The Royal College of Music (RCM), recently ranked the world’s top conservatoire for the fourth year running, starts its new academic year with an Autumn Season public performance programme designed to inspire – showcasing extraordinary young talent alongside world-renowned artists in a programme that celebrates music’s power to serve far beyond the concert hall.
From marking the centenary of Pierre Boulez in London and Paris to reviving rarely heard works by RCM alumnus Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, the season demonstrates how music enriches culture, fuels innovation and skills, and connects communities.
James Williams, Director at the Royal College of Music, comments: “At the Royal College of Music we believe music serves – it serves culture, science, health, and the wider economy. Every performance this season shows why investing in young talent matters: because today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and collaborators.”
Season highlights include:
· The 150th anniversary of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor celebrated with his rarely performed Meg Blane, performed by the RCM Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Sofi Jeannin (30 & 31 October).
· Pierre Boulez’s centenary honoured in London and Paris with joint concerts with the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, featuring new works from both institutions (8 October), alongside an electro-acoustic presentation of Anthèmes II as part of the Electric Dreams series (13 October).
· The RCM Opera Studio presents Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, in a new staging by award-winning director Orpha Phelan (24, 26, 28 & 29 November).
· Sir James MacMillan conducts the RCM Symphony Orchestra in a compelling programme including his own music, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Wynton Marsalis’s Tuba Concerto, performed by RCM Concerto Competition winner Archie McVicar (13 November).
· Cross-disciplinary collaboration sees RCM composers create new works inspired by the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition (21 November).
Elsewhere, the season ranges from masterclasses with world-leading musicians such as Alisa Weilerstein to a playful Woodwind and Brass Festival where the public can join in with “Come and Play” sessions. The RCM Museum continues its exploration of modern cultural icons with events linked to its Kurt Cobain Unplugged exhibition, including a lecture on the Nirvana frontman’s radical musical legacy.
James Williams adds: “The rich diversity of our public performance programme this autumn reflects the breadth and inclusivity of our work at the College. Our autumn concerts are open to the public and our ticket prices are capped at low prices to ensure that financial means are not a barrier to accessing the high-quality music making. As with our hugely successful Kurt Cobain Unplugged exhibition, which attracted new audiences to the College, so our autumn programme offers members of the public enriching experiences at affordable prices – and the exciting opportunity to discover a new generation of exceptional musicians at an early stage of their careers.”
With 900 students from over 50 countries, the RCM continues to set the benchmark for music education worldwide. Its alumni include Gustav Holst, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Benjamin Britten, Anna Meredith and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Tickets for the Autumn Season are now on sale. Full programme details are available at www.rcm.ac.uk/whats-on.