NEWS FROM INSIDE THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC
IN THIS ISSUE
A FAREWELL INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR COLIN LAWSON
ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MAKES PROMS DEBUT
KING CHARLES III BECOMES
ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC
PATRON
It’s the people I’ll miss most
RCM Director, Professor Colin Lawson
In March, audiences were transported to glistening, extravagant 1920s Paris with Franz Lehár’s most celebrated operetta, The Merry Widow. Directed by Liam Steel, the production was received to great acclaim, with a review in Opera Magazine declaring that RCM musicians ‘sang and moved with both grace and joie de vivre’.
I am delighted that the Royal College of Music has been ranked the Global No. 1 institution for Performing Arts for the third consecutive year, and has earned the inaugural top spot for Music in the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Our musicians continue to shine on London’s concert stages, including a stunning rendition of Messiaen’s Turangalîlasymphonie at the Royal Festival Hall and a trio of concerts at Wigmore Hall. Summer brings the College’s debut performance at the BBC Proms on 25 August, with the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra playing The Planets by alumnus Gustav Holst, as well as giving the world premiere of Laulut Maaseudulta (‘Songs from the Countryside’) by alumna, composer Lara Poe. We also look forward to a number of BBC Proms featuring staff and alumni.
To be included in the next edition of Upbeat online, don’t forget to email news@rcm.ac.uk by Friday 27 September.
As I prepare to retire from the role and the College looks forward to welcoming the new Director, James Williams, this autumn, may I take this opportunity to thank all the students, staff, alumni and supporters; the last 19 years have truly been a joy.
Upbeat magazine is published three times a year, with a digital version on our website in the autumn and spring, and a printed edition in the summer. If you don’t currently receive the digital editions of Upbeat, sign up to receive it straight to your inbox at www.rcm.ac.uk/subscribe
Director of Communications Talia Hull
Editor Joanna Wyld
Contributors Jacqueline Whitbread, Stephanie Rawlins, Joanna Wyld
Designer May Yan Man
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Contact news@rcm.ac.uk
4 NEWS
The latest news and activities from the Royal College of Music
8 ‘IT’S THE PEOPLE I’LL MISS MOST’
A farewell interview with RCM Director, Professor Colin Lawson
12 ‘WARM, APPROACHABLE, INTERESTED’ Artist Alastair Adams on painting Professor Colin Lawson’s portrait
14 ALUMNI UPDATES
16 STAFF UPDATES
18 STUDENT UPDATES
20 OUR SUPPORTERS
22 IN MEMORY
The Royal College of Music has proudly maintained its position as the Global No. 1 institution for Performing Arts for the third consecutive year and earned the inaugural top spot for Music in the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
RCM Director, Professor Colin Lawson remarked: ‘This accolade is a tribute to our community of supremely talented staff, whose commitment and generosity of spirit ensure that the RCM remains a natural first choice for gifted students from around the globe.’
The rankings measure institutions worldwide based not only on strength and quality of teaching, but also on quality and output of research activity, employability, international profile and sustainability. They are compiled from the opinions of academics and employers and from analysis of research output and impact.
These latest results are in line with the recent Teaching Excellence Framework, in which the Royal College of Music achieved a Gold ranking, further highlighting the College’s commitment to excellence.
The College’s green credentials are also reflected in its ranking of first place for universities with fewer than 5,000 students in the People & Planet University League table for the second consecutive year.
The Royal College of Music is honoured that His Majesty King Charles III has chosen to become Patron of the Royal College of Music, continuing his longstanding relationship with the College. The RCM’s connection with The King, formerly HRH The Prince of Wales, spans more than 30 years, reflecting his dedication to the arts and music. He became President of the College in 1993, following Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and has visited the RCM on many occasions, meeting students and staff and conferring honours on renowned musicians. In 2021, he officially opened the RCM’s suite of new facilities.
In early May, the College also had the privilege of hosting two distinguished guests. Thangam Debbonaire MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, returned to visit the Royal College of Music, having previously trained with an RCM professor and taken an ARCM in cello. She joined the RCM Sparks lunchtime concert and spoke with students including cellist Emily Henderson, who performed an excerpt from the Cassadó Cello Suite in the new Performance Laboratory.
The following day, the Japanese Ambassador to the UK, Mr Hajime Hayashi, and Madame Hayashi, were warmly welcomed to the College. They interacted with students and enjoyed a captivating performance of Liszt by Rieko Makita, the Constant & Kit Lambert Junior Fellow. Both esteemed visitors were given tours of the College campus, where they experienced the cutting-edge technology of the RCM’s innovative new Performance Laboratory, and explored the rich historical collections housed in the RCM Museum, gaining insight into the College’s illustrious heritage and commitment to innovation.
On 25 August, the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra is set to make its BBC Proms debut, bringing Gustav Holst’s dazzling depiction of a journey through space to the Royal Albert Hall. Marking the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth, the combined forces of the Royal College of Music and Sibelius Academy symphony orchestras will guide audiences through one of his best-loved works, The Planets, with the senior College and RCM Junior Department Chamber Choirs.
Under the baton of Sakari Oramo, a seasoned BBC Proms figure and regular guest conductor at the College, the programme’s first half explores the sounds of Finland. The orchestra gives the world premiere of Laulut Maaseudulta (‘Songs from the Countryside’) by FinnishAmerican composer and Royal College of Music alumna Lara Poe, followed by the second ever Proms performance of Sibelius’ lesserknown tone poem The Wood Nymph
Throughout the BBC Proms season, RCM alumni take the stage as soloists, conductors and orchestral musicians. Highlights include the season opening on 19 July with soprano Sophie Bevan performing as soloist in Bruckner’s Psalm 150. John Wilson returns to the Proms to lead the Sinfonia of London in a programme of scintillating American classics including Copland’s ballet Billy the Kid and Gershwin’s jazz-infused Rhapsody in Blue on 4 August, while Guy Barker conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra in a programme celebrating Sarah Vaughan on 28 July. A new work by composer Dani Howard is given its world premiere by the National Youth Orchestra on 10 August, with students from the RCM Junior Department performing in the orchestra. On 26 July, RCM Junior Department alumna Laura van der Heijden performs Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s Earth, Sea, Air, a cello concerto inspired by climate change.
Throughout the eight-week festival, alumni from the RCM Vocal & Opera Faculty take to the Royal Albert Hall’s stage in a variety of performances. Baritone Hugo Herman-Wilson sings in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, while mezzo soprano Kezia Bienek performs in Glyndebourne’s Proms performance of Carmen Soprano Camilla Harris performs as Helena,
one of the four young lovers in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with Garsington Opera, and an evening of French music with the BBC Symphony Orchestra on 4 September features tenor Laurence Kilsby. Soprano Nardus Williams sings in Handel’s Messiah on 7 September and explores Women’s Stories from the Ancient World at the Proms Aberdeen on 1 September.
