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Principal's Notice - Sara Fulgoni

P/19/09

Sara Fulgoni

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Sara Fulgoni as Deputy Head of Vocal Studies.

A leading mezzo-soprano, Sara studied at the RNCM with Barbara Robotham, Nicholas Powell and April Cantelo, graduating in 1993. Since then, she has enjoyed a prominent career at the highest international level, appearing at some of the world’s major opera houses and concert halls, in a wide variety of repertoire.

It is perhaps her renowned interpretation of Bizet’s Carmen for which she is best known. Sara has performed the iconic character worldwide, most notably at Santa Fe Opera, Toulouse (under Michel Plasson), the Palau de les Arts Valencia (under Lorin Maazel), Geneva Opera, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera and the Beijing Music Festival, where she became the first western interpreter of the role to be presented in the capital of China since the Cultural Revolution. She also created the title role in the world première of Tobias Picker’s Thérèse Raquin at Dallas Opera and Nicholas Lens’ Shellshock, A Requiem of War at La Monnaie in Brussels.

Sara will start her new position in September, succeeding Susan Roper who is stepping down after 15 years in post.

Professor Linda Merrick
Principal

Future Learn Course

Interested in teaching?

This free course (next one due to start 24 June) will help you learn about what’s involved in teacher training.

Michèle Holden

P19/08

Michèle Holden

It is with regret that I announce that Michèle Holden has decided, for personal reasons, to leave her position as Director of Finance and Strategic Planning, to reduce a long distance commute and be nearer her family. She has expressed her pleasure and honour to have served at the RNCM and wishes colleagues and students every success.

I am sure you will join me in sending Michèle our best wishes for the future.

Professor Linda Merrick
Principal

Principal's Notice - Joseph Ward

Joseph Ward

It is with great sadness that I must announce the recent death of Joseph Ward, former Head of Opera Studies and School of Vocal Studies, and a Fellow of the RNCM. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, for his services to music.

Born in Preston, Joe was an English tenor, formerly a baritone, who also made a career as a teacher and opera producer. He studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music and in the 1950s toured with the Carl Rosa Opera, appearing in several operas including the company's final production staged in Nottingham in 1956. As a baritone he created the role of Starveling in Britten's A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1960), and in the same year sang the same composer's eponymous hero Billy Budd in the radio-broadcast premiere of the revised two-act version. He became principal baritone at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, making his debut there in 1962. Joseph also created the role of Patroclus in Tippett's opera King Priam and recorded as a baritone the role of Sid in Britten's Albert Herring, conducted by the composer. He subsequently transferred to the tenor repertoire and became Covent Garden's resident principal tenor.

From his performance in the very first opera production at the RNCM in 1973 to his resignation as Head of Vocal Studies in 1991 in order to pursue a freelance career as a producer, Joe’s relationship with the RNCM was a long and happy one. Former students remember him as a kind, imaginative, artistic and inspirational Head of School, much respected by students and staff alike.

Professor Linda Merrick
Principal

Principal's Notice - College Calendar 2020-2025

P19/06

The Principal's Notice announcing College term dates from 2020 to 2025 is attached.

Professor Linda Merrick
Principal

P1906 College Calendar 2020-2025.pdf

Nimbus to release SET by Gary Carpenter

SET, the latest recording by Professor Gary Carpenter, will be released on the Nimbus label on Friday 5 April.

Performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under the baton of Clark Rundell (RNCM Head of Conducting) and Andrew Manze, the compilation comprises five of Gary’s works and has been described as a ‘gem to be discovered’.

It includes the title track, a concerto for tenor saxophone and orchestra featuring soloist Iain Ballamy, and Love’s Eternity, a song cycle performed by mezzo-soprano and RNCM alum Kathryn Rudge.

Gary is recognised as one of Britain’s most diverse and engaging composers. He is a Tutor in Composition at the RNCM and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Composer in Association.

Pre-order your copy here

The Santa Maria Foundation - Volunteer Teaching Opportunities

The ABRSM International Sponsorship Fund supports 5-6 music organisations across the globe each year, ranging from grass roots projects to established national youth orchestras.

