Royal College of Music

Ce matin, au Royal College of Music, musée d’instruments anciens et expositions Kurt Cobain, c'est le choc des époques !
#london

Join us next Wednesday for an exciting collaborative concert celebrating the centenary of legendary French composer, Pierre Boulez. Musicians from the RCM and Conservatoire de Paris are busy rehearsing for this special project in Paris! 🇫🇷

Learn more and book: www.rcm.ac.uk/events/detai...

Priority booking is now open for the RCM Opera Studio’s autumn production, The Cunning Little Vixen 🦊

Be moved by Janáček’s whimsical opera, drawing playful parallels between animal and human life.

24, 26, 28 & 29 November – RCM Friends book now: www.rcm.ac.uk/rcmopera

Jonathan Lemalu and Mark Austin

We’re delighted to announce two new appointments to the prestigious Vocal & Opera Faculty!

Award-winning bass Jonathan Lemalu becomes Deputy Head of Vocal & Opera, and distinguished pianist, coach and conductor Mark Austin joins as Assistant Head of Vocal & Opera.

bit.ly/RCM-VandO-appointments

Exhibition poster for Royal College of Music Museum’s temporary exhibition ‘Kurt Cobain Unplugged’ showing Kurt and his guitar.

The 1959 Martin D-18E guitar used by Kurt Cobain in the MTV Unplugged in New York album displayed in the exhibition.

Nirvana fans of the MTV Unplugged in New York album should check out the @rcmlondon.bsky.social exhibition about the recording. The guitar, the jumper and rare memorabilia are on display until November 18 in London.

Young violinist with long dark hair tied up, smiling

Tell us your news! 📣 We love to hear from RCM staff, students and alumni – from performances to projects to publications. Send your updates to news@rcm.ac.uk by Friday 26 September, and you could feature in the autumn edition of Upbeat magazine.

📸 Chris Christodoulou

Meet the extraordinary musicians who will be Royal College of Music Fellows for the 2025/26 academic year - congratulations to all! 🎉

Find out more about them: bit.ly/RCM-Fellowsh...

We wish all scholars well for the term ahead 🍂

This #FlashbackFriday listen to RCM flautist Samantha Rowe perform Brett Dean's effervescent work for solo flute, 'Demons' 🫧

Learn more about the piece and watch the full performance on our YouTube channel: youtu.be/aOaqyNmgql8

Tra le fiamme, the latest recording on Channel Classics, brings together the RCM's innovative new 3D printed instruments with rare originals from the RCM Collection, performed by alumni and leading professors from our Historical Performance Faculty!

Discover the recording: bit.ly/RCM-Tralefia...

Last week #RCMSparks kicked off the Springboard Young Composers Course with a special rehearsal visit at the Royal Albert Hall and a trip to the RCM Museum's Kurt Cobain Unplugged exhibition. Well done to the new students for creating amazing work inspired by music from the BBC Proms! 🎶

We’re thrilled to welcome three outstanding new professors to the Strings Faculty! 🎶

Joining our faculty are principal harp of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Elizabeth Bass, award-winning harpist Oliver Wass, and internationally acclaimed violinist Esther Yoo.

Read more➡️ bit.ly/RCM-Stringsp...

RCM singers take centre stage at the BBC Proms this week!

Tonight, alumna Ava Dodd joins Visiting Professors Brindley Sherratt and Nicky Spence in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth. Then on Sunday, look out for alumni Laurence Kilsby and Elizabeth Watts in Bliss’ cantata The Beatitudes.

Can you name that character? 🐺🦆🐦

Hear Prokofiev’s iconic Peter and the Wolf, brought to life by RCM musicians in this intimate arrangement.

Watch the full performance on YouTube, led by RCM conductor Sam Scheer & narrated by the wonderful Lucy Hollins: youtu.be/25Jt_Dklkzs

#RCMSparks is delighted to once again be partnering with GALSI (Gender and the Large and Shiny Instruments) to offer an exciting two-day course at the RCM!

📅28–29 October
🎟️Pay What You Can – Free places also available

Learn more and apply: bit.ly/galsi2025

Meet the two wonderful vocal studies professors joining the Royal College of Music this autumn!

