Obituary Spring 2025

In memory

The Royal College of Music was saddened to learn of the deaths of much-loved former students and staff. 

Main image: Emily Hoh

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Peter Bassano

The RCM was deeply saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Peter Bassano FRCM in February 2025.  

Peter was a fine trombonist – a long-time member of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Equale Brass – conductor and scholar. He was an alumnus of the RCM (trombone and voice), and Head of its Brass Faculty from 1993–2004.  

His playing career was exceptionally varied: alongside symphonic playing work with conductors such as Klemperer and Muti, he could also be heard on albums by the Bee Gees and The Beatles (including singing in the chorus of Hey Jude!). As a commissioner, he was responsible for championing new music for brass, including works by John Tavener, David Bedford and Herbert Chappell for Equale Brass, and Simon Dobson, Tim Souster and the RCM’s Joseph Horovitz for brass band. He was a great champion of the brass band movement, at a time when it was not always a fashionable area of playing in London: the existence of the RCM’s brass-band-in-association, Zone One Brass (which provides invaluable side-by-side playing experience with some of the country’s finest brass players) is due to his influence. 

Peter was also a highly accomplished period trombonist, playing regularly with His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts, an interest through which his scholarship came alive, including making the discovery of his direct ancestral lineage to the Bassano family: six Venetian musicians whom Henry VIII brought to his court. 

On a personal note, I feel very fortunate to have worked with Peter in the Philharmonia before he left to pursue his conducting and scholarly pursuits; at what was a very early stage of my career, he was a kind and supportive colleague. I remember a discussion about ‘split’ notes (the bane of a brass player’s psyche), and he told several hilarious and endearingly self-deprecating stories. I realise now that he was very kindly putting me at my ease in that exalted company of players, in a way that very few senior players would have had the people skills or humility to do. I treasure that memory, and try and ‘pay it forward’ when I can.

Amos Miller, Head of Brass 

Emily Hoh

Beloved Royal College of Music pianist Yining Emily Hoh (main image) passed away on 4 December 2024 at the age of 27, after a year-long, hard-fought battle with cancer. 

Emily Hoh completed her Masters in Collaborative Piano with distinction at the RCM between 2020 and 2022, under the tutelage of Simon Lepper, Roger Vignoles and Kathron Sturrock, after pursuing a Bachelors degree in Psychology at University College London, graduating with first class honours.

At the RCM, Emily accompanied several prize-winners of internal competitions, and was herself awarded the piano prizes in the Lieder and English Song Competitions. Externally, she was awarded the first piano prizes at the Royal Over-Seas League Awards and the inaugural Ashburnham English Song Competition. She was a Britten Pears Young Artist, fulfilling her commitments with the Aldeburgh Festival with grace and flair even during the height of her illness, and gave recent performances at the Princess Alexandra Hall, Wigmore Hall and Snape Maltings. 

Knowing Emily as a close friend and frequent collaborator, I feel it is important to write a little about her character. I know that, even for people who were only fortunate to meet her once or twice, they were left with an impression of true and comprehensive goodness. An exceptional listener – a quality which characterised her collaborative playing, too – she made people feel engaged with, and showed a rare balance of gentleness and dry wit. As a musician she was instinctive, sensitive, and encouraged her collaborators in a way that allowed them to be comfortable and to take risks, and as a friend she was devoted and kind. She was a total credit to the Royal College of Music as well as the other communities of which she was a part, and our thoughts are with all of her loved ones, most of all her mother, father and sister.   

RCM tenor Hugo Brady

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Claire van Kampen

Composer and director Claire van Kampen, who trained as a pianist for five years at the Royal College of Music between 1972 and 1977, died in January 2025.

At the RCM, Claire van Kampen studied music theory with Ruth Gipps and piano with Peter Element. She was the recipient of a John Land Scholarship, and obtained an ARCM in piano teaching in 1974. A true polymath, she went on to have a 50-year international career as a multi-award winning composer, writer, performer and director.

Claire was the first woman to occupy the positions of musical director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. From 1997, she was the Director of Theatre Music at Shakespeare’s Globe, working as Artistic Associate to Mark Rylance – whom she had married in 1989 – and as musical consultant and resident composer to the next Artistic Director, Dominic Dromgoole, composing period and contemporary music for over 30 productions.

Recent positions included the Globe Associate, and Senior Research Fellow for early Modern Music and Creative Associate of the Old Vic Theatre. In 2018, van Kampen made her debut as Director at Shakespeare’s Globe with Othello. As a composer, Claire created original scores for numerous Broadway productions including her own play Farinelli and the King, which was nominated for multiple Olivier and Tony Awards, including Best Play. She frequently collaborated with choreographer Antonia Franceschi, and was the Tudor music advisor and arranger for both BBC’s Wolf Hall TV series starring Rylance, who survives her along with her daughter, Juliet. 