One of their 2018 beneficiaries, The Santa Maria Foundation, an orphanage for girls in Columbia, is looking for keen volunteers to teach during the summer.

This would be suitable for current students and alumni, and anyone interested is invited to contact Lady Yomara Rodriguez Cardenas, Director of the Foundation, at lady@santamariafoundation.org. Alternatively, learn more here.

Principal's Notice - Manus Carey

P/19/05

Manus Carey

I am delighted to announce that Manus Carey has been appointed to the new role of Deputy Principal (Performance and Programmes) at the RNCM with effect from 1 May 2019.

Manus was appointed as Director of Performance at the College in September 2017, bringing extensive experience from his previous role as Executive Producer at the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), where he was responsible for the Orchestra’s artistic strategy and programme, as well as its recording, commissioning, hired engagements and national/international touring work.

In his time at the RNCM, Manus has presided over a number of significant innovations in student performance at the College, including extended side-by-side working with professional partners, an annual themed approach to programming, aligning a broader range of learning opportunities with our performance programme and, more recently, instigating our new Lab Week.

With over-arching responsibility for Access and Participation, Manus is re-positioning RNCM Engage and its component activities at the heart of the College’s work, ensuring we reach out across our wider community to support people of all ages and backgrounds, help develop the next generation of talented young musicians who might aspire to study at the RNCM, and equip our students with the wide portfolio of education and workshop leadership skills they need for success in tomorrow’s music industry.

In his new role, Manus will work in parallel with Susan Baines, whose role will be re-designated Deputy Principal (Operations) from 1 May 2019. Together they will drive forward the College’s ambitious strategic plans, leading our academic and professional service teams. We will shortly be advertising for a Director of Programmes, who will cover the core academic leadership and management responsibilities currently held by Professor Martin Harlow: Vice-Principal (Academic).

Professor Linda Merrick
Principal

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RNCM Opera Scenes

Tuesday 18 June 2019 6.00pm

RNCM Opera Scenes

Tuesday 18 June 2019 6.00pm
RNCM Theatre

RNCM singers further their on-stage experience in these performances of excerpts drawn from a wide variety of operas. These free concerts are a great introduction to the world of opera as singers dip in and out of different repertoire to demonstrate their versatility.

Free admission, no ticket required

Thursday 13 June programme

Monday 18 June programme

FREE
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Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord)

Tuesday 18 June 2019 7.30pm

Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord)

Tuesday 18 June 2019 7.30pm
RNCM Concert Hall

Programme to include: William Byrd Three pieces Kaija Saariaho Jardin Secret II J S Bach Partita in G major BWV 829 Jeanne-Philippe Rameau Les tricotets; L’enharmonique; L’Egyptienne Steve Reich Piano Phase

Mahan Esfahani has made it his life’s mission to rehabilitate the harpsichord. His creative programming and track record of commissioning interesting new works have drawn the attention of critics and audiences alike and he was the first and so far only harpsichordist to be named a BBC New Generation Artist.

Tonight, he’ll create a hybrid of Baroque sounds and electronica. In particular, watch out for the Steve Reich piece, in which the harpsichord creates new textures and effects.

Tickets £18 / students/under 26s £5

‘This pugnaciously voluble 34 year old American harpsichordist… makes waves by playing contemporary works that are noisy and far from polite. It’s true that he plays Bach and Rameau, like a normal harpsichordist, but with a hair-raising rhythmic energy and freedom.’ Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph

Photo credit: Kaja Smith

Book Now Tuesday 18 June 7.30pm - Tickets £18
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Beyond the Nightingale…

Wednesday 19 June 2019 4.15pm

Beyond the Nightingale…

Wednesday 19 June 2019 4.15pm
RNCM Conference Room

Beyond the Nightingale: exploring the pioneering careers of cellists Beatrice Harrison and May Mukle

In May 1924, BBC Radio broadcast an extraordinary live duet between cellist Beatrice Harrison (1892-1965) and the nightingales in her Surrey garden. Continuing each spring for twelve consecutive years, John Reith declared that the nightingale ‘has swept the country… with a wave of something closely akin to emotionalism, and a glamour of romance has flashed across the prosaic round of many a life’. While the story of the cello and the nightingales is well known, it has eclipsed other aspects of Harrison’s pioneering career. Less still is known about her contemporary, May Mukle (1880-1963), the first British female cellist to achieve international status as a concert artist. In this paper, I look beyond the popular narrative of the nightingale broadcasts to explore the pioneering careers of Harrison and Mukle, exploring the role they played both in promoting twentieth-century cello repertoire and re-conceiving the gendered identity of the cello in early twentieth century Britain.

