PRINCIPAL’S NEWS BULLETIN
May 2012
Staff
Directorate
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Professor Linda Merrick has just released a new recording of works for clarinet, strings and
piano by RNCM alumnus John McCabe on Guild. The recording includes a new Clarinet
Quintet that she commissioned last year, as well as works written by John from 1969 to 1996.
Linda is joined on the recording by the Kreutzer Quartet and Aaron Shorr (Head of Keyboard at
the RCS), piano. Linda gave a performance of Rawsthorne's Clarinet Concerto in March, and
the day after the première of Burn, a new clarinet concerto by RNCM alumnus Peter Meechan.
She gave a preview performance of Martin Ellerby's Clarinet Quintet with the College's Gildas
Quartet in Leeds in February, and will be giving the world premiere of this work with the
Kreutzer Quartet in London in July.
Research and Enterprise
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Professor Richard Wistreich (Dean of Research and Enterprise) is guest editor of a special
issue of Renaissance Studies on the theme of ‘Musical Materials and Cultural Spaces’, and
has had a chapter published in the new Cambridge History of Musical Performance, edited by
Colin Lawson and Robin Stowell – ‘Vocal Performance in the Seventeenth Century’.
The Catalogue of the RNCM Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, compiled by the late
William Waterhouse (former bassoon tutor and curator of the Collection until 2007) and edited
by College Librarian, Anna Wright, was on the list of three books shortlisted for the C.B.
Oldman Prize 2010. This is awarded by the International Association of Music Libraries (UK &
Irl), for an outstanding work of music bibliography, music reference or music librarianship by an
author resident in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland.
Professor Jane Ginsborg has co-authored two recent publications: a book chapter ('Health
promotion for music performance students’) and a journal article (‘Preparation and spontaneity
in performance: A singer’s thoughts while singing Schoenberg’).
Music for Health
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Musicians from the RNCM’s Music for Health programme and local artists from LIME (an
award-winning arts charity) joined forces to create Diamonds, feathers and saxophones – from
the Children’s Hospital, a new composition for Her Majesty the Queen, who officially opened
the New Hospitals at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in March.
School of Academic Studies
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A book entitled ‘Mozart's Chamber Music with Keyboard’, a collection of essays by some of the
world’s leading Mozart scholars edited by Dr Martin Harlow, Dean of Academic Studies, was
published by Cambridge University Press in April. The chapters trace a broad chronology,
from the childhood works, to the Mannheim and Paris sonatas with keyboard and violin, and
the mature compositions from Mozart’s Vienna years.
School of Composition
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Professor Adam Gorb’s and Ben Kaye's opera Anya 17 received its semi-staged
performance première in March. The performances were directed by Caroline Clegg, and
featured students from the SVOS and the RLPO 10/10 Ensemble, conducted by Clark Rundell
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PRINCIPAL’S NEWS BULLETIN
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The subject of this work, that of sex trafficking and slavery, drew a considerable amount of
national publicity, including an extremely positive review from Paul Driver in the Sunday Times.
In February, BBC Radio 3 presented highlights from a concert given in Liverpool by Ensemble
10/10, conducted by Clark Rundell, celebrating Professor Gary Carpenter's 60th birthday. His
One Million Tiny Operas About Britain appeared alongside Azaleas, the fourth work to be
performed in the Encore series - an initiative by the Royal Philharmonic Society and BBC
Radio 3 that offers performances of works that have been unjustly neglected from the concert
stage. Gary has also recently been nominated for Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Music
Award for chamber-scale composition. The awards, presented in association with Radio 3, will
take place in central London on 8 May.
School of Keyboard Studies
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Graham Scott, Head of School of Keyboard Studies, undertook an Erasmus exchange with
the Estonian Academy of Music. He also gave a master class at the Accademia Pianistica in
Imola, Italy.
School of Vocal Studies
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In celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday, RNCM Tutor in Stage Craft and Diction, Garth
Bardsley, has written two Spring Sonnets which have been set to music by composer Ben
Parry. The piece was premièred by the BBC Singers at a concert at St Paul’s, Knightbridge, in
April and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in May. In the past twelve months Garth and Ben
have seen a number of notable commissions and premières of their work, all of which is
published by Peters Edition. Their piece Flame (music by Ben, words by Garth) will be
performed at the BBC Promenade Concert on August 5th 2012.
