Latest News

Congratulations to graduate Yen Lee who has secured the position of Company Pianist at Birmingham Royal Ballet, and to BMus student Martina Cuevas, who is enjoying success at Elmhurst Ballet School.

The 19th Century Piano-Playing Styles Conference was held in RBC's Recital Hall across five days this month, featuring 40 student pianists (left). Keynote speakers included Artist in Residence Neal Peres da Costa from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

BMus Jazz student Ollie Canham has been recognised for his creative arranging skills with the Eddie Harvey Jazz Arranger Award. The award commends Ollie’s work on ‘Old Man’ by Neil Young for big band/jazz orchestra.

Following a stunning performance of ‘Humanity’, composed and arranged by Daniel Hall, the Brass Band scooped first prize at Unibrass 2024 for the third time.

Learn about Brass students Jordan Kinsey and Liam McKeown who are exploring exciting opportunities in teaching.

Seven student composers wrote pieces for The Sitwell Singers and Musical Director Dexter Drown for a New Year, New Sounds concert in Derby.

Students from the Strings Department enjoyed a masterclass by celebrated violinist Tasmin Little this week in the Recital Hall. Tasmin, who has been awarded an OBE and a CBE for services to music, also critiqued student performances during the session.

Congratulations to students Fiorella Barbaro, who has been appointed as Graduate Assistant at Bloxham School, and Thuy-Vi Nguyen, who is currently teaching at Edgbaston High School and is set to study a PGCE in Secondary Music at the University of Cambridge.

School of Acting graduate Jonathan Houlston will be starring in the stage adaptation of Farm Boy, Michael Morpurgo’s sequel to War Horse. 

Horn student Alex Hocknull will begin a trial with Royal Birmingham Sinfonia, the orchestra of Birmingham Royal Ballet, following a successful year as Student-in-Residence.

PhD alumna and experimental composer Maya Verlaak’s album will be released on Friday 16 February by Birmingham Record Company. ‘Trace’ features six pieces composed for specific musicians, recorded in their own homes.

Principal Stephen Maddock marks the halfway point of the academic year, reflecting on the royal visit and the Jazz fusion concert that took place earlier this term. He also looks forward to student performance activity and a piano-playing conference that starts this Sunday (4 February).

Staff, students and friends of RBC can vote for Visiting Lecturer and multi award-winning composer Errollyn Wallen’s ‘Piano Concerto’, which has been nominated for an award in the Premiere category of BBC Music Magazine’s 2024 Awards.

Student Luke Cutler has won the Winifred Micklam Prize, while students Rufus Westley and Rowan Tidball have received Presentation Prizes in Memory of Joyce Stanley.

One of the world’s greatest violinists, Ustad Johar Ali, took to the stage at the Bradshaw Hall on Wednesday (24 January) to perform a fusion of Indian and Western classical music to an audience of Indian and local dignitaries.