Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama - Guide to Training

RWCMD “A POWERHOUSE OF INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION.” The Telegraph

FIT FOR WORK In training for the international arts and creative industries FOCUS ON: Enterprising Students Graduate Destinations

COURSES IN: Acting Music Performance & Composition Opera Jazz Musical Theatre Design for Performance Stage Management & Technical Theatre Arts Management

rwcmd.ac.uk

CONTENTS

02

04

06

THE DRAMA SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

A WORLD OF MUSIC

THE RICHARD BURTON COMPANY

10

14

18

ENTERPRISING STUDENTS

HITTING NEW HIGHS IN OPERA

CAPITAL TO CAPITAL

20

22

24

JAZZ TIME

WORLD STAGE DESIGN

GRADUATE DESTINATIONS

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is part of the University of South Wales Group and our awards are validated by the University.

Cover image: Actor, Alexander Vlahos (see page 37).

First published in June 2014.

TRAINING AT RWCMD A Student’s View

38

Cardiff: A Creative Capital

40

Music

44

Actor Training

52

Musical Theatre

54

Design for Performance

56

Stage Management

58

Arts Management

60

Courses & Applications

61

International Applications

62

Accommodation & Support

62

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 01

The Drama School Experience With an environment that directly mirrors the industry, countless opportunities to work with professional theatre practitioners, and a uniquely personal approach, RWCMD is one of the UK’s leading drama schools.

A Working Rep Company One of the huge benefits of studying within a working arts venue is that the environment directly mirrors the industry. In the final stages of their training at RWCMD, actors join students from the College’s design for performance and stage management courses to form the Richard Burton Company – a repertory company that performs fifteen public productions each year, from classic plays to contemporary drama, new writing and musical theatre. This unique environment gives emerging artists a safe platform to perfect their skills before entering the profession as skilled, confident and versatile performers.

Professional Directors The students who make up the Richard Burton Company spend the whole of the final year of their course working with professional directors. One regular visitor is Bruce Guthrie, who was Associate Director on Sam Mendes’ Richard III. Other recent visiting directors have included George Perrin and James Grieve, Co-Artistic Directors at Paines Plough (‘the national theatre of new plays’) and Jimmy Fay, Artistic Director of the Lyric Theatre Belfast. Pictured is Ned Bennett, Director of Pomona, which was commissioned as part of the College's first NEW season, before transferring to The National Theatre and earning Bennett a UK Theatre Award for Best Director.

Networking and Making Connections RWCMD students get plenty of opportunities to meet the people who will help them find work once they’re in the industry. Acting and Musical Theatre students take part in an annual showcase performance in Cardiff and London, to an invited audience of agents, casting directors, producers and directors. The same industry professionals regularly visit the College to watch performances by the Richard Burton Company, and take part in workshops and masterclasses with students. In recent years, a number of students have landed leading roles in major productions while still at College, including Anthony Boyle who was cast as Scorpius Malfoy in the stage production of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.

02 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

“THE STUDENTS ARE WELL PREPARED FOR THE INDUSTRY, HAVE FANTASTIC FACILITIES AND ARE SUPPORTED BY A PASSIONATE, CREATIVE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF.” Hannah Miller, Head of Casting, Royal Shakespeare Company

Visiting Artists In addition to regular interaction with visiting directors and casting directors, students have opportunities to meet and work with a host of other professionals and visiting artists. Recent visitors have included Hollywood actors Michael Sheen and Mathew Rhys (pictured left) as the College’s International Chairs in Drama. Rob Brydon, Ruth Jones, Lyndsey Marshal, Hugo Blick and Jo Joyner are among the many past students who have shared their insight and experience as well as writers including Simon Stephens, Paul Abbot, David S. Goyer, Amelia Bullmore and David Eldridge.

Commissioning New Writing In recent years, the College has developed a reputation for its work in supporting new writing, allowing students to work closely with some of the country’s most exciting emerging writers and young directors. Since 2014, it has been running NEW – a hugely successful annual festival of specially commissioned plays. Each year, four new plays have been produced in association with leading theatre companies including The Royal Court, Paines Plough, Sherman Cymru and National Theatre Wales. The plays transfer to London’s Gate Theatre after an opening week in Cardiff.

An Individual Approach RWCMD accepts just 24 students each year on its undergraduate acting programme, and just half that number for the MA course.

With fewer students than many of its competitors, this means that the College has a very personal approach, investing huge amounts of time in building every individual student’s skills so that they are ready for the industry when they graduate. The close working relationship that the students have with their course tutors is one of the reasons why the Acting course scored 100% for student satisfaction in the 2015 National Student Survey (as did theatre design, with stage management at 85%).

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 03

A WORLD OF MUSIC Music careers don’t begin when a student graduates – they begin on day one at the College. Training for a music career at RWCMD is about much more than mastering an instrument – it is a totally immersive experience.

01

S

urrounded by talented, like-minded musicians of all disciplines, working in a world-class concert venue and being constantly exposed to a wide variety of musical influences, there are all sorts of opportunities for students at the College to start building their future networks and opening up a whole range of professional pathways.

The training is facilitated by some of the most inspirational performers in the world, from one-to-one teachers and ensemble coaches to guest conductors and visiting international artists.

04

“IT’S A MICROCOSM OF THE ARTS WORLD UNDER ONE ROOF AND, FOR A FEW YEARS, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT ALL.” Catrin Finch, international harpist and RWCMD Artist-in-Residence

At the centre of the College’s musical activity is the Dora Stoutzker Hall, which is in constant use for group classes and coaching as well as rehearsals and performances by the full range of student ensembles, including the RWCMD Symphony Orchestra.

07

A world-class chamber recital venue, it also hosts an impressive programme of concerts by leading international artists, who bring exciting opportunities for students to observe at close hand – and often take part in masterclasses with – some of the most exciting performers in the world.

This all adds up to an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience, which no course syllabus document could ever begin to describe.

10

04 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

01 A masterclass with Louis Lortie, one of the artists in the Steinway International Piano Series.

02 ‘Make an Aria’ composers’ workshop with Sir Harrison Birtwistle and Music Theatre Wales.

03 John Fisher, Jane Hodge Foundation International Chair in Opera, working with opera students.

02

03

04 Rachel Podger rehearsing with the College’s early music ensemble, Badinerie.

05 International harpist Catrin Finch is an Artist-in-Residence at RWCMD.

06 A masterclass with Natalie Dessay.

07 Legendary music producer Quincy Jones talks to jazz students.

05

06

08 A masterclass with Sergei Nakariakov, the Jane Hodge Foundation International Chair in Trumpet at RWCMD.

09 Sarah Chang rehearses Barber's Violin Concerto with RWCMD Symphony Orchestra in the Dora Stoutzker Hall.

10 Students observe The Emmerson Quartet in rehearsal for a rare UK performance.

11 08

09

Students sit alongside members of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in a performance at St David’s Hall.

12 Pascal Gallois conducts the RWCMD Wind Ensemble in rehearsals for a performance of Messiaen’s Et Expecto.

11

rwcmd.ac.uk

12

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 05

Thebans

THE RICHARD BURTON COMPANY In the final stages of their training, students from RWCMD’s acting, production and design courses work together as part of the Richard Burton Company – a rep company that puts on fifteen shows in one year. Here, company members explain how working in an environment that mirrors the industry prepares them for life after the College.

06 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Actor Robin Willingham began the year in an epic Greek drama (as Oedipus in Thebans), ends it in Noel Coward’s Hayfever, and appeared in three contemporary dramas in between.

“Before we join the Richard Burton Company we've spent two fantastic years working on our piece of the jigsaw, refining it as best we can, but there's nothing like putting it all together and completing the puzzle!

Each show is a different mix of students – stage managers, actors, and designers.

Learning how different people work often takes a little time, but you become quicker at understanding people's methods as you work with more people.

Final year shows require all the skills you’ll need in the industry, and the course has a constant demand and expectation of professionalism. By working with professional directors, you’re already forging links into the industry and learning about many different ways of working. The NEW season especially emulated a full working experience – having the writer in the room working with us, transferring a show to a full professional venue, it was a fantastic preparation.”

rwcmd.ac.uk

Cameron Balfour is a stage manager – working on Rent has given him a taste for working in musical theatre when he graduates.

“When you’re working with other students in the final year, you’ve got that bond.

You know everyone as friends already but there’s also that professional side. On Rent, I worked really closely with the designers and the scenic artists, which was brilliant.

We came to that with a completely different process than when we did the new writing season in London. I was Assistant Production Manager on those four shows. They were on a smaller scale but with less people involved, so everyone had more responsibility.

After working on Rent, I went on an external placement on the UK tour of Wicked, then I worked on it as Assistant Stage Manager for my first professional job when the tour came to Cardiff for six weeks.

Going from College into a professional environment, there’s always a bit of apprehension because you have to work out how this new team of people like to work. But you’ve got all the base skills – problem-solving, organization, management – and you can apply those skills to whatever situation you’re in. (cont…)

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 07

The Wonderful World of Dissocia

Theatre designer Hattie Gent faced the challenge of designing two very different productions – Spring Awakening and VS09 – simultaneously as part of the NEW season.

“I was a little bit daunted at the prospect of taking on two shows, especially two shows that had to transfer to a theatre in London. Throughout the years, you’re mostly designing for the spaces in College, so this was completely different. It is great to work with directors and writers who are already in the industry. The directors were so different – one was very conceptual, and the other wanted something a lot more real. It was a really good challenge to separate two completely new pieces of writing.

Designers working on final year shows usually have assistants, but as these were smaller productions, I had to do everything myself – like sourcing props – so I got to work with the stage managers more than usual. Through working on the shows, I’ve certainly learnt a lot about my work process and how things come together.”

Megan McDowall was the sound designer for two contemporary plays – The Wonderful World of Dissocia and Tender.

“We’re there from day one of the production schedule – in and out of rehearsals for the first four weeks, then in with the whole stage management team to fit up and tech the show.

Working on Dissocia was a challenge as there was so much sound in the show –

08 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Spring Awakening

there was always something going on. I’ve just started working on Tender – it’s in the Caird Studio, so it’s a smaller venue, and very different to working in the Richard Burton Theatre.

Meeting a director for a first time, you don’t know how they work or what they want, so working on the shows is a really steep learning curve. It’s one of the most important things that we do here, because when I go out in the real world I’ve got solid experience of working in a professional environment. The College pushes you to work as hard as you can, and it is a really good reflection of how it will be outside.”

Epsom Downs

Ben Stimpson is a lighting designer who worked on Epsom Downs and Twelfth Night.

“I wanted to work on a naturalistic show after I’d done several stylised pieces, like Twelfth Night and the contemporary opera, Flight. It’s quite hard to do naturalistic – you have to make it look like it really is daylight.

In stage management we work on shows from day one of our course. The first and second years act as technicians on the Richard Burton Company shows. Working on the shows is such good practice. You’re getting to know the kit, how things work in terms of scheduling and structure, and you’re making connections and friends that will help you four or five years down the line.”

rwcmd.ac.uk

Sam Barnes is a composition student who worked with the Richard Burton Company on the music for The Wonderful World of Dissocia.

“I was invited to work on The Wonderful World of Dissocia through my head of department, John Hardy, who asked if I would be interested in leading a team of sound designers (Thomas Roberts and Sion Parke) to create the sound of Dissocia.

There were numerous facets to the brief, from the 'in your face' musical theatre-type songs and extravagant sound design cues, to the more subtle generative sonic ambiences that we created for each scene.

Twelfth Night

The process was squeezed into just a few weeks, and we were welcomed into rehearsals to get the best understanding of the play possible. We were also kept in the loop about what the other designers were doing, and the director’s intentions for the production.

As a music student, I really enjoyed collaborating with the drama students.

We all have different approaches to our work, so it is always refreshing to get an insight into the way others work. All of the brilliant experiences I've gained through College, through the staff, and through collaboration with other students, have provided me with a diverse and fruitful portfolio of professional work.”

Rent

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 09

Enterprising Students Entrepreneurship is an essential quality for a successful career in the creative industries. Here, we talk to MA Arts Management student Toks Dada, about his journey from viola player to arts entrepreneur.

T

oks Dada is a very well-known face at RWCMD. Since he first arrived as a student in the strings department five years ago, he has gone from undergraduate to postgraduate, musician to entrepreneur.

Today, he is very much a part of the College, based in an office space where he is developing his new music company Sinfonia Newydd (SN), as well as running the College’s REPCo (Repertoire by Entrepreneurial Performers Company) project, which encourages student entrepreneurship (Toks was a founder member). That’s not to mention studying part time for an MA in Arts Management and being a board member of Sinfonia Cymru, a young and innovative chamber orchestra.

So how did a budding musician become a multi-tasking arts entrepreneur? And how does he find enough hours in the day?

“When I started at RWCMD as an undergrad, I had my entire career mapped out,” explains Toks. “I knew I wanted to graduate and play in an orchestra. But my experiences at the College have made me realise that my career lies in a different area of the music industry.” (cont…)

10 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Case Study: Opera’r Ddraig Formed in 2010 by a group of students who wanted to perform their own production of The Magic Flute, Opera’r Ddraig (which means Dragon Opera) won the Wales Future Entrepreneur Award in the same year. It has staged five operas, giving not only singers, but instrumentalists, directors, conductors, designers, stage managers and arts managers the opportunity to work on a fully staged opera outside of the College environment. As well as performances, Opera’r Ddraig runs workshops in the community. Its patron is the international soprano, Rebecca Evans.

“In my second term, I was talking to a couple of composers in my year group and I realised that they needed a larger platform to get their work performed.

Before this, they were writing and performing their work within their own group – it was quite a ‘closed’ thing. So they approached me and I said ‘Why don’t we organise it?’. Most of the other strings players were friends of mine, so I got them involved, and Sinfonia Newydd was born – in its first guise as a contemporary music ensemble.”

Working with composers was just the start for Toks and SN. Folowing its first public performance, it brought together students from across the College to produce a series of events ranging from music/art collaborations with designers to contemporary jazz/classical fusion.

me who were running their own projects – we would distribute money between a range of student-led projects, from opera companies to orchestral societies.”

From those early days, REPCo gradually developed. The College decided to dedicate an entire week of the spring term to REPCo projects, giving students time out from their usual rehearsal and study schedules to experiment with their own projects, using College facilities.

Toks’ energy and enthusiasm for studentled projects has been infectious. Fast forward a few years and REPCo is now something that every student at the College has heard of and that many want to get involved with.

