Welcome to the Royal College of Music Alumni Network! Congratulations on graduating from the Royal College of Music. You are now a member of a community of almost 20,000 illustrious alumni all over the world. We are immensely proud of the achievements of all our graduates, and we hope you continue to keep in contact with us, whatever is next in store for you.
As an RCM graduate you can:
• Continue to access careers support from the Creative Careers Centre for five years following graduation
• Sign up to receive the weekly jobs bulletin
• Access RCM Studios at a discounted rate for one year following graduation
• Receive invitations to events
• Keep up to date with regular newsletters and our termly magazine, Upbeat
• Make use of our excellent Library facilities and an exclusive discounted nkoda membership
• Get discounted use of RCM venues and spaces
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CONGRATULATIONS!
On behalf of the Royal College of Music’s Council, Directorate, professorial, teaching and administrative staff, it is a great pleasure to welcome you to the RCM’s 2025 Graduation Ceremony.
We take huge pride in your achievements, and hope that you will carry the memory of this special occasion with you as you leave the RCM to become global ambassadors for the College and for the future of music.
I am delighted to report that the Royal College of Music has been ranked the Global No.1 institution for Performing Arts for the fourth consecutive year, and for Music for the second consecutive year in the QS World University rankings. This extraordinary achievement is only possible thanks to the talents, creativity and commitment of our students, staff and supporters.
Our international community representing 60 different nationalities results in the RCM having a truly global network of alumni, and I strongly encourage today’s graduands to take full advantage of both the RCM’s alumni network and our Creative Careers Centre, offering you professional advice and opportunities for up to five years after graduation. It is also important to remember that learning does not stop upon leaving the RCM and that the next chapter, whether it be further study or employment, comes with it a myriad of opportunities to further develop yourself and your musicianship.
This ceremony represents not the end of your connection with the Royal College of Music, but the beginning of a new chapter. I hope that you will stay connected with the College, maintain the friendships you have made here and continue your role as an active advocate for the Royal College of Music as you inspire future generations.
I wish you all a happy and fulfilling future.
James Williams LVO FRCM RCM Director
ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC
Patron
HM King Charles III
Vice-Presidents
The Most Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Archbishop of York
The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of London
Jane Barker CBE FRCM
Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM
Professor Colin Lawson CBE FRCM
Humphrey Norrington OBE FRCM
Dame Janet Ritterman DBE HonDMus
Professor Lord Winston FRCM
Council
Independent Members
Lord Black of Brentwood (Chairman)
Catherine Clarke (Deputy Chair)
Peter Dart
Baroness Fleet CBE
Richard Goulding
Professor Peter Holgate
Ruth Keattch
Jamie Njoku-Goodwin
Duncan Owen
Nandkishore (Nandu) Patel
Geoffrey Richards HonRCM
Nadine Thompson
Professor Dr Shirley J Thompson OBE
Dr Paula Walter
Sir Guy Weston HonRCM
Director
James Williams LVO FRCM
Deputy Director
Kevin Porter HonRCM
Elected Members
Dr Ingrid Pearson HonRCM (elected by professors)
Patricia Rozario OBE FRCM (elected by professors)
Sarah Hanratty HonRCM (elected by administrative staff)
Leila Hooton (President, RCM Students’ Union)
Senate Members
Director
James Williams LVO FRCM (Chair)
Deputy Director
Kevin Porter HonRCM
Artistic Director
Andrew Moore (from March 2025)
Director of Programmes
Dr Diana Salazar
BMus Programme Co-ordinator
Dr Ann van Allen-Russell
Head of Postgraduate Programmes
Professor Mark Bowden
Head of Research
Professor Robert Adlington
Head of Keyboard
Professor Vanessa Latarche FRCM
Head of Strings
Gary Ryan
Head of Woodwind
Marie Lloyd
Head of Brass
Amos Miller
Head of Percussion
David Hockings FRCM
Head of Vocal & Opera
Nicholas Sears FRCM (to April 2025)
Head of Composition
Professor Jonathan Cole FRCM
Head of Historical Performance
Professor Ashley Solomon FRCM
Academic Registrar
Eleanor Taylor HonRCM
Librarian
Peter Linnitt HonRCM
Curator
Professor Gabriele Rossi Rognoni HonRCM
Head of Junior Programmes
Miranda Francis HonRCM
Head of Centre for Performance Science
Professor Aaron Williamon HonRCM
Student Services Manager
Nicola Smith
President of the Students’ Union
Leila Hooton
Elected Members
Dr Christina Guillaumier
Audrey Hyland
Gabrielle Lester FRCM
Dr Ingrid Pearson HonRCM
ORDER OF CEREMONY
Ceremony 1
The audience is requested to stand for the entry of the academic procession
– The Chairman, Lord Black of Brentwood, opens the proceedings
– The Director, James Williams, addresses the assembly
– The Director confers undergraduate degrees and diplomas
– The Director announces special prizes and awards
– The Chairman addresses the assembly
– The President of the Students’ Union, Leila Hooton, offers a vote of thanks
– The Chairman offers his closing remarks and concludes the ceremony
The audience is requested to stand for the exit of the academic procession. Graduates should remain in their places until the academic procession has left the Britten Theatre.
Ceremony 2
The audience is requested to stand for the entry of the academic procession
– The Chairman, Lord Black of Brentwood, opens the proceedings
– The Director, James Williams, addresses the assembly
– The Director confers postgraduate degrees and diplomas
– The Director announces special prizes and awards
– The Chairman addresses the assembly
– The President of the Students’ Union, Leila Hooton, offers a vote of thanks
– The Chairman offers his closing remarks and concludes the ceremony
The audience is requested to stand for the exit of the academic procession. Graduates should remain in their places until the academic procession has left the Britten Theatre.