Elsewhere in the Proms season across the UK, cellist Clare O’Connell and soprano Ruby Hughes, both RCM alumni, join forces for an exploration of Elizabethan music and folklore at The Glasshouse, Gateshead, while Sofi Jeannin leads the BBC Singers in a series of a cappella masterpieces at the Bristol Beacon on 25 August. In Belfast, baritone James Atkinson performs song cycles by Fauré and Holmès in a chamber concert on 11 August. The season also spotlights some of the world-leading performers who teach at the College. Visiting Professor of Horn Stefan Dohr gives the UK premiere of Hans Abrahamsen’s Horn Concerto on 7 August, while Prince Consort Professor of Conducting Martyn Brabbins presents a programme of British works including music by Stanford, a founding professor of the RCM, on 13 August. Meanwhile, Brindley Sherratt, acclaimed bass and Visiting Professor of Vocal Studies, sings in Janáček’s monumental Glagolitic Mass on 28 August.
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Parvathy Baul
Photo: Tanzim Ahmed Bijoy, courtesy of Parvathy Baul
Awaken: Sufi Music & Women of South Asia, which opened on 18 June, delves into the role of women in music, poetry, Mughal miniatures and films associated with Sufism, bringing to life the often-overlooked stories of women’s roles in its male-dominated musical landscape. Illuminating their invaluable contributions through a display of items drawn from collections across the world, the exhibition reveals some of the voices, performances and instruments of Sufi women in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh from the Mughal period to present-day London.
Lead Curator of the exhibition, Attia Shiraz, often travelled to Pakistan while growing up, where she experienced the world of Sufi music – which has since fascinated her. She describes how the exhibition ‘unfolds a conversation about how women embody Sufi devotional music and rituals’, while Professor Gabriele Rossi Rognoni, Curator of the RCM exhibition, explains how it has ‘opened a wealth of new connections with a thriving music culture and community.’
Visitors can delve into the stories of women such as 16th-century Mughal princess Zeb-un-Nissa and her contribution to Sufi poetry, while Sufi saint Bulleh Shah’s poetry is showcased through Mughal miniatures by Fatima Zahra Hassan. The exhibition also highlights Parvathy Baul, a modern-day practitioner, performer and teacher of the Baul tradition, in a collection of contemporary photographs sharing depictions of female musical artists who have gained recognition in a male-dominated music industry.
Awaken: Sufi Music & Women of South Asia runs from 18 June to 20 October 2024. Entry is free and can be booked online or on the door. www.rcm.ac.uk/museum
BBC Click, the broadcaster’s flagship technology programme, recently visited the Royal College of Music to explore the impact and inner workings of the College’s new Performance Laboratory. The programme underscored the RCM’s position as a pioneer in performance innovation and shed light on the transformative influence of this technology on the future of music education and performance.
Dr George Waddell, Performance Research and Innovation Fellow, demonstrated how the Laboratory is revolutionising performance practice, from the world-leading combination of visual and acoustic technology, to the heart rate and breathing monitors and eye tracking glasses put in place to measure stress and distraction levels. Professor Aaron Williamon, Head of the RCM’s Centre for Performance Science, offered insights into the broader implications of the technology beyond the arts, drawing parallels with fields such as surgical training.
Speaking with RCM musician Josephine Shaw, the programme delved into how the facility is transforming student learning. Before giving a performance of Purcell’s Sweeter than Roses, Josephine spoke about the significance of the acoustic technology in preparing for performance, explaining that ‘getting the sense of the acoustic makes it less of a jump when you’re performing on stage, compared to the sound of the practice room’. BBC Presenter Spencer Kelly then took the spotlight, experiencing the technology first hand by giving a stand-up routine to a virtual audience, encountering the coughs, ring tones and audience distractions that the Simulator presents.
Watch on BBC iPlayer or visit www.rcm.ac.uk/ research/projects/performancelaboratory
Visitors at Kew Gardens this spring will have noticed the subtle sounds of music emerging from the blossoms around the UNESCO World Heritage site. Sounds of Blossom, a brand-new festival, ran over three weeks with six compositions celebrating Kew Gardens’ unique landscape specially written by Royal College of Music composers Louis Enright, Delyth Field, Lucy Holmes, Jasmine Morris, Daniel Musashi and Tymon Zgorzelski.
Celebrating the union of music and nature, the sounds of piano and flute by Daniel Musashi captured the essence of cherry blossom, while Lucy Holmes’ music was inspired by the coalescence of individual petals that form a blanket of colour.
Mythili Jeganathan, Visitor Programmes Producer at Kew Gardens, commented: ‘What a fantastic collaboration to have been involved with. Kew’s vast collection of blossoming plants is a favourite amongst our visitors; it is undeniable that the music inspired by Kew’s collection and composed by RCM students enhanced the visitor experience. Platforming emerging artists is a big part of the Visitor Programme teams’ work at Kew Gardens, and we look forward to collaborating more with the RCM in the future.’
Meanwhile, composition student Jack LedgerDowse was invited to write a new anthem and fanfare for the celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the Commonwealth in Parliament. Written especially for the occasion, the anthem A Celebratory Piece was premiered by five Royal College of Music trumpeters to welcome Speakers and Presidents from Commonwealth countries to a special dinner in the historic Central Lobby, also attended by Professor Colin Lawson and Kevin Porter, Director and Deputy Director of the RCM. The following day, the anthem was performed again as part of an annual flag-raising ceremony in Portcullis House, attended by Members of Parliament, High Commissioners and the Commonwealth Speakers.
The first few weeks of the Summer Term saw Royal College of Music musicians take centre stage on two of London’s leading stages: Wigmore Hall and the Royal Festival Hall. Renowned conductor Jac van Steen directed the RCM Symphony Orchestra in a spellbinding performance of Messiaen’s transcendent Turangalîla-symphonie at the Royal Festival Hall on 1 May. The monumental ten-movement work resonated through the packed-out hall, from the mystical sounds of the ondes Martenot to Thomas Kelly’s breathtaking piano cadenzas, guiding audiences through a piece that Messiaen himself described as ‘a love song; a hymn to joy’.
The same week, a trilogy of concerts at the prestigious Wigmore Hall opened with the RCM String Showcase. Penderecki’s virtuosic and lyrical Duo concertante for violin and double bass was a brilliant display of timbral contrast, followed by the impressionistic Concert à cinq by Jongen and the powerful sounds of Shostakovich’s Two Pieces for String Octet Light Perpetuum by RCM alumna Laura Snowden explored the concept of perpetual motion and the nuances of light, before the evening reached its apex with Schoenberg’s early masterpiece Verklärte Nacht (‘Transfigured Night’).
Pianist and alumnus Alexander Ullman, recipient of the 2016/17 Benjamin Britten Piano Fellowship, captivated audiences in a Wigmore Hall lunchtime recital on 1 May. Pairing Beethoven’s penultimate Piano Sonata, no 31 with Chopin’s beloved Études op 25, he showcased his musical understanding and dexterity at the keyboard. Concluding the Wigmore Hall series, musicians from the Vocal & Opera Faculty paid homage to Royal College of Music alumni Samuel ColeridgeTaylor, Joseph Horovitz and Helen Grime. At the heart of the programme was the premiere performance outside the RCM of ColeridgeTaylor’s Nourmahal’s Song, a previously unknown work that was discovered in the RCM Library in 2022.
Upbeat spoke with the Royal College of Music’s outgoing Director, Professor Colin Lawson, about his hopes for the future of music, as he prepares to step down after nearly two decades of leadership.
