An unassuming building next to its neighbour, the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal College of Music houses music’s most prized and talented assets.
On Friday, I was able to attend a lunchtime recital, which illustrated the variety and quality of music at the RCM. It began with the Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major by Bach, played by Eddie Mead. The technicality of the Prelude, and the dance-like Courante set the scene perfectly, crescendoing towards the Gigue, which showcased his flair and passion for the piece. Led by Sofia Alberto, the Rhapsody for String Quartet by Britten was energetic, with a wide range of dynamics and intertwined melodies between the violins, viola, and cello.
The recital finished with the Wind Quintet in G minor, written by Paul Taffanel. In each of the three movements the calmness of the flute contrasted with the distinctive tone and colour of the basoon and horn, and the warm, reedy sound of the oboe paired perfectly with the richer tone of the clarinet. In summary, it was a recital of huge diversity, illustrating how gifted the musicians that study and teach at the RCM are.
In a meeting with Zijie Liu, a former student at the RCM, I was able to delve deeper into why it has been ranked as the number one college for performing arts in the 2022 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Q: How would you describe your experience at the Royal College of Music and how did it help you grow as a musician?
ZL: My experience in RCM was unforgettable – I got surrounded by the best professors and colleagues over the past 7 years of my study. It helped push me to my limits as a pianist and developed my taste in classical music.
Q: What did you like most about the Royal College of Music and what was your most memorable moment?
ZL: The musical events was the thing that I loved the most about the RCM – there were over 500 concerts, master classes, and workshops each year.
My most memorable moment will be the moment when I finished my final recital as a student in RCM. I felt grateful for what the RCM had given me and I was reluctant to leave this fabulous school.
The RCM not only offers opportunities to some of the world’s most talented musicians, but it also has its own museum, which contains one of the richest collections of musical objects in Europe. For example, it contains the earliest-known guitar and keyboard, and the most famous portraits of classical composers like Joseph Haydn, along with more than 14,000 other items.
Even if you are not interested in the classical era or music in general, a trip to the RCM will be like none othe. The ability to express thoughts and feelings into music is captured beautifully by the students at the College, and its museum reveals how music has transformed and developed over the years.
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