There is plenty to keep you entertained and enthralled this summer at the RCM, with a programme full of diverse and exciting performances.
Chloé van Soeterstède and Kevin John Edusei both make their first visits to the Royal College of Music to conduct works by Jessie Montgomery and Samy Moussa, alongside two great classics, Brahms’ Symphony no 1 and Stravinsky’s spectacular Firebird. We are also delighted to be joined by Sir Andrew Davis, in an innovative workshop with singers and orchestra in Berlioz’s song cycle Les nuits d'été.
We present operas new and newer, with Jonathan Dove’s Flight, the extraordinary tale of love and life set in an airport lounge. In association with Tête à Tête, we also bring six fully staged, brand-new mini operas to the Britten Theatre, written by RCM composers on the theme of ‘Odysseys’. There is more new music, too, featuring in FestivALL – our celebration of inclusivity in music – in our concert of cutting-edge electronic music curated by Claudia Molitor, and our annual Composition for Screen Showcase.
Summer is also the season of festivals. Join us for Super String Sunday, an all-day event focusing on double concertos, and our Historical Performance Festival, with special guests Paolo Pandolfo and Kees Boeke. Our annual Festival of Percussion also returns – a whole day of percussion events, culminating with the RCM Jazz Orchestra performing alongside the extraordinary and prolific drummer, Benny Greb.
Chamber music runs through all our programmes, and there is a chance to hear works by composers from Saint-Saëns to Mélanie Bonis, Lili Boulanger to Judith Weir, Garth Knox to Germaine Tailleferre. And we are thrilled to welcome back our quartet in residence, the Harlem Quartet, who bring a typically eclectic programme of Bruch and Jessie Montgomery.
Further concerts by the RCM Junior Department take place across the summer, as well as outdoor and indoor events at the Great Exhibition Road Festival in June and much more.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Royal College of Music.