As Professor Colin Lawson sits in his Royal College of Music office, sunshine streaming in through windows that overlook the Royal Albert Hall, he looks so full of the joys of spring that you would never guess he’s on the cusp of retirement. ‘I’ve loved coming into College every day,’ he said during a conversation with Upbeat in which he reflected on his time as Director of the Royal College of Music. It’s this enduring enthusiasm for the music and musicians of the College that has been at the heart of his success in presiding over the institution since 2005 – the second-longest directorship since Sir Hubert Parry.
Is it the kind of role he’d ever imagined taking on? ‘No! I was a credible candidate because I’ve always worked across theory and practice – alongside my role as a clarinettist, I’ve always had academic jobs. I went from being a student at Oxford and Birmingham to roles in Aberdeen, then Sheffield, Goldsmiths and Thames Valley University – that gave me plenty of preparation. A lot of this role is about an attitude of mind, which I’m probably quite good at. I have a horror of micromanaging; I try to bring out the best in people.’
Colin’s ‘attitude of mind’ is founded on a love of music that took root when he was very young. ‘My first musical memory is sitting in the front row in Ripon Cathedral enjoying Messiah when I was five. I was absolutely transfixed. My dad taught me the recorder, then I started the piano before I was seven and the clarinet before I was eight. It’s been quite a long journey.’ At Bradford Grammar, Classics took priority; his A Levels are in Latin, Greek and Ancient History. Even so, ‘music always felt like something I’d be doing; I’ve always enjoyed it more than anything else. I joined the National Youth Orchestra when I was 13 – at the end of the row. Then the late Thea King taught me until I went to Oxford; she was a big inspiration. She had been a student at the RCM in the 1940s and lived long enough to see me as Director, which was a great thing for both of us.’
When did historical performance become a particular passion? Not until he’d undertaken research in Birmingham, ‘where I wrote an MA thesis on the technique of writing for the clarinet in the 18th century. My wife said to me: “You’re doing all this research. Why don’t you play this music as well?”’ He started collecting instruments – now numbering over 30 clarinets. ‘Before I knew it, I was playing in period orchestras and in a wind octet – I really got cracking with it seriously. It became a very important part of my life.’ Performances followed with The Hanover Band, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sir Roger Norrington’s London Classical Players. ‘I played in The Marriage of Figaro at Glyndebourne under Sir Simon Rattle in the first season that early instruments were introduced, in the old house in 1989. I came back to Don Giovanni in the new house in 1994. That was terrific.’
Colin chose to promote Druschetzky’s Concerto for three basset horns as part of his farewell concert with the RCM Symphony Orchestra, alongside clarinet professor Timothy Lines and student Hannah Shimwell. ‘One of the highlights of my time here has been performing with students and staff. I’ve always seen myself as a member of the Historical Performance Faculty – something I hope will continue. When I first came here, I gave a lecture and a recital and people were pleasantly surprised that the Director could do that.’ He is already planning some post-retirement concerts: ‘I’m going to turn myself back into a performing musician. There’s still time to do that.’
Colin’s experience of being a professional musician has undoubtedly marked him out as a Director to whom both students and staff can relate, with his understanding of the industry, the discipline of practice, and the balancing of different demands. ‘I’m in the business and for me that’s been the way through the role.’ His collaborative spirit is also integral to his approach. ‘When I first took on the role of Director I knew that the RCM must find an accommodation of mind and spirit. One has to do one’s best, and I’ve managed to surround myself with fantastic people. Every member of Directorate is the best I could imagine at what they’re doing. Once you’ve got that, the place has its own momentum.’
Colin’s conversation is peppered with heartfelt tributes to staff. The Council, for instance, ‘has been extraordinarily supportive – it’s a side to the College that many people don’t see. What you learn from a Council meeting is just how complicated the place is’. Running a conservatoire has certainly become more intricate during Colin’s tenure. ‘David Willcocks, a distinguished former Director, visited and said, “Goodness me, this place has become complicated!” In the 1980s, when Willcocks was here, there was a Director and a Bursar; someone created a timetable and that was about it. I’m most proud of having breathed a lot of oxygen into the institution. The development of the campus followed; it was a matter of evolution rather than revolution. I didn’t come here intending to revolutionise the building – it’s just happened.’
I’ve managed to surround myself with fantastic people. Every member of Directorate is the best I could imagine at what they’re doing. Once you’ve got that, the place has its own momentum
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These changes required vision and determination, and Colin acknowledges that ‘Kevin Porter, my Deputy Director, said that he didn’t know what to make of me at first, except that I was very ambitious for the College. That’s true, I have been ambitious.’ On the academic side: ‘We’ve got a much more active research agenda now, with the new Performance Laboratory, Museum grant; all these things which are very important to me.’ In terms of the estate, the More Music Campaign began in 2012 and was launched publicly in 2015 by the then Prince of Wales, now our Patron, His Majesty King Charles III, aiming to raise funds for new building work, innovative projects and outreach activities, while augmenting the College’s endowment fund to support scholarships.
Colin recalls: ‘I realised early on that the Concert Hall was leaky in terms of soundproofing. David Hill came in with the Bach Choir and there was a saxophone quartet rehearsing just outside; eventually he gave up, went out, shut them up and then carried on – and I thought, we’ve got to do something about this. I’m proud of it; that was 2009 and it scrubbed up well – it still looks good. Ten years later, we had the new Flentrop Orgelbouw organ installed. I realised how important the estate is, for morale and everything else.’ He praises the ‘amazingly active’ Development and Estates teams who collaborated on these projects. The Halls of Residence were also revitalised by 2016. As for the Café, ‘how did we get on without it? It’s the centre of gravity now. Normally the word “reimagined” is a branding thing, but the Café really has reimagined that space.’
This leads us to the role of fundraising, which Colin describes as having been ‘a steep learning curve’. Over his nearly two decades as Director of the Royal College of Music, Colin has overseen the raising of over 83 million pounds in support of the College. For the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall refurbishment, ‘we raised 5 million pounds, including a million from the government.’ The Hall is adorned with portraits of key figures in the College’s history, although Colin observes that, if there were more wall space, he’d ‘like to add some modern art, perhaps from the Royal College of Art.’ This is telling: for all his respect for the College’s heritage, he always has his eyes on the contemporary. Even so, he acknowledges that many of the challenges facing Directors are perennial: ‘Successive Directors have grappled with the same problems. The external environment has been different but it’s all about the artistic side, the estate, government, the student experience.’ He’s had some unique challenges to face as well – the financial crash, Brexit, the pandemic.
Colin has navigated the College through these storms with great assurance, and remains hopeful for the future. ‘Every institution needs a change of Director from time to time; that’s entirely healthy. James Williams has a terrific background and I’m very happy that he’s coming – he’s an inspired choice. I know that he’s also going to work on the principle of evolution rather than revolution; I’ll be delighted whatever happens. There’s a danger of an outgoing Director being gloomy’ (nothing could be further from his own outlook) – ‘but the College brand is very strong.’
The joys have far outweighed the challenges. ‘I’ve had a lot of fun.’ Personal highlights include meeting Bernard Haitink, whose modesty – ‘he didn’t like being called Maestro’ – seems to have resonated with Colin’s temperament. What will he miss most? ‘Everything. The people, the music.’ And what’s been the best thing about the role? Without hesitation: ‘The students. My hope for them is to be fulfilled as human beings and as musicians. Performing with them has been a breathtaking experience. It’s the music I’m going to remember.’
