University News Last updated 05 September
Friends,
Welcome to RBC This Week, on the eve of our 2025-26 academic year! Our international students start arriving next week (w/c Monday 8 September), and they will be joined by our new Home students the following Monday (15 September) for our Welcome Week. We know that they will all be warmly welcomed by our existing students, our staff and the wider BCU community.
Our new students are joining us at an exciting time. Last year’s departing undergraduates gave RBC a resounding vote of thanks, with National Student Survey results that were the highest of any UK Conservatoire, both for Music and overall.
This summer we have also seen excellent progress in some other key metrics, including our degree results, and the Graduate Outcomes Survey, which measures how many students have progressed into good jobs. All these metrics are a tribute to the hard work of our students and staff, and the positive learning environment within the Conservatoire.
We also had an exceptional year in terms of ticket sales and attendances for our programme of events here in our five venues and across the city. An increase of 21% in public events, which were ticked through our box office – to 347 events in 2024-25 – produced an attendance increase of 39%, and an even bigger rise (68%) in ticket income. We are grateful to our loyal audiences for supporting our students in this way – and now we have new targets to beat this year!
This year our events programme has a great many delights in store, and as soon as next month, our third-year Acting students will be presenting their first three productions at the Crescent Theatre.
We have a major anniversary festival in November celebrating Shostakovich and his World, and this, and the plays form part of a year-long exploration of art and politics. There’s also the usual run of free lunchtime concerts, a recital by RBC Vice President Peter Donohoe, including Beethoven’s Hammerklavier, and a thrilling programme with the RBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Seal.
Do take a look at our website or pick up a copy of our autumn highlights brochure next time you are here for the details of more events.
I look forward to welcoming you to RBC in the coming year.
Stephen Maddock
Principal