Junior Fellows
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Gergely Madaras (Junior Fellow in Conducting) has been appointed as the first Sir Charles
Mackerras fellow at English National Opera and has joined the leading agent, Askonas Holt.
Students
Conducting
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Jamie Phillips (conductor and trumpet UG3), has signed with Intermusica for worldwide general
management. In April, he conducted the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra and pianist Ingolf
Wunder as a finalist in the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award. Following a
weekend of concerts with Salzburg Mozarteum, Munich Radio Symphony & Camerata
Salzburg the jury was split 5-5 and so Lithuanian conductor Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla and Jamie
will split the €15,000 1st prize, and Jamie will conduct a concert with Salzburg Mozarteum in
the 2013 Salzburg Festival. In July 2012, Jamie will participate as a conducting guest in the
Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and is one of 2 finalists
(along with last year’s RNCM Junior Fellow, Dane Lam) for the Halle Assistant Conductor
position.
Duncan Ward (PG 1) has just returned from a spell assisting Sir Simon Rattle in Berlin.
Duncan Ward and Jamie Philips are both products of the joint course. Mark Heron, RNCM
Tutor in Conducting, played a pivotal role in the development of both talented artists. The
undergraduate course he runs, as well as the short courses he has devised and delivered,
gave these two a tremendous foundation on which to develop. Also, Mark's involvement with
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PRINCIPAL’S NEWS BULLETIN
both the University of Manchester orchestra and their undergraduate conducting provision
continues to provide us with a pool of talented, well-taught applicants for our PG courses.
School of Composition
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Jae Moon Lee (PG1) will have his piece Seven Days / Stained glass / Mirror performed by the
National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico in Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City at the International
Forum of New Music, in June. During that month he will also be participating in workshops and
lessons at Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, and at the Institute for Research and
Coordination in Acoustics and Music (IRCAM) composition workshops in June. His ensemble
piece Rain falling on Stained Glass will be performed at the World Event Young Artists 2012
festival in Nottingham in September.
Emma-Ruth Richard (UG4) is currently attending the Intimacy of Creativity Bright Sheng
Partnership in Hong Kong, as an emerging composer.
School of Keyboard Studies
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Leanne Cody (UG4) successfully auditioned for the London Sinfonietta Academy, a
prestigious, week-long course in the Summer, working alongside members of the London
Sinfonietta. As a part of the course, Leanne has been invited to take part in the Sinfonietta's
Proms appearance in August where she will be playing music by Louis Andriessen
Gintaute Gataveckaite (UG4) has been selected to take part in the Leeds International Piano
Competition in September.
Maya Irgalina (IAD) together with alumna Olga Paliy (piano, 2011) are amongst the 36
selected from a field of 171, for the Sydney International Piano Competition later this year.
Around 30 pianists took part in the London heat and just three were selected, two from RNCM
and one from The Royal Academy of Music. Maya also won the Worshipful Company of
Musicians’ Maisie Lewis Award and gave a recital at the Wigmore Hall in February.
Clarence Lam (UG3) was a semi-finalist in the Bromsgrove International Music Competition.
Jing Ouyang (PG1) has been given a Postgraduate Performance Award of £2,000 by the
Musicians’ Benevolent Fund (MBF).
Ugnius Pauliakonis (UG2) performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Lithuanian
National Stmphony Orchestra.
Yasmin Rowe (PG1) has won the Myra Hess Award for Post graduate study of £4,500 from
the MBF
School of Strings
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Aoife Burke , (cello, UG2) won the Cork Festival ‘Previous Prize Winners Competition’ and
was awarded £2,500.
Three students of RNCM Tutor in Cello, Nicholas Trygstad, have recently won 1st, 2nd and 3rd
prize in the British finals Lions International Music Competition held at Birmingham
Conservatoire. George Hoult (UG4) won 1st prize and will compete in the international final in
Brussels in September. Miriam Brown (JRNCM) received 2nd prize, and Stephanie Tress
(UG2) won 3rd place.