Joanna Wyld RCM Publications & Content Officer
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Photo: Chris Christodoulou
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Professor Colin Lawson with RCM Sparks Juniors
Colin has spearheaded numerous remarkable changes for the Royal College of Music throughout his tenure, particularly in advocating for talent, access and innovation. When reflecting on how he wanted to commemorate his time at the RCM, Colin proposed the establishment of a new fund to support the College. In recognition of his unwavering dedication and tireless contributions, the Colin Lawson Fund has been launched. To those who have already contributed, thank you for your generosity and camaraderie.
If you would like to learn more about this initiative and to make a gift towards the Colin Lawson Fund, please contact RCM Development Manager Natalie Matias: natalie.matias@rcm.ac.uk
Artist Alastair Adams on painting Professor Colin Lawson’s Royal College of Music portrait.
Almost every outgoing Director of the Royal College of Music has had their portrait painted, becoming a part of the living history of the College. Alastair Adams was commissioned to paint Professor Colin Lawson’s portrait following consultation with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, of which he was elected President in 2008; he is currently the Society’s Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Archivist. Alastair’s body of work includes portraits of such famous faces as Richard E Grant, Nick Frost and Tony Blair.
Upbeat asked Alastair about the process of painting Professor Colin Lawson’s portrait for the Royal College of Music.
His character comes across in the warmth of his expression. He’s very easy going: warm, open, interested in the process from an artistic perspective
What was your approach when painting Professor Colin Lawson’s portrait?
Colin invited me to visit the College so that I could get a sense of the place’s tone of voice. We looked at possible locations and I took photographs to give me ideas for compositions.
I liked the light and space of the Cotes-Burgan atrium. It was transformed during Colin’s tenure, and it’s a place where everything seems to cross over. The students and staff sit together, and there’s the modern and the traditional as you look across from the Café towards those lovely wrought-iron stairs in silhouette against the light coming from the windows in the background. I’ve enjoyed painting that light.
I started by sketching Colin. The sketching process allows you time to chat and find out more about the sitter. I returned to the studio and put together a composition of how I might place Colin into the College environment. Then I painted him on location, which was great because everybody in the Café watched – it became an inclusive process.
I refined the composition so that I could work in the studio from the photographs I took of Colin and the building. It’s a blended process and eventually it all comes together –but you don’t know what the final portrait will look like when you start. That’s where trust comes in. You have to go through the process and arrive at a finishing point – a bit like composing a piece of music.
How important is the RCM setting in this portrait?
You’ll be able to see the daily life of the institution going on in the background. If people can relate to a portrait’s setting and know what it’s like to be coming and going in those places, they feel included. They know what it’s like to be there, so they can empathise with the portrait; they feel as though it belongs to them.
There are some fantastic portraits in the Royal College of Music. The Vaughan Williams portrait by Gerald Festus Kelly is a seminal representation of his character – an absolutely fantastic painting. It’s good to look at the portraits in situ because you get an idea of scale and immediacy. I hope that Colin’s portrait tells you a lot about the place as well as the person. It’s about bringing everything together in one place – that’s what I hope the final portrait will do.
Tell us more about the experience of working with Colin.
Colin has been very generous with his time. Coming from an artistic background, he understands how much preparation goes into the final result. He came for a sitting in the studio – I don’t let people into my studio very often because it’s not terribly glamorous, but he pointed out that when people practise music at home, their surroundings aren’t as glamorous as concert halls. That made me feel better.
If somebody gives you the benefit of their time and are happy to relate to you, it makes the process easier. Artists are often more open; they’re prepared to take risks. Colin has always been open and as a result we’ve been able to talk about all sorts of subjects – we have connections and experiences in common. I haven’t persuaded him to play anything for me yet but I’m determined to – he’s seen me paint, so I’d like to hear him play.
You get a sense of his warm, approachable manner, and that helps to add colour to the portrait. His character comes across in the warmth of his expression. He’s very easy going: warm, open, interested in the process from an artistic perspective. I like the idea that both education and the artistry involved in music and painting have been able to come together to produce this final statement. It’s been good fun.
Joanna Wyld RCM Publications & Content Officer
Royal College of Music Museum Curator, Professor Gabriele Rossi Rognoni, told Upbeat: ‘Portraits often have the power to capture the Director’s personality and their most notable achievements in office. Portraits are commissioned directly by Council and the group currently includes seven works, mostly on display in the Director’s corridor and in the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall. While the College did not commission portraits for its first two Directors – which were eventually acquired at a later date – it was with the third Director, Sir Hugh Allen, that the tradition was established to commission portraits to mark Directors’ retirements.’
Royal College of Music Librarian, Peter Linnitt, explained to Upbeat that not every portrayal of Directors has been painted: ‘Sir George Grove is the only Director who is represented in our collection with both a portrait and a bronze bust. We do not have a painted portrait of Sir Hubert Parry, but we do have a bronze bust of him.’
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Violinist Esther Abrami starred in the BST Hyde Park Open House All Things Orchestral event in June.
Avril Anderson, alumna and former composition teacher at the RCM Junior Department, received a performance of her work Repetitive Strain for organ solo, given by David Pipe at Huddersfield Town Hall and in Contu, Milan.
Alumni ensemble BLOCK4 Recorder Quartet, comprising Emily Bannister, Verena Barié, Rosie Land and Daniel Scott, have released their debut album, Beneath a Pale Moon, intertwining early works with contemporary compositions, including music by RCM alumnus Andrew Crossley
In April, pianist Isolda Crespi performed Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto with the Artave Orchestra in Portugal, conducted by RCM Head of Conducting, Toby Purser
On 6 May, countertenor Hugh Cutting, harpist Tara Viscardi and Daniel Murphy on guitar/ lute, performed alongside violist Leo Appel at Wigmore Hall in a recital broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. The programme included one of Tara Viscardi’s compositions as well as several of her arrangements.
Composer John Griffiths was a winner at this year’s BMI Composer Awards.
Composer Dani Howard’s album of Orchestral Works was released in March on the Rubicon label, performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and trombonist Peter Moore conducted by Michael Seal and fellow alumnus, Pablo Urbina
Anthony Inglis conducted a recording of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade with the National Symphony Orchestra at Henry Wood Hall in London.
Pianist Lucas Krupinski was soloist in Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto in a performance in March with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall.
Trumpeter Niall O’Sullivan performed as a soloist in Baroque to Broadway with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in March.
Lara Poe is featured composer at Korsholm Music Festival in Finland and with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra for the 2024/25 season.
Cellist Idlir Shyti has released an album of 20th-century works named Intercourse of Fire and Water after the title track, a world premiere recording of a piece by Tan Dun.
Gemma Summerfield made her debut at the Royal Opera House in May, singing Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen and sharing the stage with RCM alumnus, bass Jamie Woollard, as Zuniga.
In May, David Sutton-Anderson, alumnus and former Head of Composition and Musicianship at the RCM Junior Department, received performances of his Mandolin Concerto Shadow of Golden Dream at Brighton Festival given by The Fretful Federation, and of his Falcon Duets in St Mary’s, Wanstead performed by Melanie Henry and Opus Sax.
Composer Christopher Tin was commissioned to write a new ending to Puccini’s Turandot, which was premiered to critical acclaim at the Kennedy Center in May.
Composer, arranger and conductor Gareth Valentine was appointed Musical Director of the Olivier Awards, broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall in April. He is conducting Tulsa Ballet in Cleveland in a ballet he wrote to a commission from English National Ballet, and is due to take Sinatra: The Musical to Broadway in 2025.
