Editorial Spring 2025

Welcome to Upbeat!

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Welcome to the spring edition of Upbeat, the publication that celebrates our community of students, staff and supporters who together deliver the Royal College of Music’s astonishingly wide-ranging programme of activity.

Among many success stories, I am delighted that the RCM has for the fourth time in a row been ranked the Global No. 1 institution for Music and Performing Arts in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, and was again ranked No. 1 in the People & Planet University League table for universities with fewer than 5,000 students.

In this edition, we focus on RCM Guitar Greats, including an exclusive preview of the RCM Museum’s upcoming special exhibition, Kurt Cobain Unplugged, showcasing Cobain’s famous guitar used in Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance and featuring a series of talks and events inspired by this legendary musician. 

The RCM Students’ Union President Leila Hooton gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it takes to run the RCM’s vibrant SU, and we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Creative Careers Centre, a resource that has shaped and supported thousands of RCM graduates’ careers as they transition from study into the profession.  

This edition also shines a spotlight on our collaboration with the Kew Gardens Sounds of Blossom Festival, involving RCM composers creating new immersive soundscapes to complement visitors’ experiences as they wander amongst the trees. We celebrate a pioneering publication by Colin Lawson, Diana Salazar and Rosie Perkins and involving a cross-section of College staff: Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire.

It has been a joy to connect with our international community of supporters in Singapore and Hong Kong, and in January, we were honoured to be hosted by the Governor at Government House in Sydney to celebrate the launch of a new Australian Commonwealth Scholarship Fund with guest of honour Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. And we recognise the many successes and awards bestowed on a number of our staff, alumni and students who continue to appear on the world’s most iconic stages.  

Please continue to send us information about your recent projects and collaborations; we love to receive your news! Do send your updates for the next issue to  news@rcm.ac.uk  by Friday 9 May 2025. 

Thank you for your continued support and interest in the Royal College of Music. We look forward to welcoming you to the RCM in the near future. 

James Williams LVO FRCM, Director 

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Upbeat is published as a printed magazine in the Summer Term. If you currently receive the printed version and would like to support our commitment to sustainability, we encourage you to switch to the digital version. To arrange this please email DAE@rcm.ac.uk