Elfair Dyer (harp, PG1) has received a Postgraduate Performance Award of £2,500 from the
MBF,
Svetlana Mochalova (cello, PG2) has received a Postgraduate Performance Award of £2,000
from the MBF.
Mikhail Nemtsov (cello, PG1) has received a Postgraduate Performance Award of £2,750
from the MBF.
Caroline Pether (violin, UG4) has received a Postgraduate Performance Award of £2,000 from
the MBF.
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PRINCIPAL’S NEWS BULLETIN
School of Vocal Studies
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Katie Connor (soprano, PG1) has been cast as Ludmila in British Youth Opera’s production of
The Bartered Bride this summer in London.
Thomas Isherwood (bass-baritone, UG2) has become the first RNCM student to win The
Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers. The annual award, established in memory
of the famous contralto, is presented to a singer entering their second year of study at a
conservatoire and is one of the most well-known singing competitions in the world.
Elizabeth Karani (soprano, PG1) has won the 2012 Elizabeth Harwood Award. Accompanied
by pianist Daniel Browell, Elizabeth (who performed the role of Atalanta in the RNCM’s spring
production of Handel’s Xerxes), included in her programme a piece by Adam Gorb (Head of
School of Composition) – Wedding Breakfast: a tribute to Igor Stravinsky. Elizabeth will be
singing the roles of the Angel in Jephtha and Resi in Intermezzo and understudying the role of
the Maiden in The Maiden in the Tower at the Buxton Festival (June/July 2012) alongside
Susan Bickley and James Gilchrist. She will then understudy the soprano lead role of Little
moon/soprano actor for British Youth Opera (August/Sept 2012).
Three RNCM vocal students: Jennifer Coleman (soprano, UG4), Alexandria Wynn (mezzo
soprano, UG4) and Charlotte Hewett (soprano, UG4), known collectively as The Sirens,
recently gained success in the national music competition ‘Live & Unsigned 2012’ and will later
compete in the southern England Final.
School of Wind, Brass and Percussion
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The Aurora Percussion Duo (Le Yu, PG1 + Delia Stevens, UG2 - percussion) has won the
Royal Over-Seas League ARTS (ROSL ARTS) Ensemble Award, incorporating £10,000 and
performance opportunities at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall and Edinburgh Festival. The
Duo was one of four wind, brass and percussion ensembles to make it through to the final of
the Ensembles B category, judged by Bryan Allen, David Campbell, Sarah Field, Gavin
Henderson CBE (chairman) and Stephen de Pledge.
Anthony Brown (IAD, Absolution Sax Quartet) auditioned for a Wigmore Hall recital and has
been offered one of the three double-billed concerts which exist on the scheme. His recital will
be in October.
The Lekker Quintet (Jenny Dyson: flute, PG1; Shaun Little: oboe, PG1; Harry Michalas:
clarinet, PG2; Tom Wood: horn, UG4 and Laura MacKenzie: bassoon, UG3) reached the
final of the St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Competition. Only three groups were chosen.
The Tempest Flute Trio (Helen Wilson: PG1; Holly Melia: UG4 and Sarah Bennett: UG2)
has been selected from over 500 applicants to perform a recital at the 40th National Flute
Association Convention in Las Vegas 2012, with more than 3000 flautists, composers, flute
scholars, flute makers, music publishers and flute enthusiasts from all over the world attending.
The Trio will recently permed in a concert at the International Anthony Burgess Centre,
Cambridge Street, Manchester, Sounds of the Engine House, a project established by RNCM
alumni composers Ben Gaunt (2008), Steve Jackson (2011) and Eve Harrison (2006) to
promote the music of living composers and to provide performance opportunities for RNCM
students in Manchester. Holly and Helen have also received Postgraduate Performance
Awards from the MBF.
Foundation Degree
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Jamie Brewster has been chosen as the recipient of the Student of the Year Award for the
RNCM Foundation Degree in Popular Music Practice (Session Musician) at this year’s Access
to Music National Music Student Awards. The event, which takes place at the Liverpool Echo
Arena on 17 May, celebrates the achievements of students from across the UK and will be
hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Edith Bowman as part of Liverpool Sound City 2012.