Pianist Silu Wang released her latest album, Caress, in April, featuring her own arrangements of film themes.
Clarinettist Michael Whight performs on a new album of contemporary works, Nexus, including music by RCM Senior Research Fellow in Composition, Dr Mark-Anthony Turnage
Baritone Peter Brathwaite’s family history of Barbados, Not All of Me Will Die, is scheduled for publication in 2026/27. Peter’s recreation of the Toussaint L’Ouverture portrait is now on display at the National Portrait Gallery, where visitors can hear a clip of the RCM Philharmonic’s recording of Toussaint L’Ouverture by alumnus Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
Nicholas McCarthy was interviewed in The Sunday Times in March discussing his recent performances at the Southbank Centre and his trailblazing achievements as a pianist born with one hand.
Pianist Constance Bignell turned 100 on 3 May. Her fond memories of the RCM Junior Department include meeting Sir Thomas Beecham and William Lloyd Webber.
Jonatan Bougt (lute) and David López Ibáñez (violin) won First Prize in the Royal Over-Seas League Mixed Ensemble Competition in March as part of the early music group Apollo’s Cabinet, which also performed at the Gold Medal Final at Wigmore Hall. Jonatan won Joint First Prize in the Overstrand Festival of Early Music Lute Competition in April.
Soprano Charlotte Bowden was placed joint second in the International Handel Singing Competition 2024.
Composer Jingyu Chen has won the Tōru Takemitsu Composition Prize.
Pianist Lucy Colquhoun and violinist Laure Chan have been named as BBC Music Magazine Rising Stars for 2024.
Soprano Gabriella Di Laccio and her Donne Foundation broke the Guinness World Record for the Longest Acoustic Music Live-Streamed Concert with a 26-hour concert championing gender equality and inclusion. Let HER MUSIC Play featured 96 musicians – including RCM Governance Services Administrator and Clerk to Council Sharon Moloney – performing music by 140 women and non-binary composers, streamed live to over 10,000 viewers in more than 50 countries.
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has been made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter by the RCM’s patron, His Majesty King Charles III.
Dr Rebecca Moseley-Morgan has been awarded her PhD in voice science from University College London with her thesis, ‘A Longitudinal Study of Vocal Functionality and Longevity in the Mature Female Singer’. She presents her work at the Pan European Voice Conference in Santander in September.
In May, mezzo soprano Emily Sierra was awarded the Sarah Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation.
As cellist of the Fibonacci Quartet, Findlay Spence has been selected as a Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) 2024 Artist.
Conductor John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London won the BBC Music Magazine Recording of the Year Award for their second volume of English Music for Strings on Chandos, featuring works by RCM alumni Vaughan Williams and Howells; they also won the BBC Music Magazine Opera Award for their recording of the original version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Left Jonatan Bougt with his Overstrand Festival certificate
Below left Gabriella Di Lacco with her Donne Foundation Guinness World Record
Photo: Marcelo Quiñónez Saez
Photo: Chris Christodoulou
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The RCM’s new Head of Strings, Gary Ryan
Photo: Chris Beston
Stephen Johns, Artistic Director of the Royal College of Music, steps down from his role in September having been in this post for 14 years – the first person to take on this newly created position. Stephen said: ‘It has been a great privilege to work with such exceptional colleagues and students. I am immensely proud of all that we have achieved together and will leave with memories of outstanding student music-making, extraordinary graduate achievements, and the warm and close friendship of colleagues.’
Gary Ryan has been appointed Head of Strings at the Royal College of Music. He said of the appointment: ‘The RCM is a truly extraordinary musical environment which I consider my musical home and I am excited to lead the String Faculty forward into a new era, working in partnership with our outstanding students and world-leading professors.’
Dr Ed Bennett is one of eight new members elected to Aosdána, the affiliation of creative artists in Ireland, at its 42nd General Assembly.
Musicianship teacher Dr Oliver Chandler has been awarded the inaugural Adele Katz Early Career Researcher Award by the Society for Music Analysis.
Recorder professor Dr Sarah Jeffery’s YouTube channel ‘Team Recorder’, with over 200,000 followers, has been nominated for a REMA European Early Music Award for ‘Media Piece 2024’ in the category of audience engagement.
Trumpet professor Paul Sharp has coordinated the Michael Laird Prize for Historic Brass, honouring the legacy of former RCM trumpet professor, Michael Laird, who was welcomed back to the College to hear a performance by the award’s inaugural recipient, Libby Foxley Visiting Professor of Vocal Studies Nicky Spence was made President of the Independent Society of Musicians in April.
Composition professor Errollyn Wallen’s music was featured in a recording that garnered the Premiere Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2024, alongside works by alumni Elisabeth Lutyens and Elizabeth Maconchy. Errollyn Wallen was also among those selected by BBC Ten Pieces to mark its tenth anniversary with a collection of works by women composers.
Prince Consort Professor of Conducting Martyn Brabbins has conducted the first commercial recording of the opera New Year by alumnus Sir Michael Tippett.
Composition professor Kenneth Hesketh’s orchestral work PatterSongs will be given its London premiere at the Barbican in October by the Sinfonia of London conducted by alumnus John Wilson. Hesketh’s chapter in The Cambridge Companion to Composition was published in June, and his album Hände – music for piano with Clare Hammond is released this year on Paladino Music, including a piece dedicated to the late RCM professor Joseph Horovitz.
Joy Hill, conductor of the RCM Junior Department Chamber Choir, Advanced Vocal Ensemble and Upper Voices, performed with Vigala Singers (the RCMJD alumni choir) in the Santa Barbara Basilica in Italy, including a world premiere by RCM alumnus Gabriel Jackson, In the Meadows at Mantua Martyn Noble, accompanist and organ teacher at the RCMJD, played the Antegnati organ, and the choir performed the ‘Sanctus’ from his Mass in D minor.
Founded by RCM piano professor Dina Parakhina and pianist Oscar Caravaca with the support of RCM Head of Keyboard Professor Vanessa Latarche, the ‘Torre de Canyamel’ International Piano Festival and Academy marks its tenth anniversary this summer, providing a concert platform for RCM international students and alumni.
Movement Coach Desireé Kongerød has co-created a comedy musical magic show which was premiered in May ahead of a national tour in spring 2025.
Vocal repertoire coach and collaborative piano professor Simon Lepper will perform with soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn at the St Magnus Festival and Edinburgh International Festival, including works by alumnus Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
professor Madeleine Mitchell undertook a tour of Japan including Kyoto City University of the Arts, partnered with the RCM. She has won the Stuart Burrows Award from the Welsh Music Guild for a musician who has promoted Welsh music, and contributed a solo piece for Lord Michael Berkeley’s album Collaborations, released in June. Her Red Violin festival takes place in Leeds in October, including the release of the London Chamber Ensemble Quartet premiere recordings of Howells and Wood for SOMM, supported by RCM Research.
In March, academic and composition professor Dr Jonathan Pitkin travelled to the 30th edition of the Ateliers du Forum at IRCAM, Paris, to present his electronic piece Study: Boots... and the software package he developed to realise it.
Marketing Manager for Events Stephanie Rawlins is singing with the Crouch End Festival Chorus in Verdi’s Requiem at the BBC Proms.