When Toks graduated with a bachelor of music degree, the College awarded him one of five Prince of Wales Scholarships to While Toks was developing SN, other study part time over two-years for the students from the College were also College’s MA in Arts Management. He was starting to put on more of their own also offered a residency – and office space events. “By the end of my first year, Brian at the College – to develop SN as a Weir, the Head of Student Experience and professional company. At the same time, Services, approached me and said: ‘I can see a need here for a mechanism in College he was invited to chair the REPCo board for the next two years. to support students to run their own projects’.”

“I’m really pushing REPCo and trying to get as many students as possible involved, And that was the start of REPCo, the enabling others to do what I did. I’m College’s student-led enterprise initiative. chairing the weekly meetings, helping to “Brian was awarded a grant from the oversee the annual budget that gets Welsh government to set up this group distributed to student performances, that was run by students. The original REPCo board members were students like 12 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

The College encourages student groups to play external concerts and make connections in the wider arts industry.

Here are SN playing new works commissioned by the International Artes Mundi prize.

In recognition of his entrepreneurial skills, Toks was one of the first five recipients of the Prince of Wales Scholarships, and is now studying for the MA in Arts Management.

rwcmd.ac.uk

and programming these performances.

We’re now having REPCo activity for a week every term, and there is so much interest from students in running their own activities. We’re even starting to do some external activity too – a successful piano series is now performing at venues such as the Wales Millennium Centre. RWCMD is leading the way in educating its students about the importance of creative entrepreneurship. I myself am living proof of this.”

Case Study: All That Malarkey

Composers Embrace Entrepreneurship

All That Malarkey started as a one-off cabaret event during REPCo week, put together by then composition student David George Harrington. The group then evolved into an operatic cabaret act, which was a hit at the College’s venue at the Edinburgh Fringe (“Amazing… original, funny and gobsmackingly talented!” www.edfringe.com). Since then the group – led by David as Musical Director and featuring four graduate vocalists – has been touring the UK playing gigs, festivals and private functions.

A successful career as a composer means being versatile, finding outlets for your work and making professional connections.

So with three major projects to juggle, how do they all work together? “I see what REPCo does and what SN does as being very closely linked,” says Toks, “it’s all about young people. SN is focusing on young composers. REPCo is focusing on young managers and arts entrepreneurs.

When I go to meetings to pitch stuff about SN, I naturally find myself pitching about REPCo at the same time. And with the MA course, everything’s linking in quite nicely – I’m using REPCo as my internal placement.

“RWCMD IS LEADING THE WAY IN EDUCATING ITS STUDENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP. I AM LIVING PROOF OF THIS.” In the last few years, arts management students are also getting to develop their skills through REPCo. “Their internal placement – which is part of the course – is working on a REPCo project, getting a real mix of experience. They are working on project management, artistic direction, producing, marketing, outreach… But REPCo is not just about the funding, or the management, it’s about the advice. Those weekly board meetings are like a kind of group therapy for arts entrepreneurs! It’s becoming a community of people supporting each other in their entrepreneurial endeavours.” rwcmd.ac.uk

There’s always something that I’m already doing that I can use for my assignments, and I’m also getting advice from the lecturers that I can actually apply to a live project.”

Students at RWCMD are encouraged to work on as many varied professional projects as they can, and there have been collaborations with dance, opera and theatre companies, orchestras, television producers, film-makers and artists.

John Hardy is Head of Contemporary Music at RWCMD and an acclaimed composer with 30 years’ experience of creating music for TV, film radio, theatre and orchestral performance. He explains the department’s philosophy: “It’s about creating opportunities for composers and sonic artists to attend rehearsals and performances, recordings and film sets – to observe the processes of art taking shape, to build relationships with practitioners, and to know how to function in professional creative environments.”

Recent projects have seen student composers involved in ‘Make an Aria’ workshops with Music Theatre Wales, composing scores for BBC2’s Genius of Invention season, working on the sound for National Theatre Wales productions, collaborating with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and working with young people on an outreach project to make music for an award-winning short film.

Students also run their own mini-festival at RWCMD each year, showcasing their work through a range of performances, from immersive sound environments to formal chamber concerts.

Undergraduate composers Victoria Ashfield and Benjamin Talbott were sub-commissioned by the College’s Head of Contemporary Music, John Hardy, to work on the score for the acclaimed BBC/S4C detective drama Hinterland, which they premiered at BAFTA, Piccadilly.

“All the stuff I am learning gets put into practice – it’s the best way to learn, just do it, mess it up, make a mistake, and learn from it. That’s the whole point of something like REPCo – people can try things out and make mistakes in a safe environment.”

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 13

Hitting New Highs in Opera RWCMD's two-year Masters in Opera Performance has achieved phenomenal success since its launch in 2010, with a steady stream of graduates going on to the National Opera Studio and some of the UK's leading opera companies.

T

enor Trystan Lly^r Griffiths has been offered a place at the prestigious National Opera Studio in London where he will continue his training after he completes the MA in Opera Performance at RWCMD this summer.

David Doidge will join Welsh National Opera as a fulltime repetiteur at the end of his MA in Repetiteurship at the College. The future for both of them in the world of opera looks bright, although it is not a path that either of them imagined they would take.

“My background’s not in opera at all,” explains Trystan, “it was just the route my voice took me down. I did an undergraduate degree in music, theatre and media studies at Trinity College in Camarthen, and I’ve always sung in Eisteddfods, but I never went to music college. I was a garage door fitter for three years before I started to train in opera. I think I’m a bit unusual. Most people on the course have done performance degrees and know that opera is what they want to do. For me, I’m still discovering it, slowly but surely.”

And although David’s background was in music – he did an undergraduate degree in piano performance at RWCMD – he initially had a different career path mapped out for himself. (cont…)

14 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Trystan Lly^ r Griffiths as Tamino in RWCMD’s production of The Magic Flute. Trystan’s performance was described by Opera magazine as ‘promisingly robust..with a lovely expressiveness.’

Pianist David Doidge is studying for an MA in Repetiteurship at RWCMD.

“I loved playing the solo repertoire and I had always imagined a career as a concert pianist. At College, I started learning more about how the industry works and what opportunities are out there. I started accompanying during my first year and found I really enjoyed it.

Strong sight-reading skills made David a particularly talented accompanist and it wasn’t long before his potential was noticed by Angela Livingstone, RWCMD’s Head of Opera, who encouraged him to enrol on the College’s newly launched Master’s programme in repetiteurship.

The College’s partnership with Welsh National Opera brings benefits for the College’s singers too, as Trystan explains.

“Everyone on the opera performance course has a mentor at WNO. Mine – Huw Llewelyn – is always there if I need advice, and he’s been in to watch some rehearsals and give me feedback. It’s great to have someone in the profession keeping an eye on you.”

Both students are represented by Bryn Terfel’s Cardiff-based Harlequin agency and have worked alongside a roll call of internationally renowned artists. Trystan

“I FEEL REALLY WELL INTEGRATED INTO THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD, NOT JUST HERE BUT IN LONDON TOO.” David Doidge

“I got involved in playing for singing lessons and song classes and I got experience of the vast amount of repertoire that’s available across the vocal spectrum, from song repertoire to opera, in all the different languages,” explains David.

Through the College’s close relationship with Welsh National Opera (WNO), David found opportunities to gain more experience outside College. “Initially I was involved in some concerts and outreach work with the choristers and some of the company principals at WNO. Since then I’ve been in to coach singers and play the piano for music and production rehearsals.”

Last year David coached for WNO’s Donizetti season and was the repetiteur for Madame Butterfly and for David Pountney’s acclaimed new production of Lulu, in which he appeared on stage.

has appeared with Terfel himself on his S4C TV show, at Brynfest in London and at the Hay Festival, where they sang the Pearl Fishers Duet. David is also due to appear with the internationally renowned baritone at the Proms later this year.

“The reason I’ve been able to play with some of these amazing artists is because I’ve been taught to play this sort of repertoire,” says David. “My playing has developed in a whole new way – I’ve learned to think orchestrally, not just about the piano. I think all pianists could learn a lot from accompanists about how to play the piano. Specialising in accompaniment and repetiteurship was the best thing I ever did because it’s led to so many opportunities to perform, not just as an accompanist but as a soloist too.”

Singers and instrumentalists from RWCMD appeared in Mid Wales Opera’s touring production of Acis and Galatea with Rachel Podger’s Brecon Baroque.

The Guardian’s 4-star review described the performance as ‘a happy collaboration’.

Students work regularly with master vocal coach John Fisher, the College’s Jane Hodge Foundation International Chair in Opera, whose vast operatic experience includes directorships with Welsh National Opera, La Scala, Milan and Metropolitan Opera. Other regular visitors include soprano Susan Bullock and baritone Simon Keenlyside, who is the College’s Jane Hodge Foundation International Chair in Voice at RWCMD.

16 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Mezzo-soprano Samantha Price in RWCMD’s production of Carmen at the prestigious St Magnus Festival. Samantha’s latest role is Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro for English National Opera, where she is a Harewood Young Artist. See ‘Graduate Destinations’ feature on page 24 for more opera success stories.

“We’re really fortunate to be able to work several times a term with John Fisher, who is the College’s International Chair in Opera,” says Trystan, “and with other visiting artists like Susan Bullock. During BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, the Song Prize was held at the College and I sang in a public masterclass with Christoph Prégardien, which was another great experience.”

While their postgraduate studies have brought so many opportunities, both David and Trystan admit that their courses have been far from easy.

“One of the hardest things for me has been the amount of work involved,” says Trystan, “I’ve been thrown into so many projects here. There are only 12 people on the opera programme so everyone gets lots of opportunities. There’s also a strong sense of responsibility in the group – nobody wants to let anyone down. The production schedules are really tough but that’s good because it prepares you for what it’s like in the professional world.”

“The productions I’ve done so far have all been in English but now I’m working on Cosi fan Tutte in Italian, I think it’s going to take me around double the amount of time to prepare. I have to spend a lot of time reading it through and working on the pronunciation and phrasing before even looking at the music. I’ve had to make changes to my lifestyle to fit around the

rwcmd.ac.uk

singing. In the past I used to play rugby in the afternoon and sing at night but that doesn’t work if you want to maintain the quality of your voice. If you’re running around all day, the first thing that gets tired is your voice. Now, if I’ve got a concert on a Saturday night, I don’t play in the day.”

David admits that the course can be emotionally draining too. “We have to be able to wear our hearts on our sleeves, to be adaptable emotionally so that we can give our all to the music and really be in it.

It can be draining.”

As their two-year postgraduate courses come to an end, Trystan and David are set to extend their presence in the opera world, so do they feel prepared for professional life?

“I’ve had an amazing six years at the College and I feel really well integrated into the professional world, not just here but in London too,” says David. “It’s been amazing to watch how the College has been transformed since I started – not just the building and the new facilities but the teachers and the professionals who are coming in, and the number of graduates going on to places like the National Opera Studio. I’ll be sad to leave but I think I’ll always have a close relationship with the College.”

The College’s production of Jonathan Dove’s Flight at Sherman Cymru.

Recent performances have included both contemporary and traditional operas.

Students on the College’s two-year MA in Opera Performance. There are only twelve places available each year.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 17

Capital to Capital Freed from many of the pressures of living in a large metropolis, students at RWCMD still find there are plenty of opportunities to make their presence felt in the world’s culture capital.

W

hile Cardiff offers the benefits of being smaller, more affordable and easier to get around, as well as boasting all the culture you’d expect from a modern European capital, it’s just two hours away from central London by train and there’s a constant flow of students, teachers and visiting artists between the two cities. Students travel to London regularly for performances, masterclasses, competitions and work placements, and with transport being so quick and easy, London-based industry professionals regularly visit RWCMD to teach, perform, give masterclasses and take a breath of fresh air.

18 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Theatre Design on the South Bank

Acting and Musical Theatre Showcases

Each year, final year theatre designers, technicians and sonic artists relocate to the heart of cultural London for a weekend-long exhibition at Bargehouse – a Victorian warehouse situated between the National Theatre and Tate Modern. The exhibition attracts over 1000 visitors, including an invited audience of industry professionals.

London-based agents, casting agents, directors and producers are invited to annual showcase performances. Musical theatre students perform in the West End, while actors head for the Royal Court off Sloane Square.

NEW: London and Cardiff

Musicians in London

Since 2014, the College's NEW season has seen four new plays performed in a week-long residency at London's Gate Theatre, offering another opportunity for students to showcase their work to professionals in the capital.'

Music students have performed at London venues including St Martin-in-the-Fields, Regent Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Albert Hall, the Royal College of Music and Buckingham Palace. Some of the College’s singers and instrumentalists have also appeared, by invitation, at London’s most exclusive private venues, where they have performed to audiences of influential patrons in the arts world.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 19

JAZZ TIME From diverse influences and performance platforms to Cardiff’s thriving music scene, jazz pianist James Clark talks about the many opportunities open to students specialising in jazz at RWCMD.

‘‘

What’s unique about studying jazz at Visiting Artists RWCMD is that there’s such a big focus There are visiting artists coming to the College to on putting your own bands and projects work with us all year round. Last week was a really together and developing your own good one – we had a Big Band concert led by Gordon voice, and there are so many Campbell, who was the lead trombonist in the BBC Big opportunities available to you. There’s a great quality Band. He was incredible, he knew everything there is to people’s attitudes. Everyone is really supportive to know about Big Band and he coached us for three and open to new ideas – it’s a real family. Another days before the concert. It’s great when you work thing that’s been important for me is that I’ve with these musicians for a few days, as you can really always had two or three one-to-one tutors, instead of just one. It means “…THERE’S SUCH A BIG FOCUS you’re always exposed to different ON PUTTING YOUR OWN BANDS approaches. These different influences, AND PROJECTS TOGETHER AND the openness and the opportunities to do your own thing make for an DEVELOPING YOUR OWN VOICE.” environment where you feel like you’re in charge of your own learning. develop a relationship with them. Mark Bassey, the jazz trombonist, was also in recently. He really got Jazz in Cardiff to know us too, and he got a really good impression There’s a really diverse, interesting, supportive jazz of the College. This term, there have also been scene in Cardiff. Dempsey’s is an amazing jazz club. performances from Zara McFarlane, Empirical and I’ve seen some brilliant gigs there, like the Kit Downes Huw Warren as part of RWCMD’s Collisions series.