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Junior RNCM
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Josh Cirtina won the National Youth Brass Band’s Katie Ogden Solo Competition for
Trombone
Romana Hallstead won the National Youth Brass Band’s Katie Ogden Solo Competition for
Flugel/Tenor Horn
Ruth Hoare won the National Final of the Rotary Young Singer of the Year Competition.
Tom Blomfield (oboe) won the Gregynog Young Musicians’ Competition.
Toby Butt and Will Druiett (tubas) have been selected to take part in the International Tuba
and Euphonium Conference Competition in Linz, Austria in the summer.
George Rimmer (composer) has had his BBC Commission Divine Right’s Trip broadcast live
on BBC Radio 3.
Toby Butt (composer) has had his composition A Chance to SHINE: Celebration of the
Olympic Flame selected for performance by the Carrickfergus Band, Ireland during the Olympic
Torch Celebrations in their town.
The JRNCM New Music Ensemble gave a much-lauded concert featuring works by Juniors
past and present in the RNCM New Music Day in March.
Joshua Cox has been selected for a Gold Award by the ABRSM for his exceptionally high
mark for Grade 7 piano (147)
Joe Durnin has been awarded the Dip ABRSM with Distinction on Piano.
The recent ABRSM exams produced over 30 high distinction marks. Of particular note at
Grade 8 level:
 Lorna Day (singing): 141
 Marissa Landy (singing): 140
 Jess Gillam (saxophone): 140
Auditions for entry to the JRNCM in September are almost complete. The number of
applications has increased by approximately 40% this year.
Alumni
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Composers Sally Beamish (1978) and Martin Butler (1982) have been nominated for a Royal
Philharmonic Society (RPS) Music Award for chamber-scale composition. The awards,
presented in association with Radio 3, will take place in central London on 8 May. Composers
Emily Howard (2004) and Gavin Higgins have both received commissions for this year’s
Proms concert series. A new opera by Emily, Zatopek, is being premiered in Liverpool and
then performed in London as part of the celebrations for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Patrick Curlett (violin, 2011) has been appointed to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
(RSNO).
LiLu (cello, 2009) has received a grant from the Arts Council for her new project. Devised as a
collaboration between Li Lu and leading architect, theatre and opera designer Pippa Nissen,
visual artist and costume designer, Caroline Collinge and producer Jeremy Goldstein, Li Lu's
new and original theatrical interpretation of the Bach Cello Suites will be presented within an
exquisite contemporary touring installation and broadcast live through a variety of digital media.
A work-in-progress event will be staged in London in autumn 2012, with UK and international
touring from 2013/14.
Sipho Fubesi (tenor, 2011), Michael Gurevich (violin, 2010) and Robert Thompson (piano,
2008) recently performed at London’s Wigmore Hall in celebration of The John Hosier Music
Trust’s 10th anniversary. The scholarships recognise both outstanding talent and financial
need and, with the support of the Trust, the RNCM winners have gone on to forge successful
early careers. Sipho Fubesi recently made his début at the Royal Opera House Linbury Studio
Theatre in a new opera by Tarik O’Regan, and Robert Thompson and Michael Gurevich are
currently touring with their ensemble, the Rhodes Piano Trio, performing in Singapore in
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March, before making their début at Aldeburgh Festival. Michael is also performing around the
world as a member of the London Haydn Quartet.
Josephine Goynes (viola, 2011) has just been appointed Head of Strings at Giggleswick
School, Settle, North Yorkshire.
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano 1996) be singing the role of Fiordiligi at Opera Holland Park,
conducted by Thomas Kemp and directed by Harry Fehr. Elizabeth will be singing First Lady in
a revival production of The Magic Flute, and Micaela in Calixto Beito’s acclaimed production of
Carmen English National Opera in the Autumn.
Amyn Merchant (violin, 2001) has been appointed leader of the Bournemouth Symphony
Orchestra.
Eduardo Portal (conductor, 2010 has recently been signed by IMG.
Helen Sherman (mezzo-soprano, 2010) Helen Sherman has won the Royal Over-Seas
League Australian Musical Association Prize. Helen, who studied for the RNCM’s prestigious
International Artist Diploma and is represented by the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT),
recently joined Opera North covering the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.
Steffi Waegner (cello, 2003) Vienna University has helped to set up a Chamber Music
programme at Bankok University.
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