RCM researcher Dr Maiko Kawabata has been championing the music of Japanese composer Kikuko Kanai, including the UK premiere of Capriccio Okinawa with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Dr Neta Spiro, RCM Reader in Performance Science, showcased her research in ‘Brief Encounters’ at the Science Museum Love Lates event. She also launched the Musical Care in Dialogue series with a discussion co-led by RCM Director of Music Education, Dr Dave Camlin
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Bassoonist Emily Ambrose has been awarded a place on the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Emerging Musicians Fellowship scheme for the 2024/25 season, working with the orchestra during rehearsals, performances, training and education.
Baritone Daniel Barrett, mezzo soprano Ellen Pearson and tenor Marcus Swietlicki were named as Opera Holland Park 2024 Young Artists, in which capacity they are performing in The Barber of Seville during the summer. Ellen also won first prize in the Charles Wood International Song Competition in Northern Ireland.
Berniya Hamie was awarded one of three Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Piano Scholarships for 2024.
Rianna Henriques has been playing saxophone with the multiple BRIT awardwinner RAYE at the BRIT Awards, at the Hilton Honors Secret Social, on The Jonathan Ross Show, and at the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend and Reading and Leeds festivals. Rianna will also be playing on the RAYE world tour.
Composer Lucy Holmes has won a place on Britten Sinfonia’s Opus 1 scheme.
Tenor Dafydd Jones joins the Bayerische Staatsoper Young Artist Studio in September. He will join RCM alumni Emily Sierra, Seonwoo Lee and Joel Williams in performances throughout the season.
Pianist Thomas Luke has been accepted as a Young Artist Performer for the PianoTexas International Festival & Academy 2024. This takes place in Fort Worth, Texas, and consists of lessons, masterclasses, concerts and a concerto competition. Only 24 participants from around the world are selected to be Young Artist Performers.
Oliver Lee (Tait Trust Scholar) performed in the Andorra International Saxophone Competition and at the Andorra Sax Fest.
Ilayda Oguz became the youngest and only female prize winner at the International İhsan Doğramacı Composition Competition, for which she was awarded Honourable Mention for her orchestral piece Ben o yılların macerasından geldim... (‘I came from the adventure of those years...’).
Lord and Lady Lurgan Collaborative Piano Fellow Ella O’Neill and alumnus, tenor Laurence Kilsby released their debut album Awakenings in June, including The Seal Man by alumna Rebecca Clarke.
Doctoral composer Jorge Ramos’ Keep Up! for alto saxophone and electronics was featured on the album Windsor Project by Ricardo Pires, a release that has been nominated for Best Classical Music Album at the PLAY Awards. Jorge Ramos’ Passage was played at the Porto Planetarium Dome, and his immersive opera Yum! was performed at the Grand Thêàtre de Luxembourg.
Four members of the RCM Junior Department/ Future Talent pathways programme Safia Andjar, Esra Emin, Zine Ôzmen Akkaya and Daphne Queyquep were invited as Music Masters graduates to play in a chamber masterclass with Randall Goosby in the Purcell Room.
RCM Junior Department pianist Aidan Zhao has been made one of the Lang Lang Young Scholars 2024–26 – one of only five young scholars in Europe.
In April, organists from the Keyboard Faculty visited North Germany to play historic organs once played by the likes of Lübeck, Buxtehude and Bach.
In May, Sacha Bistany won the Royal College of Music Guitar Prize, held in the West Parry Room.
Several RCM musicians were placed at the Ferrier Awards 2024: soprano Madeline Boreham received Second Prize, soprano Charlotte Kennedy was awarded the Loveday Song Prize, and the Accompanists Prize was awarded to Firoze Madon
The Joan Chissell Schumann Competition Final took place in April. Madeline Boreham won First Prize in the Vocal Awards, with Second Prize awarded to soprano Ceferina Penny and Third Prize to mezzo soprano Lily Mo Browne For the Pianist Awards, First Prize was awarded to Francesca Lauri, Second Prize to Archie Bonham and Third Prize to George Campbell
At the Somerset Song Prize held in May, Lily Mo Browne won First Prize, and pianist Abhisri Chaudhuri received the Audience Prize and Wellhayes Award.
Ryan Collis has won the National Centre for Early Music Young Composer Award 2024 in the age 19–25 category. His work Lux Divinae will be premiered by the Tallis Scholars at Saffron Hall in October, and later broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Double bassist Will Duerden has been selected as a BBC Music Magazine Rising Star for 2024, while violinist Katherine Yoon and violinist and alumna Yume Fujise from the Kleio Quartet have been made BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists for 2024–26.
Pianist Amiri Harewood has been selected as a Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) 2024 Artist, and won the Kerr Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Pianist of Promise in the Royal Over-Seas League keyboard section finals.
In May, Adrian Henke won First Prize at the Watford International Piano Competition.
Misha Kaploukhii won First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Sheepdrove Intercollegiate Piano Competition in May.
Carne Junior Fellow, violinist Lucilla Rose Mariotti, received the Daniele Gay Award 2024, leading to a performance at the Sale Apollinee of the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, and another at the awards ceremony at the Tempio Valdese in Milan.
Paul Mnatsakanov won the Kendall Taylor Beethoven Piano Competition 2024, with the Second Prize awarded to Wong Kai Chit Jack. Highly commended students were Kevin Kao, Marco Procacci, Zvjezdan Vojvodić and Hong Zhan
Mezzo soprano Ellen Pearson and collaborative pianist Archie Bonham won First Prizes and Best Duo Prize at the Ashburnham English Song Awards.
Violinist Deniz Sensoy, cellist Marion Portelance and pianist Cristiana Achim won Second Prize in May’s Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition. Cristiana Achim has also created Piano-Travel, described as the first online music events and travel guide exclusively dedicated to pianists.
Radu-Gabriel Stoica won First Prize and Special Prize at the Frédéric Chopin International Piano Competition held in May in Bacău, Romania.
Composer Alisa Zaika has won First Prize in the New York Cantori Competition.
The RCM Junior Department’s ACE Trio won First Prize in the under 17s category of the 28th Giulio Rospigliosi International Chamber Music Competition in Italy, as well as receiving the Audience Choice Award.
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Madeline Boreham, Charlotte Kennedy, Firoze Madon (right) at the Ferrier Awards with Matthew McKinney
Photo: Emma Brown
Photography Above
Lucilla Rose Mariotti
Left
Composer Ryan Collis
Photo: Charlie Kirkpatrick
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 at 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. 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 May 2023 and 30 April 2024.
We would also like to thank those who have pledged a gift to the RCM in their Will.
The RCM Legacy Ensemble was launched in 2019 to acknowledge the generosity of those who pledge a gift to the RCM in their Will and to celebrate the life-changing impact of the bequests we receive.