Quintet. Dempsey’s are really supportive of the students, and they always reserve opportunities for us Jazz Time to play. There is also Café Jazz, where there are lots of Jazz Time is a session held every Friday evening in great gigs and opportunities to play. When WOMEX the College’s fantastic foyer space. It’s a completely (the World Music Expo) came to Cardiff, there was a student-led event with two sets each week and all concert in Café Jazz every night during the festival. It of the slots filled by students. It’s free for the public was completely crazy – there were three bands each to attend and it’s really popular – the following has night and a solo piano set, and students from the grown and grown since it started. There is a guest College played the first set every evening. On the last artists slot about once a month – it’s an opportunity day, my Big Band – The Lonely Hearts Rugby Clwb – for the students to play with professional jazz was headlining. I also run a night at Café Jazz called musicians. We’ve recently had appearances from Hackensack. It’s normally a band from the College, Dave Cliff, Tina May and Geoff Simkins. They come then a band that we invite to play. We approach in to rehearse with the students beforehand and you musicians from all over the UK to come learn a great deal from working with these artists. and play in a double bill with us.

Playing a gig with them is an amazing experience.

20 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Festivals and Tours Friday Jazz Time has also developed into a three-day festival held at the College every spring, with a programme of big-name jazz artists. Last year, James Taylor Quartet and Norma Winstone were here, and this year we’ve got Soweto Kinch Trio and the Martin Speake Trio. There are loads of student performances too. My final recital will be part of this year’s festival so I’ll be assessed while I’m playing for a live audience.

Having people there to relate to the music has a big impact on your playing. It’s a more natural environment, and encourages you to put on a good set of music, rather than just an assessable one. Jazz Time also tours around Wales, with student bands supporting UK bands. I was also involved in a Jazz Time residency at the Hay Festival in my first year.

Outreach As part of the course, we learn teaching skills and take part in outreach work. It starts with Jazz Carols. As part of our studies, we have to look at arranging to a brief, so you can arrange a Christmas carol in a jazz style. It can be as wild or as wonderful as you like, with the aim that people will sing along. We go into schools and do concerts, and often meet the students that we’re going to teach later in the course. Then at the start of the third year, you put together an idea for a workshop that you want to teach, looking at the curriculum and what age range you want to work with.

You put together a proposal, try things out, then go out to schools for a week to run the workshops. I think that teaching like this alters the way you approach your own music. You think about your foundations and why you play music in the first place.

rwcmd.ac.uk

’’

Photos (clockwise from top left): Friday night is Jazz Time in the foyer space at RWCMD, where large audiences watch student bands and guest artists performing.

Legendary trombonist Gordon Campbell spent three days at the College working and performing with students.

There are lots of performance opportunities for jazz students, both at the College and in venues around Cardiff.

RWCMD JAZZ GRADUATES Chris Hyson graduated in 2011, and was awarded a Yamaha Parliamentary Jazz Scholarship. His debut six-track EP Little Moon Man featured jazz pianist and Mercury Prize Nominee Kit Downes, and the pair collaborated on an album called Alive with Closed Eyes in 2013.

Dave Stapleton has become an important figure on the UK jazz scene. He works prolifically as a composer and performer, as well as being the co-founder of Edition Records.

When music producer Quincy Jones visited the College, he was impressed by young drummer Ollie Howells and has acted as his mentor ever since. Ollie recently received a £30k Sky Academy Arts Scholarship to record his second album.

Pioneering jazz harpist Amanda Whiting has worked as a session and recording musician with high profile artists including Jamie Cullum and Dannii Minogue. Her trio, The Whiting on the Wall, formed at RWCMD while she was studying for a MA in Jazz.

For more graduate profiles, see feature on page 24.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 21

World Stage Design As RWCMD hands the baton to Taiwan in 2017, we look back on the ten-day festival of international performance design that was World Stage Design 2013, bringing more than 12,000 visitors to the College and giving students the opportunity to network with the world’s leading designers and practitioners.

F

or ten days in September, Cardiff became the global hub for theatre designers, architects and technicians as WSD2013 arrived at RWCMD. The event – a celebration of performance design – featured exhibitions, performances, workshops and talks, with visitors and practitioners from over 52 countries.

The event was led by the College’s Director of Drama, Sean Crowley and Ian Evans, a senior lecturer in technical theatre and production. Their bid for the event to be held in Cardiff beat major international cities, including Beijing.

“…A VAST AND EXCITING EVENT…” The Telegraph

Working alongside Sean was a team of volunteers who had travelled to Cardiff from far and wide. In the weeks leading up to the festival, the corridors of RWCMD were buzzing with more than 100 of these blue t-shirt clad volunteers from Canada, USA, South Africa, Taiwan, Australia, and all over Europe.

The ‘Blue Army’ – as they came to be known – also included the College’s own theatre design and stage management students, who were involved in the entire event, from building exhibition stands, stage managing individual events and working on sound and lighting to constructing the sustainable theatre.

22 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

One of the volunteers was Luned Evans, a new theatre design student who arrived a few weeks before the start of her BA (Hons) Theatre Design course.

“

I arrived right at the start of September, and got busy straight away preparing boards and plinths for the exhibition, painting, sanding, drilling… it was a great way to get to know so many new people. We were in at the deep end.

When the festival started, I was part of the documenting team, photographing everything that was going on. I got to go to loads of amazing performances and talks by some really exciting design practitioners. There were some very well known and respected names and I got to talk to them about their work – everyone was so friendly and approachable.

I learnt so much and by the end, I felt fully immersed in the world of theatre design. It made me even more excited to start my course and gave me a totally new perspective on how the professionals work. Before, I was mainly interested in set design but now I’ve seen how many directions theatre design can take you in, I’m keeping an open mind.

1. The Willow Theatre, purpose-built in the courtyard of RWCMD for WSD2013. Designed by architect Tim Lai and theatre designer Brad Steinmetz from Ohio, USA, it was the winning entry in a competition to design a temporary theatre using sustainable materials.

2. An exhibition of the most innovative designs for performance from around the world, featuring original costumes, drawings, paintings, photographs, puppets and props, as well as interactive exhibits from lighting, video and sound designers.

3. Workshops in everything from puppet making to lighting design, led by world experts.

4. Talks from leading international practitioners across the spectrum of performance design including Pamela Howard (pictured) and Oscarnominated Costume Designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis.

5. Performances from 52 countries, ranging from Colombian shadow theatre animation to sound installation from Singapore.

”

rwcmd.ac.uk

1

2

3

4

5

BBC LONDON SYMPHONY KESPEARE COMPANY GLY PERA NATIONAL THEATRE NAL THEATRE WALES BOU ORCHESTRA DONMAR WA ONIC S4C ROYAL OPERA H LIVE MUSIC NOW! PHILHA GRADUATE DESTINATIONS

AL COURT THEATRE NATIO NATIONAL ORCHESTRA O RTH CLWYD THEATR CYM RCHESTRA NATIONAL DAN THE GLOBE THEATR GENE OL OLD VIC WELSH NATIO MRU CBSO ENO BBC LOND RA ROYAL SHAKESPEARE NE FESTIVAL OPERA NATI

Y ORCHESTRA ROYAL SHA YNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL O E SCOTTISH OPERA NATIO URNEMOUTH SYMPHONY AREHOUSE BBC PHILHARM HOUSE BBC RADIO DRAM ARMONIA ORCHESTRA ROY By the time they graduate, many RWCMD students have a foothold in their industry as well as the knowledge, skills and confidence to build and sustain a career. Here are just a few of the recent graduates who are making their mark in the professional world.

ONAL OPERA STUDIO BBC F WALES HBO OPERA NO RU SCOTTISH CHAMBER O NCE COMPANY OF WALE EDLAETHOL CYMRU BRIST ONAL OPERA SHERMAN C DON SYMPHONY ORCHEST COMPANY GLYNDEBOUR IONAL THEATRE SCOTTIS

Catrin Stewart plays recurring character Jenny Flint in Doctor Who, appearing in Peter Capaldi’s first episode last year. She has a lead role in Ruth Jones’ Sky 1 comedy drama Stella.

For her stage work, she received a prestigious Ian Charleston Award nomination. The Observer described her portrayal of Shakespeare’s Juliet for Headlong Theatre as “one of the most captivating and touching I have seen.”

Helen Nash is a member of the classical crossover string quartet Escala.

Before joining the group, she already had a busy career as a cellist and pianist including performances for Robbie Williams, Olly Murs, Cher, Caro Emerald and Alfie Boe. On television, she has played for Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor, The National Television Awards, Jonathan Ross, The Graham Norton Show and more.

26 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Dave Danford is much in demand as a percussionist, with a busy schedule of solo recitals, orchestral concerto performances, studio recording sessions and masterclasses. He has performed with artists including Bryn Terfel, Evelyn Glennie and Karl Jenkins. Dave also works as a composer and producer, and manages two orchestras – British Sinfonietta and the Welsh Session Orchestra.

Tim Routledge is a lighting designer and programmer for live events and television.

He was the lead lighting programmer for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies, in charge of the biggest lighting rig ever constructed in the UK. As a lighting designer, he worked on Gary Barlow’s 2014 arena tour and has worked with bands including Muse, McFly, and the Stereophonics.

Tim was Associate Lighting Designer for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert, where he was involved in the memorable projection mapping onto Buckingham Palace.

His television work includes The Royal Variety Performance, The BAFTA Film Awards and Big Brother. rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 27

Graduates of the College’s Design for Performance courses make up one fifth of the Art Department on the historical fantasy TV series Da Vinci’s Demons, including Associate Designer, James North (third from left). The series, which marked the first collaboration between BBC Worldwide and America’s Starz network was filmed in Wales and has been distributed to over 120 countries.

Tom Rhys Harries starred in the film Hunky Dory alongside Minnie Driver while he was still at RWCMD. After graduation, he appeared in Torch Song Trilogy at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory, The History Boys at Sheffield Crucible, Jez Butterworth’s awardwinning play Mojo at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Hotel for the National Theatre. He also appeared in World War One television drama Parade’s End, and in the sequel to the film Ironclad.

28 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Katy Treharne was the alternate Christine in Phantom of the Opera in the West End. She appeared in the premiere of musical Love Beyond, the UK premiere of Dear World at the Charing Cross Theatre and the first ever professional production of Ivor Novello’s Valley of Song at the Finborough Theatre.

Katy has also performed concerts with Peter Karrie, John Owen-Jones, Earl Carpenter and the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

rwcmd.ac.uk

“RWCMD gave me the practical experience, work ethic and technical ability to sit anywhere within a TV art department.”

James North, Associate Designer, Da Vinci’s Demons

Hannah Stone was appointed Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales while studying as a postgraduate at RWCMD. She recently played the world premiere of Karl Jenkins’ St Asaph’s Dance, commissioned by the North Wales Music Festival, and gave a recital for the Victor Salvi Foundation in Milan, Italy.

Jonny Bruce emerged onto the UK jazz scene as a member of the Dave Stapleton Quintet. He is busy as a guest soloist and session player, both live and in the studio.

Jonny has just released an EP with the Zen Hussies, and is also touring with gypsy swing group, Moscow Drug Club. He is about to record a big band album playing lead trumpet in an all-star lineup with Swing Machine Jazz Orchestra. Jonny is pictured at Jazz Club Soho.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 29

Nathan Stone is pictured at the Manic Street Preachers’ studio in Cardiff. Nathan has worked on studio recordings with musicians including The Manics, Melanie C, The Pipettes and The Automatic.

“When I walked through the doors at RWCMD, I knew instantly that this was where I wanted to be: it just gave me the right feeling.”

Reisha Adams, Soprano

Christie Gerrard joined the Royal Shakespeare Company as an Assistant Stage Manager within four months of graduating.

She has worked on productions in Stratford, London, Ohio and New York.

30 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Rhys Jarman won the Linbury Prize for theatre design and has worked extensively as a designer in theatre, opera and TV. Recent projects include One Million for Tangled Feet, Institute for Gecko Theatre Company, The Nutcracker for Nuffield Theatre Southampton and A Christmas Carol for CBeebies, recorded at the Sheffield Crucible. He is pictured backstage at the site specific production Ludd and Isis for the Royal Opera House.

Reisha Adams made her professional debut, performing with Glyndebourne Festival Chorus. She continued with Glyndebourne on Tour, covering the role of Ludovina in The Yellow Sofa, and performed as Naiad in Ariadne auf Naxos for Glyndebourne Festival Opera. She is currently continuing her training at the prestigious National Opera Studio.

Aysha Kala was nominated for an Offie (Off West End Award) in the Best Actress category for her performance in the title role of Khadija is 18 at the Finborough Theatre, written by Shamser Sinha, directed by Tim Stark. She has also been nominated for a coveted Ian Charleston Award for her performance in Much Ado About Nothing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Aysha has also appeared in Channel 4’s Shameless and the ITV sitcom Vicious with Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi. She is currently filming the new Channel 4 drama Indian Summers.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 31

Production Team at the National Theatre: pictured from left are Jamie Spirito, Dani Bish, Anna Hill, Matt Berry, Masha Baird, Chris Howells and Rob Clarke on the Lyttelton stage at the National Theatre. They are just a few of the RWCMD graduates to have recently worked in production roles at the theatre. Anna Hill was Deputy Stage Manager for the theatre’s 50th anniversary performance, working alongside a who’s who of British actors including Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Ralph Fiennes and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The event broadcast live on BBC 2 and to cinemas across the world.

Justina Gringyte won a place at the prestigious National Opera Studio after completing her studies at RWCMD. She went on to join the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Her roles at the Royal Opera House have included Flowermaiden in Wagner’s Parsifal and Maddalena in Rigoletto.

In 2015, she played the title role in Carmen for English National Opera.

32 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Matthew Williams landed a contract as CoPrincipal Trumpet with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales during the final year of his undergraduate studies at RWCMD. Since then he has also appeared with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, CBSO, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Academy of Music Concert Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder, and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

He is pictured here at BBC Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff.

“The College gave me an amazing training but it also equipped me with the tools to continue improving and growing throughout my career.�

Tom Cullen, Actor

Tom Cullen was named as one of Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow, and won most promising newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards for his performance in the film Weekend. He played a lead role in the HBO miniseries World Without End, and appeared in two feature films: Desert Dancer and Last Days on Mars. He played Lord Anthony Gillingham in Downton Abbey.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 33

Clodagh Long is pictured on the set of The Commitments at the Palace Theatre in London where she plays Sharon/Cover Imelda.

She was the recipient of the first Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship at RWCMD in 2012.

“What makes the training so special is the College’s ability to nurture individually, giving you confidence in who you are as a person.”

Clodagh Long, Musical Theatre Performer

Adam Cross works as a musician for the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing clarinet and saxophone for productions including King Lear, The Tempest and A Comedy of Errors in both the Swan Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. He has also played in special concerts for the company, and composed and directed the music for a schools production based on The Merchant of Venice. Adam is also a member of the band Klezmer Kollectiv, which formed at RWCMD.

34 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Tom Scutt won the Linbury Prize for Theatre Design, and has designed productions at the RSC, National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Royal Court, Lyric Hammersmith and many more. In 2015, he designed the set for the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.

