Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Last updated

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Logo for Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.png
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire 2017.jpg
General information
Type School of Music and Acting
AddressJennens Road, Birmingham, B4, United Kingdom
Elevation122 m (400 ft) AOD
Construction startedAugust 2015
CompletedAugust 2017
OpenedSeptember 2017
Cost£57 million
Owner Birmingham City University
Height26.4 metres (87 ft)
Technical details
Material Pale Buff Brick
Floor count1 (UG) 5(OG)
Floor area10,350 m2 (111,406 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators3
Design and construction
Architecture firm Feilden Clegg Bradley
Services engineer Hoare Lea
Main contractor Galliford Try
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Former names
Birmingham School of Music
Birmingham Conservatoire
MottoAchieve the Extraordinary
Established1886 (as Birmingham School of Music)
1989 (as Birmingham Conservatoire)
2017 (as Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)
President Sir Simon Rattle
Vice-president Peter Donohoe
Principal Stephen Maddock OBE [1]
Administrative staff
100
Students1200
Campus Urban
Affiliations Birmingham City University
Conservatoires UK
European Association of Conservatoires
Federation of Drama Schools
Website www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire

The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire is a music school, drama school and concert venue in Birmingham, England. It provides education in music, acting, and related disciplines up to postgraduate level. [2] It is a centre for scholarly research and doctorate-level study in areas such as performance practice, composition, musicology and music history. [3] It is the only one of the nine conservatoires in the United Kingdom that is also part of a faculty of a university, in this case Arts, Design and Media at Birmingham City University. It is a member of the Federation of Drama Schools, [4] and a founder member of Conservatoires UK.

Contents

The conservatoire houses a 500-seat concert hall and other performance spaces including a recital hall, organ studio, and a dedicated jazz club. It was founded in 1886 as the Birmingham School of Music, the first music school to be established in England outside London. [5]

History

The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire was founded in 1886 as the Birmingham School of Music, grouping together into a single entity the various musical education activities of the Birmingham and Midland Institute. [5] The institute had conducted informal musical instruction from its foundation in 1854, and its predecessor organisation, the Birmingham Philosophical Institution, had held music classes since 1800; but it was in 1859 that music was established as a formal part of the institute's curriculum. [6] Singing classes began in that year and, after some initial struggles, 110 students and were performing regular concerts by 1863. [7] In 1876, a proposal was heard at the institute's council that further classes should be established on the model of the Leipzig Conservatoire, and that year the composer Alfred Gaul began teaching classes in the theory of music. [8] In 1882 instrumental classes were started, attracting 458 students on their first year, and a separate music section created within the institute. [9] This was established as the separate "School of Music" in 1886, with William Stockley as its first principal [10] The school's second principal Granville Bantock was recommended for the position by Edward Elgar

The name 'Birmingham Conservatoire' was adopted in 1989, with its undergraduate diploma and award (GBSM and ABSM) renamed from 'Graduate/Associate of the Birmingham School of Music' to 'Graduate/Associate of the Birmingham Schools of Music', to reflect the internal structure adopted of the Schools of Creative Studies, of Orchestral Studies, of Keyboard Studies, and of Vocal Studies. In 1995, the GBSM degree-equivalent diploma was redesigned to become a full Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree. In 2008, as part of the university's reorganisation of faculties, it became a part of the Faculty of Performance, Media and English (PME), which has since merged to become the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media.

As part of the Paradise Circus redevelopment the former site of the Conservatoire was subject to a compulsory purchase by Birmingham City Council. The Conservatoire received £29 million in compensation in a deal agreed in December 2013; this deal included £12.4 million of council expenditure. Designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios the new building on Jennens Road contains teaching and performance space including a 500-seat concert hall to replace Adrian Boult Hall. Building work started in August 2015 and was completed in August 2017. Adrian Boult Hall was demolished in June 2016. The remaining building on Paradise Circus was demolished by April 2018 as part of Phase I of the scheme. [11] In July 2015, Galliford Try were confirmed as principal contractor on a £46 million contract. [12]

In 2017 the conservatoire merged with the Birmingham School of Acting, which had been founded as a drama school in 1936, bringing music and drama teaching together into a single organisation. [13] Alumni of the school include Nicol Williamson, Tom Lister, Catherine Tyldesley, Rachel Bright, Barbara Keogh, Luke Mably, James Bradshaw, Stephen Laughton, Jeffrey Holland, David Holt, Anna Brewster, Jimi Mistry, Helen George, Ainsley Howard Nicholas Gledhill and Amanda Leigh Owen, John Arthur, Tony Bowers, Jeffrey Chiswick, James Duggan, Anthony Higgins, Annie Hayes, Paul Henry, Karl Johnson, Mike Kinsey, Lloyd McGuire, Jeremy Nicholas, Larry Rew, John Rowe, Michael Strobel, Lynne Verrall, and Brian Weston.