Founding Patrons
Amaryllis Fleming Foundation
The Estate of George Frederick Burgan
The Estate of Basil Coleman
Victor Ford Foundation on behalf of Ramona & Trevor Swale
The Croucher Hong Kong Charitable Trust
The Estate of Christopher Hogwood CBE HonDMus
Kingdom Music Education Group
Sandro & Rena Lavery HonRCM
The Leverhulme Trust
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Geoffrey Richards HonRCM & Valerie Richards
The Estate of Neville Wathen
Ruth West HonRCM & the late
Dr Michael West
Garfield Weston Foundation
The Wolfson Foundation
Leadership Supporters
The Estate of Jill Anderson
Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne
Jane Barker CBE FRCM
Blüthner Pianos
Andrea Bocelli Foundation
G & K Boyes Charitable Trust
The Derek Butler Trust
Philip Carne MBE HonRCM & Christine Carne
Meredith & Denis Coleman
Colt Clavier Collection Trust
The Estate of Thomas Cottrell
The Estate of John & Marjorie Coultate
The Estate of Jocelyn Cruft
The Estate of John & Sylvia
Daughtry
The Estate of Margaret Dewey
The Foyle Foundation
The Estate of Albert Frost
The Harbour Foundation
The Harry & Gylla Godwin Charitable Trust
HEFCE
Linda Hill HonRCM & Tony Hill
The Victor and Lilian Hochhauser Foundation
Sara Nelson Horner
The Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust
Community Jameel
Kirby Laing Foundation
Leonora, Countess of Lichfield
The Linbury Trust
Philip Loubser Foundation
The Estate of William Mealings
The Mirfield Trust
The Estate of Iris Percy-Smith
The Polonsky Foundation
Pureland 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
The Segelman Trust
Dasha Shenkman OBE HonRCM
The Estate of Gerald Charles Webster
The Estate of Nancy Ann Wolfers
Principal Supporters
Jane Avery in memory of Robert Avery
C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik AG
Dr Linda Beeley
Lord Black & Mark Bolland
Ian Boag
The Estate of Heather Curry
Peter & Annette Dart
The Drapers’ Company
The Fishmongers’ Company
Martin Fraenkel
J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust
The Headley Trust
Jules Hess & the late Tony Hess
JMC
The Estate of Frida Betty Koganovitch
John Lewis Partnership
Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust
The Estate of Sir Neville Marriner FRCM
Rosemary Millar HonRCM & Richard Millar
Michael & Dorothy Needley
John Nickson & Simon Rew
Oak Foundation
The Estate of Sheila & Christine Partridge
The Charles Peel Charitable Trust
Pro Musica Ltd
The Estate of Prudence Raphael née Gaffikin
The Estate of Charles Stewart Richardson
The Estate of Stephen P Roberts
Leopold de Rothschild 1959 Charitable Trust
Roland Saam
The Estate of Humphrey Searle CBE FRCM
Alethea Siow & Jeremy Furniss
Kathleen Beryl Sleigh Charitable Trust
The Peter Sowerby Foundation
Steinway & Sons
Betty & the late Robert Sutherland
Ian & Meriel Tegner
The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation
UK
Mrs Lynette Tiong
Sandra Treagus
The Estate of Ivor Charles Treby
The Estate of Gweneth Urquhart
Van Cleef & Arpels
Vaseppi Trust
Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement
Bob & Sarah Wigley
Henry Wood Accommodation Trust
The Worshipful Company of Musicians
Yan Zhang & Yinghong Chiu
Major Supporters
The Robert Anderson Trust
The Victor Dahdaleh Foundation
DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund
Petronella Dittmer
E B M Charitable Trust
Richard Goulding
Ms Poppy Holden
James & Margaret Lancaster
The Estate of Professor Bernard Nevill
Supporters
The Aldama Foundation
Robert Anderson
The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund
The Blyth Charitable Trust
The Julian Bream Trust
Graham Brookman
Peter & Kirsty Brooks
Andrew Bruce
Lady Buchanan
George & Daphne Burnett
The Estate of Michael Champion
Il Circolo
Catherine Clarke
Noël Coward Foundation
Diane Davies
Cynthia, Anna & Paula Downes
The Gilbert & Eileen Edgar Foundation
The Exilarch’s Foundation
The Patrick & Helena Frost Foundation
Faye Hamilton & John Stewart
The Hargreaves and Ball Charitable Trust
L G Harris Trust
The Honourable Society of the Knights of the Round Table
The Houston Family
Sir George Iacobescu CBE & Lady Iacobescu
International Music & Art Foundation
Alastair Jackson AM and Melba Opera Trust
David James
Richard & Susan Jarvis
Karaviotis Foundation
Ruth Keattch
David & Mary Laing
Lee Abbey London
The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust
The Mark Leonard Trust
LIBER Foundation
Marco Livingstone
London Women’s Clinic Foundation
The Hon Richard Lyttelton
HonRCM & Romilly Lyttelton
The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
Sir Peter & the late Lady Middleton FRCM
The Mills Williams Foundation
The Howard & Abby Milstein Foundation
The Estate of Grant Newman
Ofenheim Charitable Trust
Marian & Gordon Pell
Old Possum’s Practical Trust
The Stanley Picker Charitable Trust
PRS for Music Foundation
Catherine Quinn
Richard Price FRCM & Sue Price
The Risman Foundation
Hilda Scarth
The Estate of Richard Silver
South Square Trust
Peter & Dimity Spiller
Tait Memorial Trust
Lisa Thomas
Anne Wadsworth OBE & Brian
Wadsworth
The Wall Trust
Lady Walters
Nicole Yang
Core Contributors
Abinger Hammer Village School Trust
ABO Trust’s Sirens Programme
Dr Kamal Ahuja & Anna Gustafson
John & Halina Bennett
Gary & Eleanor Brass
Chapman Charitable Trust
Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM & Lady Cleaver
Heidi Degen
Douglas Downie & Kyra von Schottenstein
The Ann Driver Trust
Dr Ian & Janet Edmondson
Lesley Ferguson
Baroness Fleet CBE
Douglas & Adele Gardner
Dr Chris Gibson-Smith
Peter Granger
Dayu Guo
Richard Hamilton
Harbinson Charitable Trust
Lily Harriss HonRCM & Julian Harriss
The Herbert Howells Trust
Zhengchao Hua
Gillian Humphreys OBE HonRCM & Peter J David
Christopher Kneale
Professor Colin Lawson CBE FRCM
John & Jackie Lower
Richard Mansell-Jones
David Mildon
Ellen Moloney
Richard & Minako Mountford
Mr Richard Nelson
Gordon Palmer Charitable Trust
Rosa Parks Fund at The Miami Foundation
Sir Michael & Lady Perry
Phillimore Trust
Kevin Porter HonRCM
Thomas Purcell
P F Charitable Trust
Christopher & Zosia Road
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Janis Susskind OBE HonRCM
Anton Tasker
Carolyn Ward
Garry Watts MBE
James Williams LVO
Moira Witty GRSM ARCM
Dr Paula Walter
The Estate of Elizabeth M Watson
The Worshipful Company of Saddlers
We are grateful to ABRSM for their significant contribution, and all those who give anonymously.