Bryden String Quartet – Joanne Buckland, Lydia Marshall, Emma Bryden and Mark Blake – are all alumni of RWCMD. Between them, they have performed with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and many more.

Their TV work has included Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor and the Brit Awards. Members of the quartet have also performed with artists including Kanye West, Goldfrapp, Katherine Jenkins and Shirley Bassey.

Rosie Wyatt made her professional debut and won critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the world-premiere of the one-person play Bunny for nabakov theatre, which later toured to New York. She returns to The Fringe this year in new play, Spine. Rosie played the female lead, Rachel Crabbe, in the UK and international tour of One Man, Two Guvnors for the National Theatre. She is pictured at Oxford Playhouse during a tour of the award-winning new play Mogadishu.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 35

Jemma Bogan completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Music at the College before returning to do a postgraduate course in Arts Management.

She now works as the Orchestra Personnel Manager for the London Symphony Orchestra.

Edward Rhys Harry was one of the first graduates of the College’s MA in Choral Conducting programme. He is Musical Director of London Welsh Male Voice Choir, Reading Festival Chorus, Côr Bro Ogwr (Bridgend), the London Welsh Chorale and The Harry Ensemble, which performs and promotes British (particularly Welsh) choral music abroad. Edward is now studying for a PhD at the College, while working as a freelance composer, arranger and conductor.

Stephanie Corley has appeared in roles with leading UK opera companies, including Desdemona in Otello for Dorset Opera and Birmingham Opera Company, Musetta in La Bohème for the Nationale Reisopera and Scottish Opera, plus Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Marzelline in Fidelio at the Glyndebourne Festival.

After her performance in the title role of Opera North’s The Merry Widow, The Times described her as ‘a revelation’.

36 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Alexander Vlahos is an actor working in theatre, television and film. He has appeared in Merlin, Privates and Versailles for the BBC, Fortune’s Fool at The Old Vic, Emperor and Galilean at the National Theatre and Hamlet at the Sheffield Crucible.

He played Malcolm alongside Kenneth Branagh’s Macbeth at the Manchester International Festival and on Broadway in 2013. He is also the Artistic Director of Undeb Theatre.

“What RWCMD does brilliantly is offer up a variety of different projects throughout your training to prepare you for the outside world.”

Alexander Vlahos, Actor

Max Humphries is a puppeteer and theatre maker. His work takes inspiration from the Bunraku puppet school of Japan, the automata of 18th & 19th century Europe, and the drama theory of Edward Gordon Craig. He has produced work for the Royal National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Royal Ballet, Théâtre du Châtelet, Bristol Old Vic, the Royal Court and the Lyric Hammersmith, among others. He is puppeteer in residence at the Farnham Maltings.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 37

A Student’s View: Lauren Lewakowski Lauren Lewakowski is from Colorado in the USA. She studied piano as an undergraduate at RWCMD before becoming President of the College’s Students’ Union.

I didn’t feel that nervous at all before I came here, because the international support was so good. I got phone calls and emails asking if there was anything I needed to know or needed help with. By the time I got here I felt as if I knew everyone.

There is loads of support available before and when you arrive. Whether you’re coming from overseas or from the UK, you can be sure of a very warm Welsh welcome. On moving in days at the halls of residence, Students’ Union representatives are around to help and reassure new students – and their parents! And Freshers’ Week is packed with loads of different activities so there’s something for everyone.

When my friends visit they always comment on how friendly it is and how everyone knows each other. They’re always shocked and surprised by it. As a musician, you play in chamber groups, and you also live in halls with other students, so you do meet lots of people. I have friends from every department.

The tutors are very approachable. You always see people just knocking the door and going in to chat to tutors. It’s a really nice feeling when you are walking through the hall and a teacher waves at you and recognises you. The friendliness really makes a difference.

I didn’t realise just how much was happening here until I arrived – you read it on the website and think ‘Oh that’s interesting’, but then you get here and actually, something new is happening every day.

Everyone comes together to put on their own student social events. We’ve been trying to open up opportunities for all sorts of entertainment in the student bar. We’ve had music and acting performances, and we’ve been using our own designers and stage managers to tech and design the events.

38 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

For the summer ball, we’ve got people from every single course working on it in some way. It means you meet more people and have a respect for and understanding of what they do.

I’m surprised how much I’ve done in five years, there’s always an adventure to be had. I never expected in my first few weeks to be playing in a chamber group, and then meeting actors, playing on stage, going off on a train to London, having a visit from Prince Charles.

Cardiff is small enough to walk everywhere but big enough so you never run out of things to do. I’ve been here for five years now and I’m still finding new and exciting things. There’s something for everyone.

You don’t need a car in Cardiff. In fact, it’s more difficult to get around the city in a car. It’s a very pedestrian-friendly place and there’s a great rail network.

I go to London a lot. Sometimes it’s only £5 to get there on the Megabus, and there are a lot of offers for students, like cheap tickets for theatre and perfomances.

Compared to London, Cardiff is so affordable. One of the factors in me choosing to come to here, was that my dad and I found a chart comparing cost of living and Cardiff was one of the cheapest, but when I’ve gone to visit my friends in other unis, we definitely have the best accommodation and facilities.

The networking opportunities are unbelievable. There are top acts and artists coming in to perform and take part in masterclasses. In my first year, I saw Murray Perahia play and he spoke to us afterwards. That really stuck with me as I’ve been listening to him my whole life, and to be able to speak to him was so motivational.

There is always something going on. You can’t walk through College without getting excited or hearing new things. When the new buildings opened in 2011, it had such a massive impact on the students. There are so many more public performance opportunities and the calibre has gone up and up each year.

For me as a performer, to go from being in a small recital room to performing on the stage in a world-class concert hall is just amazing.

rwcmd.ac.uk

“One of Britain’s leading urban centres of the 21st century.”

Lonely Planet

Cardiff by Numbers

Population:

348,500

Student Population:

65,000

Number of students at RWCMD:

725

Hours by train to central London:

2 hours, 7 min

Single ticket to London by Megabus:

Average daily transport costs:

Room in Halls:

£0

£119.00

To walk across city on foot:

rwcmd.ac.uk

£5.00 per week

30

minutes

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 39

Cardiff: A Creative Capital With its vibrant cultural scene and rapidly-growing creative economy, Cardiff is a modern European capital offering plenty to engage students both artistically and professionally.

A young and vibrant capital city, Cardiff is home to the national arts companies of Wales, including a world-renowned opera company, a national theatre company, a national orchestra and concert hall, and the iconic Wales Millennium Centre.

Creative industries are among the biggest and fastest growing sectors in Wales, employing 26,000 people at any one time.

Cardiff is one of the UK’s biggest centres for TV and film production, with BBC Wales responsible for flagship shows including Doctor Who, Sherlock and Casualty. And with Pinewood Studios Wales now open, the sector in Wales is really beginning to make an impact on a global scale.

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama plays a significant role within this wider cultural infrastructure. It is one of the city’s most popular venues, attracting 60,000 visitors a year to its own performances and events. It also performs a vital role in supporting the wider creative sector in Wales and beyond.

The College’s strong links with partner organisations can lead to opportunities for many of its students to gain hands-on experience, and even professional work before graduating. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the orchestra of Welsh National Opera both run placement schemes with the College, offering some of its best musicians the chance to learn from, and work side by side with, the professional players over a long term period. This kind of coaching can accelerate the development of emerging players, as well as giving the orchestras opportunities to identify students with the potential to work with them professionally.

Students on other courses also find that they can draw on their College experiences and networks when it comes to finding professional work after graduation. One fifth of the art department on international series Da Vinci’s Demons, filmed near Swansea, is made up of former RWCMD students (see page 28).

One leading figure within the arts in Wales recently described RWCMD graduates as “Quite simply the best there are – creative, hardworking, capable, adaptable and passionate about their chosen careers.”

Culture in Cardiff Vale of Glamorgan Festival This adventurous music festival features the recent work of living composers, including many world premieres.

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Every two years, finalists from around the world fight for the title of the world's greatest singer.

40 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Welsh Proms A line-up of world-class orchestras, soloists and conductors as well as free performances and fringe events at St David’s Hall.

Festival of Voice A major new international arts festival celebrating Wales’ heritage as ‘The Land of Song’ and representing all forms of vocal expression from opera to rock, gospel and grime. Launched in 2016 with an all-star line up, FOV will return in 2018. rwcmd.ac.uk

Photos (from top left):

National Theatre Wales The company produces innovative theatre in locations across Wales, from Shakespeare in an aircraft hangar to Michael Sheen’s 72hour Passion play in his home town of Port Talbot. rwcmd.ac.uk

Welsh National Opera This award-winning opera company is based at the Wales Millenium Centre – and has close links with the College.

Every year WNO performs to over 120,000 people across 10 cities throughout Wales and England. It is led

by David Pountney, one of the world’s most influential opera directors.

Wales Millennium Centre The Wales Millennium Centre is a landmark building in Cardiff Bay, the city’s waterfront. Its programme includes everything from world-class ballet and opera to West End musicals. The iconic building is also home to Welsh National Opera and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ Hoddinott Hall.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales As one of the six BBC Performing Groups, BBC NOW has a busy schedule of recordings, broadcasts and concerts in venues across Wales and beyond.

St David’s Hall The National Concert Hall of Wales is home to the annual Welsh Proms and the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Its International Concert Series brings leading orchestras, soloists and conductors from around the world to perform in one of Europe’s most acoustically outstanding concert halls.

Pride Cymru Wales’ largest annual celebration of equality and diversity brings a carnival-like atmosphere to the city centre each summer, with a colourful parade culminating in a major music festival at Coopers Field in Bute Park.

^ n Festival Sw NME-award-winning celebration of the thriving local and international band scene, across 20 venues.

Millennium Stadium Another iconic Cardiff landmark, the Millennium Stadium hosts world-class rugby, motorsport, football, concerts and more. It’s most famous as a venue for the Six Nations rugby tournament, with match fever taking over the city when Wales play at home.

BBC Drama Village Cardiff is the UK’s largest media centre outside of London. The BBC Drama Village in Cardiff Bay is home to Casualty, Doctor Who and the longrunning Welsh language soap Pobl y Cwm. Other series filmed here include Sherlock, Merlin, Upstairs Downstairs and Being Human.

A Thriving Arts Scene As well as the big six above, there are smaller venues and companies like Sherman Cymru (theatre), Chapter (contemporary arts centre) and NoFit State (the UK’s leading large-scale contemporary circus company).

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 41

TRAINING AT RWCMD

42 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

VOCATIONAL TRAINING – ‘THE INDUSTRY MODEL’ Employability is at the heart of RWCMD’s mission. With the aim of making the transition into the ‘real world’ as seamless as possible, the College’s training programmes are designed as far as possible to replicate the conditions that graduates can expect to meet in the industry. Many of the College’s teachers maintain busy professional profiles, nationally and internationally, which enables their students to benefit from access to current arts networks and opportunities. These strong links between the College and the professional world ensure that students are well informed and responsive to the latest expectations and demands of the industry. Leading figures from all sectors of the industry have commented on the high level of skills, as well as the maturity and adaptability of RWCMD graduates, and how well prepared they are to take on professional employment by the time they graduate.

A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT As well as being a leading conservatoire, RWCMD plays a prominent role within the professional arts scene in Wales and beyond. Its world class venues host performances by leading international recitalists, ensembles and touring theatre companies, as well as major events like BBC Young Musician, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, and World Stage Design. Within this environment, students work under professional conditions and are taught by professional musicians, conductors, accompanists, actors, directors, production supervisors and choreographers. Student performances including Richard Burton Company productions, orchestral concerts and chamber recitals form a core part of the venue’s artistic programming and are well attended by public audiences.

MAKING LINKS One of the unique aspects of the experience at RWCMD is related to the combination of courses. With musicians and actors working alongside stage managers, technical specialists and designers, the College is very self-sufficient in terms of its creative output, and there are opportunities for students to get involved in all sorts of interesting collaborations – from formal, large-scale drama, opera and musical theatre productions to student-led initiatives like REPCo (see page 10). With students training in the different disciplines under one roof, the environment directly mirrors rwcmd.ac.uk

‘real world’ conditions and offers students an accurate experience of what working life will be like after graduation. It also means that they can begin building up a wider network of professional contacts, which can be invaluable in their future careers.

A PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Many of the courses feature placements with professional organisations as a core part of the training, and many students are involved in professional collaborations during their time at the College. Last year, the RWCMD Symphony Orchestra accompanied Wales’ national dance company in performances at Wales Millennium Centre; brass and woodwind students performed in Welsh National Opera’s acclaimed production of Wagner’s Lohengrin; and opera singers toured the UK in Acis and Galatea with Mid Wales Opera. The College’s jazz musicians regularly tour to professional venues as support acts for established artists in a venture funded by Arts Council Wales.

This sort of experience puts students in an enviable position at the start of their careers.

CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE Another distinctive feature of the training at RWCMD is that students are part of a busy arts centre with a programme spanning theatre, opera, jazz, classical and contemporary music, festivals and familyfriendly events, with ticket sales of more than 60,000 a year. The College’s impressive foyer space houses a busy box office and a café bar, which is a popular meeting place for the Cardiff’s arts and business communities – it’s not what you might expect from a typical university or college. Training in one of the city’s most popular arts venues, students benefit from plenty of opportunities for their work to be seen and heard. There are regular concerts and free weekly events including Chamber Tuesdays and Jazz Fridays. Another benefit of training within a working venue is that students are able to access part-time work as ushers and front of house staff.

CREATIVE CITY As Wales’s capital city, Cardiff hosts a diverse and thriving cultural scene from small independent companies to national organisations and venues of world renown.

The College has strong partnerships with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera, National Theatre Wales, BBC Wales and others, which contribute to the training and create numerous opportunities for students to gain

professional experience. Being so closely linked to this wider cultural community in Wales, students at RWCMD often find that it is easier to make contacts and access opportunities outside the College than it might be in a larger city.

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK With the College community including staff and students from more than 30 countries, as well as visiting artists and teachers from all over the world, diversity and cultural exchange is hard-wired into the student experience at RWCMD. Recent events like World Stage Design, the Lyon & Healy International Harp Festival and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World have taken place at the College, putting its students at the centre of worldwide activity in these fields.

This international outlook can add a significant dimension to a graduate’s employment options, the arts being a global industry. For music students, there are opportunities to spend time studying at one of the College’s partner conservatoires across Europe and beyond, and the College has similar arrangements for receiving incoming students. International tours and competitions can also feature in the student experience – this year, 30 of the College’s brass students will travel to Nova Scotia in Canada to take part in a weeklong international tattoo.

