Between September and December the Manchester venue hosts everything from classical music, big band and opera to conversations with Margaret Atwood and Vivienne Westwood as part of the Manchester Literature Festival
Classical highlights include Prokofiev’s Symphony No 5 by the RNCM Symphony Orchestra (2 November), a vocal recital by alumnus (and soon to be RNCM President) Sir John Tomlinson, chamber music from the Diverso Quartet (11 October) and Chilingirian Quartet (25 November), and a public masterclass with the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet (17 October).
This season also includes the James Mottram International Piano Competition (28 November – 3 December) which sees pianists from all over the world compete for £10,000 and the chance to perform with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Pentrenko.
The RNCM’s In Focus series continues in October with the music of British composer Tansy Davies (27 and 28 October). The two-day festival includes concerts by the BBC Philharmonic and RNCM New Ensemble where a selection of Tansy’s work will be performed alongside new pieces by our student composers.
Glitz and glamour make an appearance for an alternative Christmas outing when RNCM Opera presents Offenbach’s La Vie Parisienne (7 – 17 December). Directed by Stuart Barker (Director of Training and Productions at British Youth Opera) and conducted by Andrew Greenwood (who makes a welcome return after conducting the College’s award-winning 2015 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream), La Vie Parisienne features talented students from the School of Vocal Studies and Opera, with set and costume design by Simone Romaniuk.
Following a fantastic collaboration with RNCM vocal students in June, the RNCM Big Band joins forces with the RNCM Chamber Orchestra this season (14 December) for the première of Tim Garland’s Luca’s Winter. Conducted by Clark Rundell with narration by Stefan Booth (EastEnders, Hollyoaks, West End), this festive work is best described as a modern update of Peter and the Wolf and Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, with a gripping narrative that will capture the imagination of teenagers and adults in a seasonal adventure.
And the RNCM’s Young Explorers Concert series (for ages 4 and above) continues with an afternoon of Spells, Space and Superheroes (16 October) as the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra performs music from Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, ET, Superman, Star Trek and Back to the Future.