We look forward to welcoming sopranos Mary Nelson and Sarah Tynan to the Vocal and Opera Faculty, adding their expertise to our world-class teaching staff.

Find out more about them: bit.ly/RCM-vocal

Missed out on the RCM Opera Studio’s spring production of Le nozze di Figaro? You are in luck – the production will be streamed worldwide this Friday on OperaVision!

Don’t miss out on a fantastic performance of Mozart’s beloved opera. Watch from 6pm: operavision.eu/performance/...

Singing for joy: Why new mothers in regional Victoria are joining choirs New research suggests that group singing can lower anxiety and give new mothers a feeling of achievement and identity

How can singing change the lives of new mothers?

Read The Guardian to find out how research led by Royal College of Music Professor @rosielperkins.bsky.social is making a difference in Australia ⬇️

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

From the Royal College of Music to the BBC Proms: RCM musicians at the 2025 festival The BBC Proms have recently unveiled their 2025 season, which once again showcases the excellence of Royal College of Music (RCM) students, alumni and professors, who will perform at the world’s bigge...

Look out for RCM alumni Louise Alder and Huw Montague Rendall in The Marriage of Figaro at the Proms tomorrow!

This weekend, Hugh Cutting performs in Handel’s Alexander’s Feast, and don’t miss a world premiere by Hannah Kendall.

Read more about our alumni at the BBC Proms⬇️
bit.ly/RCM-BBCProms

Using performance nerves as your superpower! 💪

In her inspiring horn masterclass earlier this year, hear Sarah Willis' wise words with RCM musician Jack Bradley-Buxton on using nervousness to benefit your musicality. Have you ever felt that being nervous helped you perform better?

#FlashbackFriday

Celebrating Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s 150th anniversary!

Hear the RCM alumnus' spirited Novelleten for string orchestra, performed by talented young musicians of the RCM Junior Department earlier this year.

Read more about his legacy and life at the RCM: bit.ly/3V0UJtT

#FlashbackFriday

YouTube video by Royal College of Music In Focus: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was born OTD 150 years ago. Here's his rather lovely Clarinet Quintet: youtu.be/YhkxzmDbVN8?...

Celebrating Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s 150th anniversary!

Hear the RCM alumnus' spirited Novelleten for string orchestra, performed by talented young musicians of the RCM Junior Department earlier this year.

Read more about his legacy and life at the RCM: bit.ly/3V0UJtT

#FlashbackFriday

Looking for exciting concerts and performances in London?

Look no further – booking is now open for our Autumn Season of events! With chamber music, family events, orchestral concerts and masterclasses, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Book now: www.rcm.ac.uk/events

Enjoy some peaceful Purcell this #FlashbackFriday 🧚

Performed by the RCM Baroque Orchestra, hear the delightful Rondeau from Henry Purcell’s Suite from The Fairy Queen. Learn more about the RCM Historical Performance Faculty: www.rcm.ac.uk/hp/

Priority booking is now open for our Autumn Season!

If you are an RCM Friend, take advantage of the seven-day priority booking period and secure your seats for rousing concerts and events this autumn.

Want to become an RCM Friend? Learn how at www.rcm.ac.uk/support/frie...

Our production of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro, will be streaming worldwide on OperaVision later this month!

🎥 Stream free from 29 August - available for 6 months.

Find out more: bit.ly/RCM-OperaVis...

We’re delighted to announce that Dr Sarah K Whitfield (@sarahinthepark.bsky.social) has been appointed Reader in Musical Theatre at the Royal College of Music and has also been appointed Head of Doctoral Programmes.

Read more about Sarah’s achievements: bit.ly/RCM-Sarah-Wh...

What an ending! 🌟

Today's #FlashbackFriday is Mendelssohn's Octet at @wigmore-hall.org.uk, as part of our RCM Strings Showcase. What a fantastic feeling to be in the room for this thrilling finale – watch the full performance now on our YouTube channel.

#MendelssohnOctet #WigmoreHall

A huge well done to everyone who took part in the #RCMSparks Launch Pad course this week!

The Nirvana interpretations created in the sessions were reflective, epic, and truly inspiring. Everyone took it to the next level – legends in the making 🎸 #Nirvana #CreativeLegends