EXCELLENCE It’s a well-used word but what does it really mean in practice? RWCMD Principal Hilary Boulding sees excellence as a core organisational value. “It underpins everything we set out to do,” she explains, “from the facilities we provide and the teachers we employ, to the professionals we engage with, the specific choice of international artists we invite to work with our students, and of course the quality we strive for in our performances. It’s also about taking the time to consider what each individual needs in order to achieve their full potential. I think it’s also an objective measure. It’s not just about our own opinion but about getting feedback from the outside world, and recognition from the professions we’re feeding in to.

You just need to look at our graduates, who are being employed by leading professional companies in all fields across the industry. That’s what excellence is about.”

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 43

Studying Music at RWCMD Supported by individual tuition from leading professionals, music students at RWCMD find themselves at the heart of a diverse and collaborative environment with opportunities ranging from chamber music, jazz ensembles, brass bands and choirs, to historical performance groups and a full range of orchestral activities.

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS Each student has lessons, usually weekly, with their one-to-one teacher. The College’s staff includes the leading professional musicians working in Cardiff and the surrounding area, including many members of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera.

There are also around 200 visiting teachers from other parts of the UK and beyond.

These include leading recitalists, chamber and jazz musicians, orchestral players, opera singers, composers and specialist teachers in many areas of professional development. Current teaching lists and

Daniel Phillips, Jane Hodge Foundation International Chair in Violin at RWCMD

individual profiles can be found on the relevant departmental pages of the College’s website.

“I’m extremely pleased by the standards the students are achieving.”

John Anderson teaches oboe and is one of a growing number of musicians of international renown to have joined the RWCMD staff in recent years as the College’s reputation has grown. “It’s always a pleasure for me to teach at the College,” says Anderson. “The new facilities are impressive and I’m extremely pleased by the standards the students are achieving.”

ACCOMPANIMENT Reflecting the College’s emphasis on collaborative music-making, the training at RWCMD includes a significant allocation of time for instrumentalists and singers to work individually with professional accompanists, over and above their individual tuition time. This allows students the opportunity to explore repertoire in an informed way, and to develop a fully integrated, collaborative context for their performances. Each student works closely with one of the College’s accompanists over a number of years, enabling them to develop the sort of artistic partnership that is typical in the professional world.

COACHING AND MENTORING Learning to work collaboratively is a central part of the training for all musicians at RWCMD (see opposite page). Every instrumentalist is a member of at least one chamber ensemble and there is regular group coaching from specialists in ensemble performance, including members of resident ensemble, The Gould Piano Trio.

The College also promotes a mentoring approach with leading professionals sitting in, and playing with, student ensembles.

Violinist Marcia Crayford led the acclaimed Nash Ensemble for 25 years and is a regular visitor to the College. “Mentoring from within a group as one of the players is, for me, the most rewarding and interesting way of working with students on a piece of chamber music,” she says.

“They are learning by example how attention to detail and love for the music results in the performance coming to life.

These things are much harder to communicate with the spoken word.”

44 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

MUSIC Student ensembles join the Gould Trio, RWCMD’s Chamber Ensemble-in-Residence during the annual Chamber Music Festival.

ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE Ensemble performance plays a prominent role in the music training on offer at RWCMD and forms an important part of the assessment for instrumentalists and singers. Activities range from piano trios, string quartets, brass quintets and wind octets, to percussion ensembles, period instrument groups, chamber choirs, jazz ensembles, brass bands and wind orchestra. There are endless opportunities for students to gain experience of working with other musicians and to develop a range of collaborative skills essential for professional life.

Right from the beginning of their training, all instrumentalists and singers at the College are encouraged to explore ensemble repertoire and to work in different combinations. The academic year starts with a two-week ‘immersion period’ during which students of all music disciplines focus on collaborative performance.

In the string department, new students spend most of this time working on trio and quartet repertoire. The College’s Head of String Performance, Simon Jones, explains this approach. “The aim is that the new students immediately start to understand the importance and the benefits of playing in an ensemble. rwcmd.ac.uk

They learn technique, they learn about working with and reacting to others – all skills that are essential to any musician. In a small group, there’s nowhere to hide. It’s the best training – good chamber music performers make the best orchestral players.”

For first year violinist Annie Pullar, it was her first real experience of playing in a chamber group. “It completely takes you out of your comfort zone. Leading a string quartet is so different from leading the second violin section in a youth orchestra.

In a chamber group you are so exposed, there’s no room for error.”

Another first year, Abigail Askew, added, “Although I’ve been in a string quartet for three years we never played any ‘serious’ repertoire, mainly just arrangements of popular songs for weddings, so it was really great to get stuck in with the repertoire and become more familiar with chamber music.”

Elizabeth French is now in her fourth year at RWCMD and has been involved in a range of chamber groups from duos, trios and quartets to piano quintets. “Working in smaller groups gives you the opportunity to really explore how a chamber ensemble functions, and really get to know a composition inside out,” she says. “Apart from helping you develop technically in terms of intonation, and musically with harmonic understanding, it can also help

you personally in understanding how to be sensitive to other people’s ideas and thoughts. And you can create great friendships along the way.”

The College’s commitment to professional training in ensemble performance leads to a wealth of performance opportunities for music students across all disciplines. Coaching and mentoring is often focused around performance opportunities, ranging from the annual Chamber Music Festival – where student groups feature in a programme that includes recitals by international artists – to the popular Chamber Tuesdays series which runs throughout the year in the College’s stunning foyer space. Small ensembles also feature prominently in outreach projects with students regularly going into schools and community settings to deliver workshops. The College also runs a performers ‘agency’, which can help to secure bookings for student ensembles at corporate events and private functions.

Tom Taffinder plays horn in the quintet, New British Winds (see page 48). “You’d never get this many opportunities if you weren’t playing in a group,” says Tom. “It’s like running a small business and that prepares you for life after College.

Playing in the quintet has opened up so many new doors.”

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 45

ORCHESTRAL TRAINING Training in orchestral performance at RWCMD incorporates an exciting range of opportunities and experiences. In addition to the symphony orchestra, which performs large-scale works at St David’s Hall – the National Concert Hall of Wales – the chamber orchestra presents programmes in the College’s Dora Stoutzker Hall as well as providing support in opera productions and opera gala performances, while the concert orchestra focuses on popular, lighter repertoire. In addition, a repertoire orchestra offers opportunities for students to encounter a range of standard works, while ‘side-byside’ opportunities place student performers in professional orchestral settings for special performances.

Recent highlights across the orchestral spectrum have included the chamber orchestra playing for the College’s production of The Magic Flute at Sherman Cymru; Sarah Chang rehearsing Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto with the symphony orchestra in the Dora Stoutzker Hall; student players performing with sections from the orchestra of Welsh National Opera during the company’s annual residency at the College; the symphony orchestra performing Mahler, Ravel and Bartok at St David’s Hall, and the concert orchestra performing musical theatre repertoire to popular acclaim.

ORCHESTRAL PLACEMENT SCHEMES The College has long-standing relationships with two of the UK’s most prolific professional orchestras – the orchestra of Welsh National Opera (WNO) and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) – which both run placement schemes for RWCMD musicians. Placement students sit alongside professional musicians in rehearsals for the orchestra’s major performances – an invaluable experience that offers them practical insights into the demands of playing in a professional orchestra. Postgraduate students specialising in orchestral performance are guaranteed a placement with at least one of the orchestras, while undergraduate students in the brass, percussion, string and woodwind departments can apply for a place through a process that replicates a real-life audition for a professional trial or post.

46 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

MUSIC PROFESSIONAL SKILLS In addition to the training in their specialist disciplines, all musicians get the opportunity to develop skills and take part in vocational projects in areas of teaching, outreach work and workshop leadership. Teaching is an important and rewarding part of the careers of many professional musicians, and the demand for inspirational teachers is as strong as ever. In acknowledgement of this, all of the College’s music courses incorporate elements of training in this specialist area, ranging from key principles and approaches to the consideration of current issues and theories in music education, and of course opportunities to gain practical experience. Students also work together to design workshops targeted at specific groups before going out into educational settings or into the community to deliver them. Many students are also involved with Live Music Now! – a national scheme which provides opportunities for young professional musicians to perform to special audiences, ranging from older people to children with special educational needs.

In addition to teaching, there are options allowing students to develop professional skills and gain practical experience in areas like composing and arranging, concert management and aspects of arts management.

STUDYING ABROAD As part of the European Union’s Erasmus scheme, there are opportunities for music students at RWCMD to spend a term studying at one of the College’s partner conservatoires across Europe or beyond. This can be a valuable experience, not only vocationally, but also on a social and cultural level.

Classical guitarist Anastasiya Kryvanos studied in St Petersburg during her final year as an undergraduate musician at RWCMD. “I am planning to do a Master’s degree abroad after I finish studying at the College, and one of the places I was interested to go to was Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatoire in Russia. I went there during the spring term for seven weeks to study with the classical guitar teacher Konstantin Ilgin, and to see whether the place and the tuition would suit me personally.

I found the experience enormously helpful and interesting. I enjoyed the beautiful city and benefitted a lot from attending the lessons and the academic lectures. This experience gave me a chance to weigh up all the advantages and disadvantages of studying there and helped me to make important decisions about my future.”

At the beginning of her final year of undergraduate studies, Sophie Lynch travelled to Helsinki in Finland to study for one term at The Sibelius Academy.

“I wanted to spend some time abroad to find new sources of inspiration – new experiences and landscapes tend to be a very good creative trigger for me. It was great to be surrounded by new people from different countries, who were writing and playing completely different music to what I was used to.

Being in a completely unfamiliar environment, meeting new people and facing new challenges also helped to build my confidence and prepare me for the world after College.

My interest is in music technology and The Sibelius Academy offered a range of modules in both the creative and technological sides of the subject. It was one of the best things I have ever done.

I met lots of interesting people, learned new skills, learned a lot about myself, and even took a dip in the arctic ocean!”

The College also runs a series of presentations and discussions with leading arts professionals. These cover various topics from CV writing and web design to audition and interview techniques, the practicalities of life as an orchestral musician, setting up a small business in the arts, making applications for commissions and grants, and sustaining a diverse career.

THE COMPLETE MUSICIAN Part of the process of maturing as a musician involves developing a deeper understanding of issues surrounding how music works, how it is put together and how a composer might have conceived their work, as well as aspects of the psychology of performance and the maintenance of well-being and healthy practice. The core training for musicians at the College covers key areas of general musicianship including aural, music theory, harmony and analysis. A full range of academic and contextual study options includes specialist tuition in writing and research. rwcmd.ac.uk

Issues of stylistic performance are explored through special study modules, which extend into the consideration of contemporary repertoire as well as music from the past. Regular performance classes also focus on stylistic performance as well as dealing with aspects of performance psychology. Another integral part of the training deals with issues affecting the health and well-being of musicians, and the College provides introductory classes as well as ongoing support in this area.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 47

MUSIC COURSES At undergraduate level, RWCMD offers a four-year BMus programme for instrumentalists, singers and composers, and a BMus Jazz programme. At postgraduate and Master’s level, there is advanced training in music performance, jazz or composition as well as a range of specialist programmes in orchestral performance, opera performance, historical performance, collaborative piano and repetiteurship. Students who want to enter the profession as conductors can specialise in orchestral, choral or brass band conducting. Across all courses and all music disciplines, there is an emphasis on providing students with diverse opportunities and experiences that will extend the range of professional options open to them after graduation.

1

IN PICTURES 1. Backstage with the RWCMD Symphony Orchestra at St David’s Hall.

Recent brass graduates have won appointments and trials with leading orchestras around the UK.

7. Finalists in the Ian Stoutzker Prize.

Students can compete for a number of prizes for solo and chamber music performance.

2. The RWCMD Chamber Orchestra rehearses in the Dora Stoutzker Hall.

The world-class recital hall is in constant use for classes and coaching as well as rehearsals and performances by student ensembles. It also hosts an impressive programme of concerts by leading international artists.

8. New British Winds – one of the College’s prize-winning chamber ensembles.

Working in an ensemble provides opportunities for students to explore new repertoire and enhance their employment prospects (see page 45).

3. RWCMD takes delivery of the biggest ever shipment of new pianos from the Steinway factory in Hamburg, making it the UK’s first and largest all-Steinway conservatoire.

4. Composers promote their work during the annual Atmospheres festival at RWCMD. The College also hands over its facilities to students for one week each term to run their own festival encompassing a broad spectrum of innovative performances and collaborations (see feature on page 10).

5. Harps take over the College during the Lyon & Healy International Harp Festival.

Other festivals involving students performing alongside international artists include the annual chamber music festival held in the autumn, and a summer jazz festival.

6. A one-to-one lesson with internationally renowned guitarist, John Mills.

Teachers at the College include leading recitalists, chamber musicians, orchestral players, composers and accompanists.

4

9. The Royal Welsh College Symphony Orchestra accompanies National Dance Company Wales at Wales Millennium Centre.

Professional collaborations are an important feature of the musical training at RWCMD. Singers and instrumentalists also performed in Mid Wales Opera’s recent touring production of Acis and Galatea.

10. One of six percussionists involved in a performance of Olivier Messiaen’s extravagant masterpiece Et Exspecto.

There is a vast range of performance opportunities on offer to students of all music disciplines.

11. A chamber music performance in the College’s stunning foyer space.

A popular programme of free performances in the foyer includes Chamber Tuesdays, Jazz Time and Folk in the Foyer sessions.

7

12. A Schools Opera production in the Richard Burton Theatre.

All musicians get opportunities to take part in vocational projects involving outreach work, teaching and workshop leadership.

10

48 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

MUSIC

2

3

5

6

8

9

11

12

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 49

Specialist Music Programmes Some people decide to embark on performance-based postgraduate training after studying in another field.

Even for people who may already have four years’ experience of conservatoire training, spending an extra year or two gaining experience as a postgraduate is a popular option in preparation for a lifelong career.

Here, we meet some of the students who are looking to develop their careers in specific areas of the music profession through the specialist programmes on offer at postgraduate level at RWCMD.

Postgraduate conductor, Tianyi Lu

Originally from China, pianist Chen Meng studied for a piano performance degree at RWCMD before deciding to specialise in collaborative piano at Master’s level.

“As a pianist, I was interested in chamber music. In China, there is still a very strong focus on solo performance. At RWCMD, there are some fantastic teachers who specialise in accompaniment and I have been influenced by many incredible musicians. I have had chance to perform with my chamber trio, and with different soloists. I have enjoyed working with singers too – there are particular things you have to think about in terms of language and texture so it gives you a deeper understanding of the music. In my future career as a professional performer and a teacher, I think I will have many more choices thanks to this experience.”

