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RCM Festival of Percussion

Percussion
The annual RCM Festival of Percussion, London’s only annual percussion festival, is a celebration of the field. It offers a wide range of entertaining and educational events, further performance opportunities for RCM students, plus a trade fair featuring some of the most important brands in the industry.

Special guests have included top drummers Dave Weckl, Peter Erskine, Stewart Copeland, John Riley, Ralph Salmins, Gavin Harrison, Pete Lockett, Geoff Dugmore, Jim Kilpatrick and Matt Skelton, and acclaimed timpanists and orchestral percussionists such as Nick Would, Graham Johns, Matt Perry and Adrian Bending.

Trying things out at the trade fair in 2011

Dave Weckl with the RCM Big Band in 2016 © Jon Frost

Children's event at the 2012 festival

Pete Lockett giving a demonstration in 2013

Stewart Copeland in conversation at the 2012 festival

Members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2012

Learning with the Royal Marines Drum Corps in 2013

Peter Erskine performing with the RCM Big Band in 2011

John Riley giving a demonstration in 2013

O Duo perform at the 2013 festival

In addition, we regularly welcome the Percussion and Timpani sections from the BBC Symphony and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, the Drum Corps from The Royal Marines, the O Duo percussion duo and the Anthony Kerr Jazz Trio.

This year's festival takes place on Sunday 5 May 2019, with an incredible roster of world-class musicians. American jazz-drummer Tommy Igoe is our special guest, bringing 25 years of Big Band experience to the Royal College of Music.

Tickets and events