On 24 September 2017 the conservatoire was granted Royal status by Queen Elizabeth II.

The conservatoire

In 2003, there were around 600 students enrolled in the Conservatoire's undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. [14] Subjects include solo performance, composition, chamber music, orchestral playing, music technology and jazz. Students on the four-year BMus(Hons) are encouraged to spend time studying in Europe or the USA.

In their Junior Department, training for children aged 8 to 18 years takes place weekly on Saturdays during the local school term. [15]

The museum has a notable collection of musical instruments. [16]

Departments

Performances

Conservatoire students perform regularly in the conservatoire's concert venues, and also nationally often at Symphony Hall Birmingham and Birmingham Town Hall and internationally under such conductors as Sir Simon Rattle, Pierre Boulez, Sakari Oramo, Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla, Paul Spicer and Jeffrey Skidmore.

The conservatoire collaborates with other schools of music, colleges, academies and conservatoires worldwide, including participating in the Erasmus student and staff exchange programme. [17]

Courses offered

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire offers training from pre-college level (Junior Conservatoire) to PhD.

People

Principals

Staff

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has around 80 full-time members of staff that include active professional musicians, performers, composers, conductors and scholars. [19] In addition, nearly 250 hspecialist tutors, musicians and scholars visit the conservatoire to give classes and guest lectures or to serve as visiting faculty members.

Notable current and former staff and visiting guest artists include:

Fellows

Alumni

Venues

The Bradshaw Hall RBC - The Concert Hall.jpg
The Bradshaw Hall

See also

Related Research Articles

The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz along with drama and production arts. The school has students from over seventy countries. It was ranked first in both the Guardian’s 2022 League Table for Music and the Complete University Guide's 2023 Arts, Drama and Music league table. It is also ranked the sixth university in the world for performing arts in the 2022 QS World University Rankings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtis Institute of Music</span> Private music school in Philadelphia, United States

The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Northern College of Music</span> Music school in Manchester, England

The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) is a conservatoire located in Manchester, England. It is one of four conservatoires associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. In addition to being a centre of music education, RNCM is one of the UK's busiest and most diverse public performance venues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Royal Conservatory of Music</span> Canadian non-profit music education institution

The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher as The Toronto Conservatory of Music. In 1947, King George VI incorporated the organization through royal charter. Its Toronto home was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995, in recognition of the institution's influence on music education in Canada. Tim Price is the current Chair of the Board, and Peter Simon is the President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sibelius Academy</span> Music university in Helsinki, Finland

The Sibelius Academy is part of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities with roughly 1,400 enrolled students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maastricht Academy of Music</span>

The Maastricht Academy of Music, Dutch: Conservatorium Maastricht, located in the city of Maastricht, is one of nine music academies in the Netherlands. The academy is a faculty of the Zuyd University of Applied Sciences for the Bachelor programme and the "Zuid Nederlandse Hogeschool voor Muziek" for the Master programme, in co-operation with the Fontys Academy of Music and Performing Arts. The academy provides advanced vocational training.

The Purcell School for Young Musicians is a specialist music school for children, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, and is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Medal in 2003, which was received on behalf of the school by King Charles, who is a patron of the school. Sir Simon Rattle is honorary president of the school. Many of the pupils subsequently study at top conservatories across the country including: the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 2015, the School became the first Fazioli Pianoforti Centre of Excellence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama</span> Music school and performance venue in Cardiff, Wales

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire located in Cardiff, Wales. It includes three theatres: the Richard Burton Theatre, the Bute Theatre, and the Caird Studio. It also includes one concert hall, the Dora Stoutzker Hall. Its alumni include Anthony Hopkins, Aneurin Barnard and Rob Brydon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gnessin State Musical College</span> Music school in Moscow, Russia

The Gnessin State Musical College and Gnesins Russian Academy of Music is a music school in Moscow, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schulich School of Music</span>

The Schulich School of Music is one of the constituent faculties of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 555, Rue Sherbrooke Ouest. The faculty was named after the benefactor Seymour Schulich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance</span> Music and dance conservatoire based in London, England

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music and dance conservatoire based in Greenwich, London, England. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. The conservatoire has 1,250 undergraduate and postgraduate students based at three campuses in Greenwich (Trinity), Deptford and New Cross (Laban).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yale School of Music</span> Professional school at Yale University

The Yale School of Music is one of the 12 professional schools at Yale University. It offers three graduate degrees: Master of Music (MM), Master of Musical Arts (MMA), and Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), as well as a joint Bachelor of Arts—Master of Music program in conjunction with Yale College, a Certificate in Performance, and an Artist Diploma.