Clarinettist Katie Steel studied as an undergraduate at RWCMD before deciding to stay on to gain more experience as a postgraduate on the College’s a two-year programme in orchestral performance.

“After finishing my undergraduate degree in clarinet performance at RWCMD I felt, like many musicians, that I needed the extra time to improve my technique and gain more experience, especially in orchestral performance. I chose to study over two years rather than one because I just want to soak up as much as I possibly can from my teachers, and from masterclasses and so on before I enter the profession for good.

I decided to stay on at RWCMD for the orchestral performance course because

50 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

MUSIC you are guaranteed a placement in a professional orchestra. In fact, you get to take part in placement schemes with BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera. Getting that first-hand experience of being part of a such an established orchestra is so much more effective than just watching rehearsals – you really get to understand how everything fits together and what it’s like to play with musicians who know each other so well. And it’s given me the experience I needed of working with different conductors, in completely different ways.

It’s also been great to see that the players have lives outside of their work, and that there’s a strong element of fun in the job.

They’ve given me lots of advice generally on entering the profession – how things would work if you were a freelancer or if you were brought in as an extra player.

I hope after my studies that I’ll be in a good position to get extra work because they know me and they’ve been listening to me play.

In College, you get to work on two orchestral projects each term and you’re assessed on these performances, and a mock audition at the end of the second year. The highlight for me so far was playing principal clarinet in the Mahler II concert at St David’s Hall. Unlike the other music performance courses, there’s no final recital – it’s very focused on the orchestral experience. There’s still plenty of time to get involved in other things at College though – I play in a clarinet quartet and we get access to coaching and opportunities to put on concerts. I’m also working with a piano accompaniment student for their recital, and I’m entering competitions as a soloist. I’m still getting a broad experience, but with the extra opportunities in the orchestral field.

I’ve been able to continue teaching to help fund my studies, and like a lot of students from the College, I also have part time work at Wales Millennium Centre, which is great because I’m working in an arts environment.”

Originally New Zealand, Tianyi Lu completed her first Master’s degree in conducting in Melbourne, Australia before coming to the UK to continue her studies on RWCMD’s two-year orchestral conducting programme.

“Conducting is a lifelong study and I knew I wanted to come to the UK to continue my learning but I didn’t want to live in a busy city like London – I wanted to be somewhere I could think, and have time and space to develop my skills. I am really happy at RWCMD. My teacher, David Jones, is fantastic. He is very supportive rwcmd.ac.uk

and has developed my technique a lot over the past year.

The opportunity to work with the musicians here is a real joy – there are such talented people from all over the world. At the moment I’m rehearsing with full orchestra for my first recital – which is from Britten’s Four Sea Interludes. The players are brilliant and so attentive – it’s sounding great and I’m really looking forward to it.

I want to spend as much time as possible on the podium while I’m here, so I’m getting involved in lots of different things, from brass ensembles to baroque groups.

One of the great things about the College is that we get one week each term when we can organise our own ensembles and get more opportunities to conduct. People here are very enthusiastic and keen to get involved. Last term, in collaboration with another conductor, we put together a concert of Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn for chamber orchestra in the Dora Stoutzker Hall.

“The opportunity to work with the musicians here is a real joy – there are such talented people from all over the world.”

It’s a very practical, hands-on course but I can also attend lectures on entrepreneurship and what the industry is like, or classes in specialist areas like choral conducting, and early music. I have been to a few of Rachel Podger’s classes, which were amazing.

Cardiff is a great city to live in – it’s not too expensive or too busy but there’s a lot going on. While I’ve been here, I’ve also been able to get to masterclasses in Berlin and St Petersburg, and I often go to watch rehearsals and things in London, which is only two hours by train. I think this is the perfect base for me to explore and grow as a musician.”

After graduating with a degree in Music and Commerce in her native Australia, Victoria Pilley spent five years working in administrative roles in the arts before making the life-changing decision to return to college to pursue a career as a choral conductor.

“After deciding that it was conducting and choral music that I really loved, I had been planning to go to the USA for further study but then I met Simon Halsey during a choral conducting summer school in Australia and he suggested I look at the course at RWCMD. I can honestly say that coming here was the best decision I ever made – I’ve had experiences that I never

International harpist Catrin Finch is studying composition as a postgraduate student at RWCMD in order to open up new career paths.

would have dreamed of. The teaching here is second to none and we’ve had masterclasses with great people from around the world. You have a different outlook after a few years of working – I think you really appreciate it and you know these experiences are hard to come by.

The course here is a great mix - not just sacred repertoire but secular works for small ensembles, and chamber ensembles, and symphonic works across different genres. I’ve had hands-on experience as a chorus master working weekly with trainee professional singers in the College Choir, and I’ve worked with a large chorus on big projects like Verdi Requiem and Mahler II. I feel totally respected and trusted to do these things. Having been in the workforce for a few years before coming here, I wanted to be treated like a professional.

At the same time, that feeling of being supported and cared for is really special.

Everyone here knows who you are – even the Principal knows my name.”

See feature on page 14 for interviews with students specialising in opera performance and repetiteurship.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 51

Actor Training With only a small number of places on offer each year, competition for entry to RWCMD’s acting courses is intense. Then the hard work really begins. Students can be involved in vocal, movement and acting skills classes and other projects five days a week from 9am to 6pm. Public performances in the final year bring even longer working hours. It’s not for the faint hearted but for those with the talent, stamina and commitment, the prospects can be extraordinary.

you the opportunity to have a go, and if there’s a talent there, they encourage you.

They read my drafts, found opportunities for me to write speeches for other students, introduced me to people in the industry who could offer more opportunities. I would never have pursued if it hadn’t been for the constant encouragement from my tutors.

Q. What was it like working at the National Theatre?

Of course I was nervous, but when I got into the rehearsal room I felt like ‘Oh, I can do this’ and I still had that feeling all the way through till the end. I kept thinking Q. How has your training helped in your ‘Oh my god, Juliet Stevenson, Rory Kinnear career so far? and Ben Whishaw have all been on this By the end of my course, I was doing stage…’ and now I was up there too. And things I never thought I could. I was that was OK. I could do it. The College pushed and challenged in every play I was really gives you the tools to do anything in. You get so many different directors with in a rehearsal room. different methods and styles, so you have to adapt, but the core training in the first “The three years at RWCMD and second years makes that easy to do, because it’s already in your bones. I were three of the best years of recently played a 15-year-old in Port at my life. I miss it every day. It the National Theatre and a new army went too fast, but I feel like I recruit in the BBC series, Our Girl but got the most I could out of it.” whether it’s moving like a teenager or making sure everyone can hear the text Q. When did you start writing? through a really harsh accent, you find At RWCMD you’re trained to be as that the skills are already there. rounded as possible. It’s not a writing course but then it’s not a singing course or a physical theatre course either – you get the chance to experience it all. They give

RWCMD GRADUATE, ACTOR AND WRITER KAT PEARCE

52 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Q. What sort of contacts did you make through RWCMD? In my second year, I took part in a workshop at College with Shameless writer, Paul Abbott (pictured below). After that, he gave me a scholarship and invited me to join his studio in Manchester so I didn’t have to work during the vacations, I could write instead. Having Paul Abbott’s name attached to mine opened so many doors.

I’m currently working alongside the playwright Simon Stephens at the Lyric Hammersmith. I first met him when I was playing the lead in his play Harper Regan in my final year at College, then I got the role in Port, which is another of his plays.

The connections you make at College are crucial.

rwcmd.ac.uk

ACTING COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

RECENT GRADUATES

AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

Public Performances As part of the Richard Burton Company, students are cast in up to five different productions in their final year, working under professional conditions.

Here are just a handful of the actors who have graduated in the last five years and are now making their mark on stage and screen…

Originally from West Texas, Alan Winner trained at RWCMD before returning to the US to continue his career as a performer and director.

Would he choose RWCMD again?

Actors’ Showcase Each student has two minutes to perform for an audience of leading agents and casting directors in special showcase events at the College and at London’s Royal Court Theatre.

Masterclass Series Opportunities to network with leading professionals and get expert advice on everything from audition technique to working with agents.

Creative Projects Students develop and produce their own work for performance.

Acting Through Song Second year students put their vocal and movement skills into practice in a musical theatre workshop performance.

Eric Kofi Abrefa received critical acclaim for his performance in The Amen Corner at the National Theatre directed by Rufus Norris. On TV, he appeared in Stan Lee’s Lucky Man on Sky One with James Nesbitt, and is currently filming for series two of the Channel 4/AMC drama Humans.

Emily Barber won a Best Newcomer Award at the Manchester Theatre Awards in 2015 for her performance in Billy Liar at The Royal Exchange. She appeared alongside David Suchet in the acclaimed production of The Importance of Being Earnest at London’s Vaudeville Theatre and as Innogen in Cymbeline at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Annes Elwy starred in the 2015 Welsh language film Yr Ymadawiad (The Passing) with fellow graduate Dyfan Dwyfor, and in the S4C TV drama Lan a Lawr. On stage, she played the lead in Anna Jordan’s award-winning play YEN at Manchester Royal Exchange and the Royal Court Theatre.

Jacob Ifan landed a lead role in BBC One’s new prime time police drama, Cuffs while in his final year at RWCMD in 2015. He is currently filming series 3 of BBC One/S4C detective drama Y Gwyll (Hinterland).

Sophie Melville graduated in 2013.

She won a Stage Award for Acting Excellence at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for her performance in Gary Owen’s one-woman play Iphigenia in Splott, which transferred to the National Theatre in 2016.

Mimi Ndweni won The Spotlight prize for acting in 2013. Her stage roles have included Tiger Lily in Wendy and Peter Pan and Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Acting for Screen Filming on location with a professional crew, students learn the specific requirements of film and TV work.

Radio Acting Studio-based training in the fundamental techniques required for radio. The threeyear course includes the rehearsal and production of a full-length radio drama under professional conditions.

Stage Combat Energetic classes in fencing and unarmed combat lead to higher level examinations of the Academy of Performance Combat.

Arthur Hughes was BBC Carleton Hobbs Radio Award Winner in 2013, joining the BBC Radio Drama Company shortly after graduating. On stage, he played the lead in Jack Thorne’s acclaimed play The Solid Life of Sugar Water for Graeae Theatre Company, which transferred to the National Theatre in 2016.

Thalissa Teixeira graduated in 2014.

Stage appearances include roles in The Broken Heart and The Changeling at Shakespeare’s Globe. She made her TV debut in the BBC One series Musketeers in 2016.

Joanna Vanderham landed a lead role in Sky One drama The Runaway during her final year at RWCMD. On BBC TV, she has starred in The Paradise, Banished, The Go Between and others. She played Desdemona in Othello for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2015 and is playing Lady Anne in Rupert Goold’s Richard III at The Almeida in 2016.

“The training at RWCMD really stretches you.

I learned so much about my capabilities, which led to so many wonderful and unexpected opportunities. Before I went to RWCMD, I wouldn’t have believed I could write at all, let alone something people would enjoy. Now, it’s become one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. I would absolutely make the same choice again – the College opened my eyes to what was possible.”

My Career Highlights • Performing my one-man short Polly and Sam at RWCMD and later at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival • Spending a year singing in the multi-award winning choir Only Men Aloud!

• Appearing in Trevor Nunn’s production of Gone With The Wind in the West End • Playing the Pirate King in an all-male production of The Pirates of Penzance, which won an Offie (Off West End) Award for Best Production • Co-writing an original cabaret, The Boy Who Loved Bassey, with Ben Cameron (Wicked, Footloose, Broadway Sessions), performed at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC • Two years as the Artistic Director of The Hive Theatre Company in New York City

ACTING COURSES RWCMD offers a three-year BA (Hons) in Acting and a one-year MA in Acting for Stage, Screen and Radio (see next page).

Entry is by audition. For information about applying for entry to the College’s acting courses, see page 61.

For more graduate profiles, see page 24.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 53

MA IN ACTING FOR STAGE, SCREEN AND RADIO Will Howard trained as an actor at RWCMD after graduating from Exeter University with a BA in Drama. The College helped him forge a place for himself in a diverse and competitive industry.

When did you decide you wanted to be an actor?

I took a long time to admit to myself that I wanted to act professionally. It was like, if I didn’t actually say I wanted to be an actor, then I couldn’t fail at it. My year at RWCMD gave me a much better understanding of how to turn acting into the career I wanted it to be. As well as all the practical training (voice, movement, stage combat, microphone technique etc.), it made me realise the importance of working hard, turning up on time, being a generally decent person – no one’s going to hire someone they don’t like.

“My year at RWCMD gave me a much better understanding of how to turn acting into the career I wanted it to be.”

Tell us about your career so far…

While I was at RWCMD, I was put forward for a prestigious BBC competition, which led to a contract with ‘the Rep’ (the BBC Radio Drama Company). In radio, you get

to play parts you’d never play in the theatre or on TV because of how you look. I’ve played big burly blokes, black and Asian characters, 13-year-olds and 35-year-olds. I’ve been in more than 50 radio plays now, and I play a regular character, Dan Hebden Lloyd, in The Archers on Radio 4.

“It’s a very special place.

So many individual passions come together to make such a creative atmosphere.”

Tell us about the MA Acting course…

On the MA course, you get to rehearse and perform on a fully functional film set, in radio studios, and of course on stage in the Richard Burton Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre in London. There are also crucial workshops and masterclasses on the correct usage and proper maintenance of your body and voice, which is an essential basis for a career on the stage, film, TV or radio. And the College provides detailed knowledge of the industry and how to go about forging yourself a place within it. At the end of the course, everyone’s experience is unique to them – for one student it might be developing the strength of their voice that is important, while for another it may be their screen acting technique, but everything you learn there continues to inform your work and your career.

Why RWCMD? It’s a very special place. So many individual passions come together to make such a creative atmosphere, and very high standards of work. Walking through the College you will see set designers and costume designers creating stunning pieces, you will hear cellos being tuned, opera singers warming up their voices, actors going over their lines in the corridors. Being surrounded by people with boundless positivity, creativity and passion is what I loved most about RWCMD. What do you love most about being an actor?

Apart from all the pretending? I love that every single job is different – not only the characters you play but the other actors you are working with, the writers and directors, the style of the work. Even if you are doing a 12-month run, each audience and performance is still different. Not knowing what’s around the corner can sometimes be daunting but I absolutely relish that aspect too.

Masters of Musical Theatre Building on the success of the College's well established acting and vocal programmes, the one-year, full time MA Musical Theatre programme has quickly become one of RWCMD's flagship courses, attracting attention and support from some of the biggest names in the Musical Theatre industry. The course puts students at the centre of the College's creatively diverse community, working in close collaboration with the music, production and design departments.

