Events

Welcome to a new summer season at the RCM!

Corriam tutti a festeggiar – ‘All hasten to celebrate’.

The final and exuberant chorus of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, which we present in this 25th anniversary year of the Britten Theatre, sums up the exciting range of music instore this summer at the Royal College of Music.

As usual, some of the greatest musicians will be helping us with our celebrations. We are delighted to welcome back Bernard Haitink, who will conduct Bruckner’s monumental Symphony no 8. As we approach the Olympics, Edward Gardner also joins us for a performance of Elgar’s Symphony no 1, which was premiered in 1908 – another Olympic year for London.

Percussion is at the fore with the residency of Stewart Copeland – drummer for The Police, and highly successful film and concert composer. We will be performing his works with a number of our ensembles and featuring the widest array of percussion instruments, including the RCM Gamelan.

A British theme runs through our concerts this summer as we feature the music of Bridge, Coleridge-Taylor, Gurney, Howells, Delius and more. Strings too take centre stage with Super String Sunday, our string showcase at Wigmore Hall, and a remarkable collaboration with Sir Roger Norrington and sister institutions in France for the 24 Violons du Roi.

We continue to put new music at the forefront of our performing. Expect the unexpected in Great Expectations – six new short operas written by RCM composers expressly for our vocal and instrumental performers. On the concert platform, Jonathan Harvey’s Bhakti, the music of Giovanni Sollima, and a return of our new music ensemble Variable Geometry all celebrate contemporary writing and performing.

Our masterclasses continue to provide the highest level of instruction; this season includes visits from Emanuel Ax, and RCM alumni Natalie Clein, Alina Ibragimova and Michael Collins. There are also a range of events for the whole family to participate in, including RCM Sparks Summer Music, our annual collaboration with the BBC Proms.

All in all, a breath-taking range of music to celebrate this summer season.

I hope you can join us.

Stephen Johns | Artistic Director