the professional life. She was refreshingly direct, issuing brisk edicts such as: ‘Get your hair cut’, ‘Clean your shoes’, and ‘Never wear that again’. She was invariably obeyed. Mary was spirited, amusing, warm, capable, direct, kind and wise. With her radiant smile, she sparkled, establishing immediate rapport and inspiring everyone to give their best. Moving into the Development and Engagement Team, she was responsible for the delivery of the RCM’s annual flagship fundraiser, the Soireé d’Or, where her eye for detail and impeccable standards ensured that the event went from strength to strength. She was awarded honorary membership of the RCM in 2005 and was loved wherever she went, bringing joy to all who knew her, and setting an incomparable example of how to live a good life and bring happiness to others, right to the very end. She passed away on 6 November 2019.
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Head of Strings at the RCM from 1992 to 2002, violist Brian Hawkins studied at the College in the 1950s. He joined the Edinburgh String Quartet in 1960, and was a founder member of the London Bach Orchestra and Principal Viola of the London Sinfonietta. Through the years he played regularly with the English Chamber Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Nash Ensemble, Vesuvius Ensemble, London Oboe Quartet, Gagliano Trio and The London Virtuosi. Brian was appointed professor of viola and chamber music at the RCM in 1967. An influential, dedicated and popular teacher, Brian’s broad musical experience enriched his one-to-one teaching and coaching across the entire String Faculty. A celebration of his life will be held in Wimbledon on the afternoon of Saturday 16 May, to which all are invited. Contact susan_sturrock@hotmail.com for details and RSVP.
Colin Mawby, born in Portsmouth on 9 May 1936, was a composer, organist and choral conductor. Following time as a young chorister at Westminster Cathedral, Mawby studied at the RCM from the age of 15. After a period as the choirmaster at Portsmouth Cathedral and then St Anne’s in Vauxhall, he returned to Westminster Cathedral, becoming Master of Music in 1961. Under his leadership, the Westminster Abbey Choir performed a papal mass at St Peter’s Basilica for Pope John Paul II. He became choral director for Radio Telefís Éireann in Dublin in 1981, and founded the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir, the RTÉ Children’s Choir and the RTÉ Chamber Choir. In 2006 he was awarded the Knighthood of the Order of St Gregory by Pope Benedict XVI for services to church music. Mawby was a prolific composer, with work including operas, settings of the Mass and organ music. He passed away on 24 November 2019, age 83. Peter Schreier, the renowned German tenor who taught and conducted at the RCM, was born in Saxony, Germany in 1935. His father was a cantor and organist, and Schreier began as a chorister in the Dresden Kreuzchor in 1945, just a few months after the city was firebombed. He felt a deep love for Dresden; he would remain in the city during the communist years, becoming one of the few international musical stars to emerge from the Eastern Bloc. Schreier joined the Dresden State Opera School in 1959 after graduating from vocal studies at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber. His debut was as First Prisoner in Fidelio in 1961 but his big breakthrough came in 1962, as Belmonte in Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio. He became a member of the Berlin State Opera in 1963, going on to sing in leading venues across Germany and Austria, and later performing in Milan, Argentina and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Philharmonics, often conducting Mozart. In 1988 he directed a recording of the St John Passion, singing the Evangelist role and the solo tenor arias. He retired from opera in 2000 but continued performing as a concert singer and conductor. He spent his last years in his country home outside of Dresden with his wife, Renate, with whom he had two sons, Torsten and Ralf. He passed away on 25 December 2019. Originally from rural Norfolk, Oriel Sutherland won an Open Foundation Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1963, studying with sopranos Isobel Baillie and Meriel St Clair. In 1970 the Incorporated Society of Musicians invited her to take part in one of their Wigmore Hall recitals for ‘Outstanding Young Artists’, the first of several highly successful London recitals. From 1970 to 1973 she held a Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Music Fellowship.
LEAVING A LEGACY By remembering the RCM in your Will you can play a significant role in helping the College continue to inspire and educate musicians of the future. For more information on leaving a legacy to the RCM, please contact Miriam Thiede on 020 7591 4761 or Miriam.Thiede@ rcm.ac.uk
Oriel decided to leave the musical world in 1978 and pursue other interests. In later life, she dedicated much of her time to her faith; she was a devoted server to her parish, and her daughter describes her as ‘a witty, steadfast and unrivalled companion’ to her friends and family. Barry Tuckwell OBE FRCM was an Australian horn player of international renown. He joined the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as Principal Horn while still a teenager, and went on to become Principal with the London Symphony Orchestra at the age of 24. He was LSO Chairman for six years. A celebrated soloist, ensemble musician and conductor, Tuckwell received three Grammy Award nominations during his career. He was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Music in 1993. He passed away on 16 January 2020.
A lauded Mozartist, he was celebrated for playing Mozart’s major tenor roles, including Tamino in The Magic Flute under the baton of Sir Colin Davis, but his repertoire was vivid and varied. He made several recordings of leider by Schubert and Schumann, and he excelled in operas by Verdi, Rossini and R Strauss. But it was with Bach that Schreier became perhaps best associated, most especially as the Evangelist in the St John Passion and St Matthew Passion. Schreier made his debut as a conductor with the Berlin Staatskapelle in 1970, and through the next decades he would take the podium with orchestras such as the New York and Vienna
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