Merrily We Roll Along, Richard Burton Theatre

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Richard Burton Theatre, directed by West End and Broadway Director, Shaun Kerrison

Stephen Sondheim’s Company Will Howard as lead in Alfie at RWCMD in 2012

54 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

MUSICAL THEATRE Stiles and Drewe’s Anything Can Happen!

RENT AT RWCMD The MA Musical Theatre course culminates in a fully staged production.

Rent was directed by Sam Mendes’ protégé Bruce Guthrie and choreographed by Billy Elliot’s resident choreographer, Lee Proud.

2016 saw students performing in a new show based on the vast catalogue of songwriting partners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The legendary duo attended the Cardiff premiere of Anything Can Happen! which was created and directed by their long term associate, Simon Grieff.

Broadwayworld.com described it as ‘Practically Perfect.’

Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods

Tom Sankey played lead role, Mark.

“I cannot begin to describe how fundamental the experience was in helping shape me as an actor. Having the opportunity to work with such an amazing director, we left the process having learned more than I would have ever hoped. From Tango to table dancing, I gained so much experience from working with choreographer Lee Proud, who made sure that everyone looked totally professional and employable. To have already been seen in such a fantastic production has been a massive asset while I’ve been auditioning for professional roles.”

The show was attended by influential figures from the Musical Theatre industry including David Grindrod (Casting Director for Phantom, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph, and Starlight Express), Trevor Jackson (Executive Producer and Casting Director for Cameron Mackintosh), and Bert Fink, Senior Vice President of Rogers & Hammerstein Europe.

Melissa Bayern played The Witch in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods for her final performance at RWCMD. Just a few weeks later, she was able to make her professional debut in the same role at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.

Rent Director, Bruce Guthrie

In rehearsals with Choreographer, Lee Proud

MA students in rehearsal for Rent

“They brought the work to life with a fearlessness and a passion that was truly inspiring.”

Bert Fink, Rogers & Hammerstein

SCHOLARSHIPS Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, pictured below in RWCMD’s Dora Stoutzker Hall, is a Fellow of the College. Each year, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation provides a full scholarship for one student on the MA Musical Theatre course. 2014 recipient Luke McCall made his professional debut in the West End production of Les Misérables shortly after graduating.

RWCMD production of Rent

THE MUSICAL THEATRE COURSE The MA in Musical Theatre course at RWCMD runs from September to July and there are only 12 places available each year.

Entry to the course is by audition and applicants must be able to demonstrate skills in acting, singing and dance.

For more information about applying for entry to the MA in Musical Theatre, see page 61.

rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 55

Design for Performance RWCMD’s track record and credentials in the field of theatre design are impressive. Students find themselves not only at the centre of the College’s own creative community, but also of a dynamic international performance design community.

56 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

THEATRE DESIGN COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

BEING A SET DESIGNER

• Students receive training in a wide range of technical skills including technical drawing, model making and costume construction.

Colin Richmond graduated from RWCMD in 2003 and was a Linbury Prize finalist.

His recent work includes set and costume design for Wendy and Peter Pan at the Royal Shakespeare Company. The following extracts are based on an interview for The Guardian on Creative Careers.

• There are opportunities for designers within the College’s wide-ranging performance programme, which includes opera, musical theatre and a wide range of drama.

• Team-working skills are tested as students get to grips with large-scale paper sculptures during the first few weeks of their course.

• A first year ‘costume as performance’ project featuring costumes created from ‘found’ and recycled materials.

• An annual, large-scale, site-specific puppetry performance is one of the highlights of the RWCMD calendar.

• The College’s Linbury Gallery is the perfect setting for an annual graduate exhibition, and for regular displays of the students’ work in scenic art, costume, props and sculpture.

INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION Under the inspirational leadership of Sean Crowley, RWCMD has become a world leader in education and training for performance design. Winning the bid to host World Stage Design 2013 consolidated its growing international reputation (see page 22). The College has also been closely involved for many years with the Prague Quadrennial, another major international scenography event held every four years.

THE LINBURY PRIZE RWCMD has a phenomenal record of success in this high-profile competition for emerging theatre designers. The biennial prize offers twelve finalists the chance to work with some of the UK’s leading theatre, opera and dance companies.

Their work is then featured in an exhibition at the National Theatre. Four winners are then chosen, each receiving a cash prize and a professional commission to design a production for a major company. In the last ten years, RWCMD has fielded eight winners and numerous finalists who have gone on to successful careers with the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal Court, Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, National Theatre, Welsh National Opera and many more.

rwcmd.ac.uk

On his early years…

As a child, I went to see Starlight Express, and I came home and made a model version of the set from memory.

I also remember trying to recreate Gotham City when I was about eight.

On RWCMD… It’s a hardcore three years of hardly any days off. It begins with sculpture work and developing the imagination and building up good skills. We had a puppetry project to do, which we also performed in to understand the other side of the process. The second and third years are when you specialise in costume or set design.

On his first job…

I got it through a College contact. I was an assistant to Bob Crowley, the designer of Mary Poppins and The History Boys.

Getting a break through someone you know is common in this line of work, although getting one job does not automatically lead to another. You have

CARDIFF’S CREATIVE INDUSTRIES As a thriving centre for the creative industries, Cardiff offers plenty of opportunities for students to gain experience with professional companies in and around the city. Flagship TV dramas including Doctor Who, Casualty, Sherlock, Upstairs Downstairs and Being Human are filmed at the BBC Drama Village in Cardiff Bay, and on location around the city. Companies likes Bay Productions and Cardiff Theatrical Services provide specialist services in set construction, scenic art and prop making to the opera, theatre, film and TV industries, with clients including the Royal Opera House, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh.

to keep creating worlds, get ideas and designs on paper even if you've not got work. You have to keep emailing and you have to be relentless in knowing who is doing what and where.

“Good communication skills are vital for a set designer.”

On personality…

Good communication skills are vital for a set designer. You are always feeding back to the director and need to be able to articulate ideas and have strong people skills.

On job satisfaction…

The schedules are exhausting but you've got to keep doing more because it doesn't pay well. At the end, when it all comes into fruition it makes every part of the process worthwhile.

Colin Richmond’s designs for ‘Tink’ in Wendy and Peter Pan for the Royal Shakespeare Company

THEATRE DESIGN COURSES The College’s BA (Hons) in Design for Performance offers students a broad range of training and experience in design and realisation for performance. At Master’s level, students can choose to specialise in performance design (set and costume); set design; costume design; costume construction; puppetry; lighting design; sound design; or scenic art and construction for stage and screen. The Master’s programme offers flexible pathways, including options for people who are already working in a related field.

After a year of full time study at the College, Master’s students receive support and mentoring from tutors to complete a piece of work based on their professional employment within the industry. For information about applying for entry to the Design for Performance courses, (see page 61).

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 57

Stage Management and Technical Theatre Unlike many of the training options on offer to people who want to work in the backstage professions, RWCMD’s courses combine extensive training in core technical skills, sound and lighting design, and the full range of stage management skills. As a result of this holistic approach, the number of RWCMD graduates to be found working in key roles in the live performance and events industries throughout the UK and worldwide is impressive.

PRODUCTION WORK The College’s in-house artistic programme including drama, opera, musical theatre, orchestral concerts, festivals and outdoor events, offers opportunities for students to gain practical experience in a range of technical and production roles. RWCMD is also a hosting venue for visiting companies, performances and events, which can offer further opportunities for students to build their portfolios and expand their professional networks. Stage management students collaborate on the annual Stage Electrics exhibition held at the College, and have been heavily involved in the production of major international events including World Stage Design 2013.

EDINBURGH FRINGE Each summer, a team of stage managers and technicians from RWCMD take on the management of Venue 13, the College’s professional venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Over a period of three weeks the team provides full production support for 150 performances including theatre, contemporary dance and physical theatre from Wales and the rest of the world. This immersive experience can add significantly to students’ professional portfolios.

WORK PLACEMENTS As part of the training at RWCMD, there are opportunities for students to undertake professional placements with external companies in the UK or further afield.

Recent placements have included 58 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

The National Theatre, National Theatre Wales, The Almeida, Donmar Warehouse, Royal Court and Chichester Festival Theatre.

COURSES In addition to a three-year BA (Hons) degree course, the College offers an intensive one-year training programme for people with more experience who want to move in to working as stage managers, production managers or event managers in the theatre or live events industries. People with a degree in any subject can apply, although the College also considers applications from people who have been working in the theatre, event or entertainment industries without formal training. The course, which leads to a Master’s degree, can give people the skills and experience they need to take their career to the next level. After a year of full time study, students find relevant professional employment, which forms the basis of a final piece of coursework.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT The state-of-the-art, industry-standard equipment at RWCMD includes Grand MA and ETC lighting desks, Martin and VariLite moving head lighting, GDS Stage Management Systems, Yamaha and Roland digital sound desks, d&b, Axis and Martin speaker systems. There is also a vast range of industry-related software available at the College including AutoCAD, WYSIWYG, QLab and Isadora (video mapping). The Richard Burton Theatre and Dora Stoutzker Hall are equipped with single purchase flying systems as well as Nomad computerised flying systems. rwcmd.ac.uk

STAGE MANAGEMENT

CAREER PROFILES Anthony Field is Company Manager for the current UK touring production of Wicked. He's staged cabarets in the Caribbean, worked with Kevin Spacey at London’s Old Vic, and been involved in the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics.

“My interest in the industry came from a love of theatre, and the experience on offer at RWCMD was vast. It included different technical aspects, electronics, staging, sound – we got to work with lighting designers and production managers. The scope was huge and you could focus on anything you liked. I was offered the best facilities and links in industry to help me discover what I wanted to do. When I arrived at College, I wanted to be a lighting designer, but within a couple of years I realised it was more stage management that I wanted to get into. Then there’s all the different genres within that, from theatre to TV, radio, and events. I thought the course at RWCMD was definitely the best in terms of producing all-round graduates who could step into – and have the choice of – a world of different work opportunities.”

Lighting technician and designer Dani Bish was nominated for an Offie (Off West End) Award the year after she graduated. She has also worked in the lighting team at The National Theatre, where she first worked as a placement student during her final year at RWCMD. “My time at the College helped me realise what it was I wanted to do, and the confidence to really push for it. The course gave me the skills and confidence to step into the industry and now I’m still working

rwcmd.ac.uk

with some of the directors and designers I met through College and through my work placements. My experience at the College opened up opportunities that I would never have imagined before.”

Before enrolling on the College’s MA in Stage Management course, Bryony Peach did a degree in Humanities with Philosophy with the Open University while training to be a trapeze artist.

She discovered stage management after her career as an aerial performer was thwarted by injury.

“After a fantastic time at RWCMD, my first external placement was at The Watermill, where I joined the stage management team for the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie – an enormous show in a tiny theatre. From there I went to the other extreme at the National as one of the ASMs on The Light Princess.

“I work with fellow RWCMD graduates on every job and it really gets you noticed.”

Since then I’ve made giant inflatable Elephantoms appear like magic, cooked and served The Big Meal in Bath six times a night, deputy stage managed an opera in a 200-year-old stone cloister, and am currently dodging rain showers at Regent’s Park. Doing the MA was the best decision I ever made, I had a wonderful time in College and now make my living as a stage manager. I work with fellow RWCMD graduates on every job and it really gets you noticed.”

Emily Legg worked in the sound department at London’s Young Vic theatre under fellow graduate Dominic Bilkey, before taking up her current position as Deputy Head of Sound at the Royal Court Theatre.

“Sound was always a bit of a hobby for me ever since school but it was my experience at RWCMD that really confirmed that I could turn it into a career.

Working in sound is extremely technical but it still allows me to be creative, which is what I enjoy most about it. The course gave me the foundations to build my career on, but I could not have achieved what I have without the huge amount of support and pastoral care from all of my tutors, and the support networks available to students at the College.”

During his time at RWCMD, Rich Rayner built up a portfolio of technical experience in the events industry.

“I was attracted to RWCMD because it was the only place that seemed to offer a decent hands-on course with some great opportunities to actually get out there and work with the people in the industry. My final placement was with a leading company delivering temporary power for concerts, touring and major public events.

They turned out to be my employer for six years after leaving College and my experiences with them included The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Olympics in Beijing and London, and festivals including Glastonbury and V. I have now set up my own event services company, and I continue to use a whole range of transferable skills that I gained during my time at RWCMD in so many areas ranging from time management to set building and people management.”

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 59

Leading the Way in Arts Management MA in Arts Management Course Leader Karen Pimbley explains how RWCMD is leading the way in developing future leaders for the arts.

“Arts Management is a broad term but the ‘catch-all’ course title reflects our students’ diverse backgrounds, the flexibility of the training we provide, the many varied career outcomes, and the transferable nature of the skills we teach.”

“Many of our students have focussed on the performance or creative side as undergraduates and are aiming for careers as creative producers or orchestral managers. Some of them have experience of working in the arts and are looking to fill a ‘skills gap’ to help progress their careers or move in a new direction. Others are looking for a complete career change.

The course structure is flexible enough to accommodate the goals of a broad range of students.”

“Our aim is to produce graduates who have the potential to demonstrate real leadership in the creative sector. The training provides them with a range of practical skills and experience that will enable them to rise to the challenges of increasing access and participation, harnessing new technologies and working in a global context. Not to mention the issue of income generation.”

“The fact is that most jobs now require you to be multi-skilled, and to have at least some fundraising experience, especially in small organisations. Even if it’s education and outreach that you’re really interested in, you are likely to need some understanding of fundraising and the ability to work with donors and sponsors if you want to deliver projects successfully.”

In 2013, when she was appointed to lead the College’s training for arts managers, Karen set about restructuring the course along the same lines as the College’s other training programmes – placing core skills, practical experience, professional collaborations and employability at the centre of the training.

the real world. To assess their understanding and skills in education and community involvement, they work as a team to develop a practical proposal for an original project. It really tests their skills in teamworking, leadership and entrepreneurship.”

“It’s all about work-based learning and creative tasks that reflect real-life scenarios.”

“Here at the College, the students have the opportunity to gain experience of various roles within the venues, box office, marketing and production teams. These in-house placements have also included working in the College’s Edinburgh Fringe venue, helping to organise a Jazz Time residency at the Hay Festival, and assisting with the production of the new writing season. That experience forms a core part of the training – and the basis for assessment.”

PROFESSIONAL PLACEMENTS Thanks to its unique position as the National Conservatoire of Wales, the College has been able to establish partnerships with the wide range of professional organisations in Cardiff and beyond.