RCM Legacy Ensemble
Dr Emma Adlard
Robert Anderson
Mr Robert C Andrews
Mrs Kathleen Atkins
Christopher Ball
Sue Balston
Margaret Barfield
Mr Brian Barker
Mrs Jane Barker CBE FRCM
Elizabeth Bates
John Beech
Lady Eve Bergman ARCM LRAM
John Bertalot
Lord Black and Mr Mark Bolland
Mrs Elizabeth Blackman
Helen Brunner
Mrs Brenda Bunyan
Miss Valerie Byrom-Taylor
Sir Roger & Lady Carr HonRCM
Mr Chris Christodoulou HonRCM
Daphne Clarke
Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM
Colin Coombs
Mr Colin Cree ARCM
Mrs Katia de Peyer
Mr Paul Duffy
Mrs Marion Dyer
Mr John East
Mrs Catherine James Edwards
Scott Elkins
Ms Avril Nelson and Mr
Graham Fearnhead
Baroness Fleet CBE
Iain Fowler HonRCM and Robert
Rose
Pete Fozard
Donald Fraser HonRCM
Sarah Gibb
Olivia Graham
Lady Victoria Harrison
Lily Harriss HonRCM & Julian Harriss
Mr Michael Hodges
Ms Poppy Holden
Susan Holland
David Holohan
Bryan Husband
Michael Kadwell
Karaviotis Foundation
Bryan Kelly
Professor Pat Kendall-Taylor
Mr Nicholas King FRCM
Mr Matthew Knight
Professor Colin Lawson OBE
CBE FRCM
John Lawson
Dr Kenneth Le Meunier-FitzHugh
Marco Livingstone
Sue Lyons
Mr Neville McDonough
Kenneth and Daphne Midwood
Lorraine Migliorini
Elizabeth Mitchell
Miss Madeleine Mitchell FRSA
MMus GRSM ARCM
Ellen Moloney
Jennifer Neelands
Avril Nelson GRSM ARCM
Mr John Nickson and Mr Simon
Rew
Michael Normington
Mr Humphrey Norrington OBE FRCM
Terry and Valerie Osborne
Caroline Elizabeth Page
Dame Janet Ritterman DBE HonDMus
Victoria, Lady Robey OBE HonRCM
Mrs Hilda Scarth
Christopher Scott
Mr William & Mrs Valerie
Shackel
Dasha Shenkman OBE HonRCM
Ms Barbara Simmonds
Stephen Stuart-Smith
Kenny Sturgeon
Susan Sturrock HonRCM
Mr Robert Sutherland
Ms Frances Tait
Anton Tasker
Patricia and Kevin Thompson
Kyra von Schottenstein
Anne Wadsworth OBE & Brian
Wadsworth
Caroline Wallis-Newport
Timothy Wilcox
Composition for Screen Masters student Samy Qoraiche-Sahraoui has passed away following an unexpected illness. Born in 1991 in a small town in the south of France, Samy managed a challenging health condition since being diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of 12 and was an inspiration to all who knew him.
Dr Dimitri Scarlato, Area Leader in Masters Programmes in Composition for Screen, said of Samy: ‘He chose to follow his dreams. Studying at the Royal College of Music was his dream, and he focused on that. He was flourishing musically. Samy taught us a life lesson: he lived fully, despite his condition. Nothing stopped his curiosity and his intelligence; nothing dimmed his optimism. We will miss his kindness, his calm attitude, his smile.’
Before joining the RCM, Samy studied at Lyon University, where his tutor described him as ‘a student that no one could forget, exceptionally brave, extremely kind and talented, always smiling.’ While at the College, Samy had the opportunity to meet The Lord of the Rings composer, Howard Shore. Tolkien’s stories inspired Samy, who lived by Gandalf’s motto that, even in dark times, ‘all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us’. Samy’s father likened Samy to Frodo: ‘apparently fragile but in reality always resilient and strong. He was a hero.’
Christopher Hyde-Smith, distinguished flautist and long-serving professor at the Royal College of Music, passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on 25 February 2024, aged 88. Christopher attended Eton College before joining the RCM, studying with Edward Walker and becoming a Scholar in 1952. He was awarded the August Manns Memorial Prize in 1955 and was appointed professor in 1964, teaching at the RCM for 36 years until his retirement. He was awarded an honorary fellowship in 1985. Christopher was an acclaimed soloist known for performances of ‘charm and wit’ (The Guardian), and he collaborated with Stravinsky, Britten, Bernstein, Poulenc, Tortelier and Casals. He is survived by his wife and duo partner, harpsichordist Jane Dodd, and his beloved children and grandchildren.
Patrick Ireland, the original viola player with the Allegri Quartet, died in February at the age of 100. He trained as a pilot in the RAF during the Second World War, after which he began violin studies at the Royal College of Music in 1946, where he met pianist Peggy Gray – they married in 1948. Patrick began playing the viola shortly before becoming a founder member of the Allegri Quartet, with whom he played from 1954–77. He also collaborated with Yehudi Menuhin, who invited him to teach viola at his new specialist music school, and regularly performed in quintets, including with the Lindsay Quartet, of whom his son Robin was violist. From 1977 until his retirement Patrick was Assistant Head of Strings at the Royal Northern College of Music.
David Laing, a long-standing supporter of the Royal College of Music, has died at the age of 78. Born into the John Laing Construction Company, David qualified as an architect. He was Chair of the Sir Kirby Laing Foundation, which has been supporting the College since 1982, funding the Kirby Laing Award and contributing generously to the development of the College site; and Chair of the David Laing Foundation, which supports many College Scholarships. He served as High Sheriff of Northamptonshire and Pro-Chancellor at the University of Northampton, and was awarded a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to charity and philanthropy. He married Mary in 1968, with whom he had five children and nine grandchildren.
Gwenneth Pryor, who studied piano at the Royal College of Music, has died at the age of 80. Born in Australia, Gwenneth was awarded a prize for most outstanding student at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She won the Pedley Woolley McMenamin Travelling Scholarship to the RCM, where she was awarded the Hopkinson Gold Medal. Her scholarship was extended, and she represented the College in Vienna. Gwenneth was well known for her solo recordings and recitals, especially with clarinettist Gervase de Peyer. She taught at Morley College Advanced Piano Class and was a beloved teacher and mentor. Alumna Elena Kokka, who has recently given a recital in the Britten Theatre dedicated to Gwenneth’s memory, described her as ‘an amazing artist and friend, full of wisdom, humanity and grace’.
Paola Quaglia, inspirational Italian language coach at the Royal College of Music, passed away in September 2023. She started teaching at the RCM in 2002, combining her technical expertise, in-depth knowledge of the Italian vocal singing style, and artist management experience to become one of the RCM’s most trusted Italian language coaches. Paola regularly coached at a number of prestigious institutions including the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, La Monnaie, Scottish Opera, Opera North, Opera Holland Park and Garsington. Paola also coached for recordings with Deutsche Grammophon and Sony. RCM Head of Vocal & Opera, Nick Sears, says: ‘Countless RCM singers have cause to be grateful for all of Paola’s expertise, encouragement and passion for the artform, and she will be greatly missed by us all’.
Sir Ian Stoutzker, philanthropist, banker and musician, died in April 2024. He studied violin at the Royal College of Music before co-founding Live Music Now with Yehudi Menuhin in 1977. Ian was on the RCM Council from 1972 to 1999, an exceptionally long tenure, and on his retirement in 1999 was made a Vice President of the College. He also sat on the Executive and Finance Committees and chaired the Council’s Academic Committee. His contributions to the artistic life of the nation were recognised when he was awarded the 2013 Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy. Ian’s legacy will be remembered through his generous and longstanding RCM Scholarship, the Ian Stoutzker Prize.
By leaving a gift in your Will you can play a significant role in helping the College to inspire and educate musicians of the future.
For more information on leaving a legacy to the RCM, please contact Natalie Matias, Development Manager natalie.matias@rcm.ac.uk