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Colonel Michael Morgan

The Royal College of Music community was saddened by the loss of Colonel Michael Morgan (RA) HonRCM, the RCM Bursar between 1987 and 1999, who died in November 2024.

The role of Bursar encompassed the areas of Finance, Estates, HR and governance, and as such Michael was a central figure in the operation and development of the College during this major period of change and modernisation, to which his contribution was crucial. He led an important programme of Estates development that included the upgrading of many facilities, such as the extension of the Concert Hall stage to properly accommodate a wider range of ensembles, and new practice rooms in the South Building. He also led the purchase and opening of College Hall, the predecessor to Prince Consort Village, which much expanded the previously limited residential accommodation available for students. He oversaw the professionalisation of governance and HR, against the backdrop of a rapidly increasing regulatory environment in these areas. 

Born in 1935 in India, Michael had a distinguished military career in the Royal Artillery, which took him around the world, including to Hong Kong and Kenya. Often a formidable colleague (he was not hesitant in advising members of staff if he felt their shoes might benefit from a polish), Michael was always supportive and generous to students, about whom he cared deeply – even though those who were late paying their fees may sometimes have felt more nervous of him. He was made an HonRCM in 1993. He continued regularly to visit the College after his retirement to attend concerts and events.  

Kevin Porter, Deputy Director 

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Laura Samuel

Laura Samuel, a violinist of exceptional talent who studied at both the RCM Junior Department and Senior College, died in November 2024 at the age of 48, following a long illness. 

Laura Samuel joined the RCM Junior Department in 1985, and throughout her time at the College she achieved remarkable success, praised for her dedication and enthusiasm in numerous progress reports. From September 1991, she was enrolled as an Intermediate student, studying with Itzhak Rashkovsky under a Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Scholarship. In September 1994, she entered the Senior College as a Foundation Scholar to pursue a BMus (Hons) degree. 

In the same year, Laura began playing in a quartet with fellow student Corina Belcea. Together, they formed the Belcea Quartet, with whom Laura played second violin until 2010, when she decided to focus on her orchestral career, joining the Nash Ensemble and becoming concertmaster and then leader of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Laura won numerous prizes including awards from the Royal Over-Seas League, Musicians Benevolent Fund and the Manoug Parikian Award, and she had a five-year residency at Wigmore Hall. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra paid tribute by dedicating a concert to Laura following the news of her death. 

Michael Skinner

Highly respected percussionist Michael Skinner HonRCM, a percussion professor at the Royal College of Music for 40 years, has passed away at the age of 83.

In a varied and exciting career, Michael was Principal Percussionist of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for over 30 years and prior to this held the same position in the Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia and Sadler’s Wells Opera orchestras. His versatility was reflected by his being a much sought-after player in West End shows, countless commercial sessions and even a prominent role as actor/musician in Frank Zappa’s film 200 Motels.  

Michael was also a supremely committed and intuitive teacher, not only at the Royal College of Music, but at the Guildhall, Trinity College and privately, in addition to being a busy examiner. He also found time to be President of the National Association of Percussion Teachers and ran the first Percussive Arts Society (UK) weekend at the RCM in 1995. 

I was fortunate enough to study with Michael for several years, and I and so many others owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his enthusiasm, knowledge and patience. Michael had a very dry wit and razor-sharp mind, and he enjoyed regaling everyone with funny anecdotes mined from his multitude of experiences in the profession. Michael was a quiet, modest and unassuming man who wore his learning very lightly. A degree in mathematics and an ability to complete The Times cryptic crossword in under 15 minutes were just two of his other talents. I remember only too well struggling and failing to keep up with his lightning-speed intellect, and he noticed this straight away with the wonderful comment, ‘Am I boring you?’

Michael will be sorely missed by all his ex-students, peers and particularly his wonderfully supportive and loving wife Christeen, children Claire and Simon, brother Brian and grandchildren Lily, Ira and Monty. 

RCM alumnus, timpanist Neil Hitt 

Martin Wilson

Trombonist Martin Wilson, who studied at the Royal College of Music between 1981 and 1985, died on 4 January 2025 after a short illness.

Hailing from West Lothian in Scotland, Martin – known as Marty – came to the RCM on a Foundation Scholarship. He studied trombone with the late Peter Bassano, earning a Dip RCM in Performance with first class honours, and winning the Grade V Brass Prize and Grade V Arthur Somervell Prize. He obtained a Dip RCM in trombone teaching in 1984. 

Marty was appointed Principal Trombone of the Ulster Orchestra in 1989 and had a profound impact on Northern Ireland’s musical community. He also played with ensembles such as the Whitburn Band and the London Trombone Ensemble, and standout performances included the solo trombone part in Mahler’s Third Symphony. He is survived and much missed by his wife Gillian and sons Brian and Alan.