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Coronavirus update

BCU is closed with immediate effect following the government’s announcement of new travel and work restrictions today (Monday 23 March). All face-to-face teaching has been suspended and students are asked not to travel to campus. For more information, including details on how we are supporting our applicants, please see our latest updates.

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Become the best musician you can possibly be, with world-class tuition and facilities.

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Drama school training for aspiring performance industry professionals since 1936.

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ARCO Project

1ST FOR STUDENT SATISFACTION

For the second successive year our music provision has achieved the highest score for overall student satisfaction. The 92% score puts BCU 8% higher than the second placed music college. Our BA Acting also received a perfect score of 100% for overall satisfaction. Source: National Student Survey 2019

CONSERVATOIRE BLOG

Browse the online home for our community of musicians, actors, applied theatre performers and stage managers. Here we'll be sharing our experiences, stories and the latest news from our Music and Acting Departments.

The Conservatoire of the Future

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s £57 million teaching and performance facility is the first of its kind in the digital age and is the perfect fusion of traditional and contemporary.

Featuring 9,000 sq m of purpose-designed teaching, rehearsal and state of the art performance space, it offers world-class facilities for our music students.

Learn more

Latest News

First-year students studying Applied Theatre at Birmingham City University have created DIY Drama Classes, ...

Jonas Stark, George Harliono and Bocheng Wang

Three pianists were picked for this year’s Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Scholarships after taking part i...

ARCO Double Bass student Njabulo Nxumalo has been selected to perform with the Randburg Symphony Orchestra a...

Two Royal Birmingham Conservatoire alumni have been selected for the preliminary rounds of the 18th Chopin In...

RBC Associate Ensemble the Fitzroy Quartet have won first prize in the string ensemble category at the Royal ...

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has achieved the highest score for overall satisfaction in music out of all UK...

Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Opera House have launched Opera Na...

In August 2018, outside the Swedish parliament building, Greta Thunberg started a school strike for the climate Image Anders Hellberg

A new choral work, featuring the words of ‘climate striker’ Greta Thunberg set to music, will receive its w...

Ethan Lowry, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ella Stokes, Julian Lloyd Webber

Ella Stokes and Ethan Lowry, Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholar and Technician respectively – both based...

Well-respected as a composer around the world and former Head of Composition at the Conservatoire (1990-2005...

Joe Broughton's Conservatoire Folk Ensemble at The Spotted Dog in Birmingham crop

A sixty-strong band of Birmingham-based young musicians are to perform at the European Parliament in Brussels...

Bulgarian pianist Emanuil Ivanov – currently studying at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – has been awarded fi...

Nile Rodgers and Merck Mercuriadis at the Songwriting Studies Research Network credit Louis Coupe

Ivor Novello Award-winning musician and producer Nile Rodgers surprised a room full of songwriters, music ind...

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire graduate Samantha Oxborough has been announced as one of 12 artists selected ...

Dr Laura Mvula in hat and gown credit Birmingham City University

The acclaimed British singer and composer Laura Mvula has paid tribute to her family in a heartfelt acceptanc...

Education and training for musicians

In the heart of England, Birmingham Conservatoire is a place where talent develops, individual creativity flourishes and successful careers begin. We educate and train musicians to the highest professional standards in solo performance, composition, chamber music, orchestral playing and jazz.

The first UK music college to have an active research programme, established in 1993, we are now an internationally recognised centre for research into composition, performance with live electronics and musicology.

Julian Lloyd Webber

Welcome from the Principal

Julian Lloyd Webber welcomes you to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Spain

Leadership and Governance: Who’s who

Professor Julian Lloyd Webber became our Principal in July 2015 after he retired from his career as an internationally celebrated cellist.

Dr Shirley Thompson has achieved an international reputation as a musicologist, specialising in French Baroque music, particularly that of Marc-Antoine Charpentier.

Stephen is a Professor of Actor Education, the only person to hold this position in the country. He directs and teaches on our acting courses.

Lamberto is a Professor of Music and Technology, and also responsible for our international presence, external relations, and targeted strategic projects.

HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO, became our first ever Royal Patron in March 2016.

Principal Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and President of Birmingham Conservatoire since 1989.

One of the foremost pianists of our time, Peter has an Honorary Doctorate from the University.

Graduate Success

Nominated for British Female Solo Artist & British Breakthrough Act at The BRITs.

Since his graduation Harry's career in composition has gone from strength to strength.

Harriet is now entertaining audiences as a bestselling children’s author.

A former vocal training student, Pamela is now Vice President of the Live Music Now! charity.

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1ST FOR STUDENT SATISFACTION

CONSERVATOIRE BLOG

The Conservatoire of the Future

Latest News

DIY Drama Classes created by Applied Theatre students

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Yamaha Foundation names 2020 scholars

UNIVERSITY NEWS

ARCO student’s competition success

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Two alumni to take part in prestigious competition

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Fitzroy Quartet wins Royal Over-Seas League prize

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Conservatoire achieves the highest NSS result of all UK...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Opera Nation, a free programme to develop the next gene...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

New music featuring words of ‘climate striker’ Greta Th...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire actor and technician joi...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Andrew Downes Performance Prize

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Sixty young musicians to demonstrate music’s power to u...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

RBC pianist awarded first prize at Busoni International...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Nile Rodgers delivers surprise keynote speech to Univer...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

RBC graduate selected for 2019/20 National Opera Studio...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Dr Laura Mvula pays tribute to family in heartfelt univ...

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Education and training for musicians

Welcome from the Principal

Leadership and Governance: Who’s who

Julian Lloyd Webber: Principal

Shirley Thompson: Vice Principal - Music

Stephen Simms: Vice Principal - Acting

Lamberto Coccioli: Associate Principal - Music

HRH Prince Edward: Royal Patron

Sir Simon Rattle: President

Peter Donohoe CBE: Vice-President

Graduate Success

Read more about Laura...

Read more about Harry...

Read more about Harriet...

Read more about Pamela...