Free admission, no ticket required

FREE
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Karski Quartet

Wednesday 19 June 2019 6.00pm

Karski Quartet

Wednesday 19 June 2019 6.00pm
Carole Nash Recital Room

Antonín Dvořák String Quartet in G major Op 106

Kaja Nowak, Natalia Kotarba violin Diede Verpoest viola Julia Kotarba cello

Free admission, no ticket required

FREE
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I Hear The Rain

Thursday 20 June 2019 7.30pm

I Hear The Rain

Thursday 20 June 2019 7.30pm
Victoria Baths

Featuring music by: Claudio Monteverdi, Orlando Gibbons, Arvo Pärt, Eric Whitacre and Per Nørgård

RNCM Chamber Choir RNCM Baroque Soloists Roger Hamilton, Stuart Overington conductors Jonathan Ainscough director

Over the last few years, the RNCM has staged a number of amazing, large-scale, off-site events featuring our students – from the Whitworth Art Gallery to IWM North, The British Museum to Victoria Baths. This Summer, we return to Manchester’s original ‘water palace’ for I Hear the Rain.

This one-off performance will take place in the Gala (aka Males 1st class) Pool and there will even be an option to sit in the empty pool with the performers, as well as in the spectator seats above.

We love to experiment with unusual performance spaces and event formats, to challenge our students and offer audiences something original – to break free of the concert hall once in a while! We don’t want to give too much away but it won’t be at all static, and there will be a few surprises as our performers make full use of the glorious nooks and crannies of this iconic Manchester space.

Within the setting of the Victoria Baths, this beautiful music will sound more expansive and resonant, an ethereal experience as the day to day life of urban Manchester carries on outside its stained glass windows and imposing doors.

Pool Tickets £15 / Balcony Tickets £10 No concessions

+ // 6.30pm TOUR: Join a Victoria Baths guide for a 30-minute tour of this beautiful space before the performance begins. Please note pre-booking is required and there is limited availability. Pool Tickets + Tour £19 / Balcony Tickets + Tour £14

Book Now Thursday 20 June 7.30pm - Tickets from £10
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BBC Philharmonic

Friday 21 June 2019 2.30pm

BBC Philharmonic

Friday 21 June 2019 2.30pm
MediaCityUK (Salford Quays)

Luís de Freitas Branco Antero de Quental Tom Harrold Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra (world première) Alban Berg Violin Concerto Jean Sibelius Symphony No 7 in C major Op 105

Rita Castro Blanco, Rory Storm conductors Emma McPhilemy saxophone Callum Smart violin

The second chance this season to witness RNCM soloists on the International Artist Diploma course perform under the batons of RNCM student conductors alongside the BBC Philharmonic.

Free admission, by ticket application only at www.bbc.co.uk/tickets Ticket ballot will be open Mon 03 – Sun 09 Jun

Book Now Friday 21 June 2.30pm - Tickets Free
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RNCM Opera Scenes

Friday 21 June 2019 6.00pm

RNCM Opera Scenes

Friday 21 June 2019 6.00pm
RNCM Theatre

Free admission, no ticket required

Thursday 13 June programme

Monday 18 June programme

FREE
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Paraphrases

Saturday 22 June 2019 10.45am

Paraphrases

Saturday 22 June 2019 10.45am
RNCM Concert Hall

Francis Poulenc The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant Alexander Borodin, César Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Anatoly Lyadov Paraphrases

Hear Poulenc’s musical interpretation of Jean de Brunhoff’s L’Histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant with narrator, followed by a performance of Paraphrases – various composers’ variations on the well-known Chopsticks tune – played by RNCM students alongside young pianists from local schools.

Free admission, no ticket required

FREE
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