For the whole of the summer term, students work on external professional placements with organisations including Arts Council of Wales, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Hijinx Theatre Company, Sinfonia Cymru and No Fit State Circus (below).

“The career outcomes reflect the diversity of the course – some graduates have gone into specialist fundraising or marketing roles within large organisations, others have set up their own projects. Many are freelance project managers or creative producers.

Although the practical tasks and placements focus on arts settings, the skills we teach can be applied in a range of settings within the wider cultural and creative industries, or in the charity sector, even in business.”

THE ARTS MANAGEMENT COURSE Entry to the MA in Arts Management is in September each year. Students can choose to study on a full time basis for one year, or on a flexible, part-time basis for up to five years. The programme can also be tailored to suit the needs of individual students according to their needs and experience, with relevant modules available for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

“We don’t do essays; it’s all about workbased learning and creative tasks that reflect real-life scenarios. For example, to For information on applying for assess the students’ understanding and skills in fundraising, they have to present to entry to the MA in Arts Management a panel of decision-makers from businesses programme, see page 61. that are involved in sponsoring projects in 60 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Courses & Applications MUSIC

ACTING

BMus (Hons) Music

4 Years

BA (Hons) Acting

3 Years

BMus (Hons) Jazz

4 Years

MA Acting for Stage, Screen & Radio

1 Year

MMus or PGDip: Brass Band Conducting Choral Conducting Composition Historical Performance Music Performance Orchestral Conducting Orchestral Performance Collaborative Piano Repetiteurship MA: Jazz Opera Performance

2 Years (1-Year option in some cases)

2 Years

All courses start in September each year.

Entry is by an audition process following application. Composition applicants will be asked to attend an interview. Applications must be submitted via www.ucas.com/ conservatoires (UCAS Conservatoires). The deadline for applications is 1st October.

Course details and audition/interview guidance is available on the relevant course pages of the College’s website.

There is a registration fee of £24 for using the UCAS Conservatoires service, and audition fee of £63 (one instrument) or £84 (two instruments) (also payable through UCAS Conservatoires). The audition fee for late applications, received after the 1st October, is £68. The latest tuition fees are published on the College’s website (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). rwcmd.ac.uk/music

MUSIC RESEARCH DEGREES MPHil/PhD

3 Years or 5 Years

Doctoral studies at RWCMD focus specifically on research relating to performance or composition.

Both courses start in September each year.

Entry is by an audition process following application. Applications must be submitted via www.ucas.com/ conservatoires (UCAS Conservatoires). The deadline for applications to the BA (Hons) course is 15th January. For the MA course, the deadline is 31st March. Course details and audition guidance is available on the acting course pages of the College’s website. There is a registration fee of £24 for using the UCAS Conservatoires service, and audition fee of £47 (also payable through UCAS Conservatoires). The latest tuition fees are published on the College’s website (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). rwcmd.ac.uk/acting

ARTS MANAGEMENT MA Arts Management

Full Time, 1 Year Part Time, 2-5 Years

The course starts in September each year. Applications must be submitted via www.ucas.com/conservatoires (UCAS Conservatoires). Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview. The College will consider applications for entry in September for as long as there are places available. Course details are available on the arts management course pages of the College’s website. There is a registration fee of £24 for using the UCAS Conservatoires service. The latest tuition fees are published on the College’s website (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). rwcmd.ac.uk/artsman

1 Year

The course starts in September each year.

Entry is by an audition process following application. Applications must be Contact the College directly to discuss submitted via www.ucas.com/ your ideas further, and receive help and conservatoires (UCAS Conservatoires). The advice in writing a research proposal – deadline for applications is the 31st March. admissions@rwcmd.ac.uk. The latest tuition Course details and audition guidance is fees are published on the College’s website available on the musical theatre pages of (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). the College’s website. There is a registration fee of £24 for using the UCAS rwcmd.ac.uk/mphil Conservatoires service, and audition fee of £47 (also payable through UCAS Conservatoires). The latest tuition fees are published on the College’s website (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). rwcmd.ac.uk

BA (Hons) Design for Performance

3 Years

MA Design for Performance

1 Year*

MA students choose from: Performance Design, Set Design, Costume Design, Costume Construction, Puppetry, Lighting Design, Sound Design, or Scenic Art and Construction for Stage and Screen *Plus work-based component Both courses start in September each year.

Entry is by an interview process following application. Applications for the BA (Hons) course must be submitted via www.ucas.com (The University & Colleges Admissions Service) and the deadline for applications is the 15th January. There is a registration of £13 to use the UCAS service, or £24 if you are applying to more than one course, college or university. For the MA course, applications must be submitted via www.ucas.com/ conservatoires (UCAS Conservatoires) and the deadline for applications is the 30th April.

There is a registration fee of £24 for using the UCAS Conservatoires service. Course details and interview guidance is available on the Design for Performance course pages of the College’s website. The latest tuition fees are published on the College’s website (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). rwcmd.ac.uk/designforperformance

STAGE MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) Stage Management

3 Years

MA Stage & Event Management 1 Year* *Plus work-based component

MUSICAL THEATRE MA Musical Theatre

DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE

rwcmd.ac.uk/musicaltheatre

Both courses start in September each year.

Entry is by an interview process following application. Applications for the BA (Hons) course must be submitted via www.ucas.com (The University & Colleges Admissions Service) and the deadline for applications is the 15th January. There is a registration fee of £13 to use the UCAS service, or £24 if you are applying to more than one course, college or university. For the MA course, applications must be submitted via www.ucas.com/conservatoires (UCAS Conservatoires) and the deadline for applications is the 30th April. Course details and interview guidance is available on the course pages of the College’s website. The latest tuition fees are published on the College’s website (rwcmd.ac.uk/fees). rwcmd.ac.uk/stageman Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 61

International Applications ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS Applicants whose first language is not English will need the IELTS English language qualification – IELTS (Academic) for UKVI, taken at an approved test centre.

This will indicate the ability to study through the medium of English language.

There are specific minimum entry requirements for each programme of study. The College runs pre-sessional English language course in Cardiff for students whose test scores are very close to those required for entry.

AUDITIONS The College regularly holds auditions in Asia and North America. For applicants who are unable to attend an audition/ interview in person the College is able to accept audition recordings on DVD/arrange a Skype interview.

FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on English language requirements, auditions, fees, scholarships, visas, and international student services, visit the international pages of the College’s website: rwcmd.ac.uk/international

Accommodation & Support for Students ACCOMMODATION

STUDENT SUPPORT

ACCESSIBILITY

Every student starting in September is guaranteed a room in halls of residence at Liberty Severn Point – a fully managed secure site just ten minutes’ walk from the College. Rent is £119 per week (2016/2017) including electricity, water, personal possessions insurance, communal television licence, communal television, Sky digital package and broadband internet access.

Student welfare is one of the College’s primary concerns and it places a strong emphasis on delivering an outstanding level of student support.

RWCMD encourages applications from disabled students and those who have particular needs, and it considers every potential student on an individual basis.

The principle of diversity and flexibility is inherent within all of the programmes of study and the College places a strong emphasis on enabling every student to achieve their individual potential.

For students who choose to live in private rented accommodation, the College can provide a list of reputable landlords. Rent is around £285 per month excluding bills.

The College runs a scheme which helps new students find suitable housemates during the summer before the start of their course. www.rwcmd.ac.uk/accommodation

The Students’ Union has built a very close working relationship with the College’s management team, which ensures that all students are able to raise issues and have their voices heard by the people responsible for running the College.

The College employs a dedicated Head of Student Experience and Services, who benefits from first-hand experience of life as a student at the College, and provides a first point of contact for students. The Head of Student Experience and Services works closely with the Students’ Union to provide access to a range of information and advice resources, including a completely confidential, professional counselling service.

The College can arrange for applicants with particular needs to visit the College before their audition or interview, to meet with staff and to ask specific questions about particular aspects of the programmes.

The information contained in this publication can be made available in other formats.

Tel: + 44(0) 29 2039 1343 or email: support@rwcmd.ac.uk

www.rwcmd.ac.uk/support

62 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

rwcmd.ac.uk

Other Courses at RWCMD JUNIOR CONSERVATOIRE Advanced Course (ages 8-18) Music First (ages 7-11) Mini Music (ages 4-8) All courses run on Saturdays during term time throughout the year. Entry to the Advanced Course and Music First is by an audition process following application.

Applications must be submitted directly to the Junior Conservatoire. There is an audition fee of £15 for the Advanced Course and £15 for Music First. Course details, fees and entry requirements are available on the Junior Conservatoire pages of the College’s website. www.rwcmd.ac.uk/junior

YOUNG ACTORS STUDIO Acting Courses (ages 16-20) Theatre Workshop (ages 11-18) Acting Courses and Theatre Workshop run on weekends during term time throughout the year – on Sundays at the College and on Saturdays at Pembrokeshire College in West Wales. Entry to the Acting Course is by an audition process. Applications must be submitted directly to the Young Actors Studio. There is an audition fee of £17 for the Acting Course. Course details, fees and entry requirements are available on the Young Actors Studio pages of the College’s website. www.rwcmd.ac.uk/yas

SUMMER SCHOOLS Summer Schools at RWCMD give a taste of life at the College and cover everything from acting workshops and chamber music for children and young people, to corsetmaking for adults.

Contact Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, Cardiff, UK, CF10 3ER Switchboard Tel: + 44(0) 29 2034 2854 Email: info@rwcmd.ac.uk Admissions Tel: + 44(0) 29 2039 1361 Email: admissions@rwcmd.ac.uk

www.rwcmd.ac.uk/summerschools © Published by the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Translated by Sian Edwards. Designed by www.nb-design.com. Printed by Stephens and George Print Group. Photography by Kiran Ridley, Ollie Edwards, Kirsten McTernan, Simon Gough, Betina Skovbro, Royal Shakespeare Company, Nicola Lloyd, Conrad Norton, Warren Orchard, Joe Clark and Nick Guttridge for BFLS Architects, Ted Scott.

While every effort has been made to ensure that the details in this prospectus are up-to-date and accurate at the time of going to press, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama can accept no responsibility for any errors or omission. Admission to the College will be subject to its Articles, Ordinances, Rules, Regulations, Codes and Procedures (howsoever called) for the time being in force. We shall be pleased to supply a copy to you before you apply; a copy is also available in the Library. The College reserves the right to vary either before or after your admission, the contents and method of delivery of courses, to discontinue courses and to introduce new ones. If a course is discontinued the College will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative. The College does not accept responsibility and expressly excludes liability for loss or damage to students’ property other than through the negligence of the College and for the cancellation or modification of courses. Any term, condition or provision of the contract between you and the College, which may be held to be invalid, shall be severed from the contract without affecting the validity or enforceability of the remainder. rwcmd.ac.uk

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

| 63

Thank You We would like to take the opportunity to thank those public bodies, individuals, trusts, foundations and business sponsors who have contributed to the College and continue to support us.

Business Support ABRSM Arts and Business Cymru Barclays Brewin Dolphin Cardiff Business Club Catering Academy Da Vinci’s Demons John Lewis Partnership Liberty Living The Penderyn Distillery Steinway & Sons Valero Wales & West Utilities Individuals Dame Shirley Bassey FRWCMD Philip Carne FRWCMD and Christine Carne FRWCMD The Friends of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Jean Davies The late Leonard and Marian Jones The late Peter Kearney The late Sir Charles Mackerras CBE FRWCMD Eluned H McGrenery The late Gwenllian Phillips in memory of her husband Valerie Pitt David Seligman OBE FRWCMD Ian Stoutzker CBE FRWCMD Valerie Hodges Public Bodies Arts Council of Wales Welsh Government Trusts and Foundations The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation The Ashley Family Foundation The Colwinston Charitable Trust The Community Foundation in Wales The Else and Leonard Cross Charitable Trust The EMI Music Sound Foundation The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

The Garfield Weston Foundation The G C Gibson Charitable Trust The Jane Hodge Foundation The John Barbirolli Memorial Foundation The Joseph Strong Fraser Trust The J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust The Leverhulme Trust The Linbury Trust The Mackintosh Foundation The Paul Hamlyn Foundation The Richard Carne Trust The Simon Gibson Charitable Trust The Spielman Charitable Trust The Tillett Trust The Walton Trust The Waterloo Foundation The Wolfson Foundation The Worshipful Company of Musicians

We remain immensely grateful to those public bodies, individuals, trusts, foundations and business sponsors who gave their support to our Capital Campaign: A Stage for Success. The new training and performance spaces at the College provided the foundation for a new phase in the College’s history and to mark their commitment, we continue to acknowledge these donors on the College’s website.

Please visit www.rwcmd.ac.uk/thankyou

64 | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Patron Connect Gold Chris Ball Geraint Talfan Davies John Derrick and Preben Oeye Hywel and Mary George David Goldstone CBE Captain Sir Norman LloydEdwards FRWCMD Michael and Cora McGrane Vince McNabb Chris Nott Sir Idris Pearce Alan and Maggie Peterson Carlo Rizzi FRWCMD and Lucy Stout David Seligman OBE FRWCMD Babs Thomas OBE Ted and Val Yates Patron Connect Hilary Boulding Peter Curran Martin and Jo Furber Allan and Kath Jones Graham and Dorothy Jones Christine Lewis OBE Chris Moorsom Menna Richards OBE FRWCMD Cynthia Roberts Simon Smail CBE Dr Geraint Stanley Jones CBE FRWCMD College Connect Gold Douglas Dalwood Ken Griffin Robert and Philippa John Gareth Williams College Connect Scott Allin John and Elizabeth Andrews Jenny Broughton Andrew Healy Gloria Jenkins Anita Johansson Clare Kimber Geraldine Martin Clive Maslen Glyn Parry Shirley Parry Margaret Perring Ceri Wyn Richards John Richardson Dame Janet Ritterman DBE Dr Martin Sage Jane and Mike Tooby Haydn and Alison Warman rwcmd.ac.uk

JUNIOR CONSERVATOIRE SPECIALIST MUSICAL TRAINING FOR AGES 4-18

“WITHOUT JUNIOR MUSIC, I WOULD BE HALF THE MUSICIAN I AM NOW.”

www.rwcmd.ac.uk/junior

“THANKS TO YOUNG ACTORS STUDIO, I ACTUALLY ENJOYED MY DRAMA SCHOOL AUDITIONS.”

YOUNG ACTORS STUDIO A TASTE OF DRAMA SCHOOL FOR AGES 12-20

www.rwcmd.ac.uk/yas

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3ER, United Kingdom Admissions Tel: +44 (0) 29 2039 1361 Email: admissions@rwcmd.ac.uk

rwcmd.ac.uk