The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal (CMQM) is a music conservatory located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In addition to the Montreal region, the school takes in students from nearby cities, including Granby, Joliette, St-Jean, Saint-Jérôme, Sherbrooke, and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. The school is the first of nine conservatories in Quebec which form the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec (CMADQ). The current director is Manon Lafrance. In addition to practice rooms, classrooms and rehearsal halls, the conservatory contains 85 teaching studios, a 225-seat theater, a concert hall of 225 seats, a recital hall with 100 places, and a large music multimedia center with a recording studio. The conservatoire is also home to a substantial musical library.

The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec (CMQQ) is a music conservatory located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Founded by the Quebec government in 1944, it became the second North American music institution of higher learning to be entirely state-subsidized. The conservatoire is part of a network of 7 conservatories in Quebec, the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec (CMADQ), and was the second school in the CMADQ network to be established. Orchestra conductor Wilfrid Pelletier served as the school's first director from 1944 through 1946. The current director is Jean-Fabien Schneider.

The Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto is one of several professional faculties at the University of Toronto. The Faculty of Music is located at the Edward Johnson Building, just south of the Royal Ontario Museum and north of Queen's Park, west of Museum Subway Station. MacMillan Theatre and Walter Hall are located in the Edward Johnson Building. The Faculty of Music South building contains rehearsal rooms and offices, and the Upper Jazz Studio performance space is located at 90 Wellesley Street West. In January 2021, the Faculty announced Dr. Ellie Hisama as the new Dean starting July 1, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lausanne Conservatory</span>

The Haute école de musique de Lausanne is a Swiss music school located in Romandy, the French-speaking western part of Switzerland. It is a constituent institution of the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla</span> Lithuanian conductor

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla is a Lithuanian conductor. She was the musical director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grimson (musical family)</span> Musical family active in the UK from the 1870s onwards

The Grimson family was a family of classical musicians active in London from the early 1870s.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.bcu.ac.uk/news-events/news/royal-birmingham-conservatoire-new-principal
  2. ↑ "Courses". Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  3. ↑ "Research - Clusters and Specialisms". Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Granger, Rachel. "Rapid Scoping Study on Leicester Drama School" (PDF). De Montfort University Leicester. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  5. 1 2 Smith 2011, p. 4.
  6. ↑ Brock 1986, p. 1.
  7. ↑ Brock 1986, pp. 1–2.
  8. ↑ Brock 1986, p. 4.
  9. ↑ Brock 1986, p. 6.
  10. ↑ Brock 1986, p. 9.
  11. ↑ Elkes, Neil (5 February 2015). "Planners hail handsome Birmingham Conservatoirel". Birmingham Post . Birmingham. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Galliford Try confirms £46m arts centre deall". Construction Enquirer. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  13. ↑ Snow, Georgia (1 March 2017). "Birmingham School of Acting merges with Birmingham Conservatoire". The Stage. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  14. ↑ "Birmingham Conservatoire". The Independent. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "Junior Conservatoire: Tuition for Young Musicians". Birmingham Conservatoire. Birmingham City University. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  16. ↑ "Musical Instruments Interface for Museums and Collections". MINIM-UK. Higher Education Funding Council for England. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  17. ↑ "International Exchange Schemes". Birmingham Conservatoire. Birmingham City University. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  18. ↑ "Julian Lloyd Webber To Leave Royal Birmingham Conservatoire". www.theviolinchannel.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  19. ↑ "Birmingham Conservatoire Staff". Birmingham Conservatoire. UK: Birmingham City University . Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  20. ↑ "Birmingham Conservatoire : Birmingham Conservatoire appoints Gildas String Quartet as Junior Fellows". www.bcu.ac.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "Conservatoire renames concert hall after £1m donation". www.birminghammail.co.uk. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.