Ceremony 3
The audience is requested to stand for the entry of the academic procession
– The Chairman, Lord Black of Brentwood, opens the proceedings
– The Director, James Williams, addresses the assembly
– The Director confers postgraduate degrees and diplomas
– The Director announces special prizes and awards
– The Chairman admits to Fellowship of the Royal College of Music
Mr Andrew Ratcliffe
– The Chairman addresses the assembly
– The President of the Students’ Union, Leila Hooton, offers a vote of thanks
– The Chairman offers his closing remarks and concludes the ceremony
The audience is requested to stand for the exit of the academic procession. Graduates should remain in their places until the academic procession has left the Britten Theatre.
Special prizes and awards to be announced
– RCM Accelerate Awards
– Worshipful Company of Musicians Silver Medal
– Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Rose Bowl
– Tagore Gold Medals
Music
Pre-ceremony Music
Liza Rakowska harp
RCM Brass Ensemble
Amos Miller Director
Processional Music
Asher Joyce On the Nature of Inspiration (world premiere)
Recessional Music
Alex Harris Fanfare for a Celebration (world premiere)
Entertainment at the reception provided by Lydia Cochrane, Guy Courtie and Josh Mitchell-Rayner
Each ceremony will be followed by a reception in the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall for graduates and guests (tickets are required).
All academic gowns are to be returned to the Recital Hall no later than 5.45pm.
It is illegal to record any performance, or part thereof, unless prior arrangements have been made with the Royal College of Music.
The Century Fund Prize and The Richard III Prize: Ceci Keiffer
Percussion Competition
Percussion Prize: Lewis Isaacs
Contemporary Music Competition
Performer Prize: Hoi Yin Ng
NOMINATED PRIZES
Harold Darke Prize (Organ): Jake Scicinski
McKenna Prize (Baroque): Samuel Finch
Joy Hockings Prize for Percussion: Tim Dobinson
Southern Percussion Prize: Lewis Isaacs
James Holland Percussion Award: Stan Talman
Zildjian Prize for Percussion: Kian Hsu
Elgar Memorial Prize (Undergraduate Composition): Gwydion Rhys
Andrew Downes Prize (Postgraduate Composition): Deniz Dortok
Joseph Horovitz Prize for Composition for Screen: Yi Zeng
Poppy Holden Prize (Vocal & Opera): Hugo Brady
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Best Graduate Awards
BEd: Yam Yu Han, Jovanna (Piano)
BMus: Koh Yu Jie (Erhu)
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
All of us at the Royal College of Music extend our heartfelt thanks to our donors and supporters, whose generosity enables us to attract and retain the most talented young musicians from around the world. We are proud to be able to offer financial support to more than 50% of our students.
These scholarships and awards have a tangible impact on the lives of our students, providing access to world-renowned professors, state-of-the-art facilities and unparalleled performance opportunities. Such support fosters a professional and supportive environment where our students can thrive, allowing them to focus on their studies, refine their skills and reach new heights in their musical journeys.
We are immensely grateful for the continued commitment of our supporters, whose contributions played a vital role in securing our position as the top global institution in performing arts for the fourth year in a row (QS World University Rankings 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022), as well as earning the top spot for Music in the QS World University Rankings both in its inaugural year last year, and in 2025.
With the support of our community, we are nurturing exceptional musicians and shaping the musical landscape of the future.
Scholarships and awards 2024–25
Alastair Jackson International Opera Award
Alice Templeton Scholarship
Alida Johnson Award
Amaryllis Fleming Foundation Scholarship
Andrea Bocelli Foundation - Community Jameel Scholarship
Andrew Treagus Scholarship
Anglo-Norse Award
Ann Driver Trust Scholarship
Anne & Brian Wadsworth Scholarship
Anthony Jennings Award
Antonio Brosa Award
Audrey Piggott Award
Audrey Sacher Award
Australian Commonwealth Scholarship
Baring Foundation Award
Basil Coleman Opera Award
Benjamin Britten Piano Fellowship
Bernard Alexander Royle Shore CBE Scholarship
Brooks-Anderson Award
Bruce-Payne Vaseppi Scholarship
C. Bechstein Scholarship
Carne Junior Fellowship
Charles Branchini Scholarship
Charles Richard Sisson Scholarship
Christopher Hogwood Scholarship
Clifton Parker Award
Constant & Kit Lambert Junior Fellowship
Cosmina and Douglas Liversidge Scholarship
Cotes-Burgan Scholarship
Cuthbert Smith Scholarship
Dasha Shenkman Scholarship
David Laing Scholarship
David Young Piano Prize
Derek Butler Scholarship
Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Scholarship
Dr Susan Lim Scholarship
Drapers’ Company Scholarship
Drapers’ de Turckheim Scholarship
Edward and Helen Hague Award
Elizabeth Mary Morgan Award
Elsie Gertrude Martin Scholarship
Emma Rose Scholarship
Evelyn Tarrant Scholarship
Fishmongers’ Colyer-Edwards Bequest Scholarship
Fishmongers’ Company Beckwith Scholarship
Fishmongers’ Company Scholarship
Frederick Cox Award
Frederick Johnston Scholarship
Gandar Dower Scholarship
George Stennett Award
George Thornton Award
Gladys Hay Scholarship
Gordon Calway Stone Scholarship
Graham Brookman Scholarship
Gylla Godwin Scholarship
H R Taylor Charitable Trust Scholarship
Heddy Simpson Award
Helen Marjorie Tonks Scholarship
Herbert Samuel Award
Hilary Fabian & Geoffrey Dellar Award
Hilda Houssart Award
HMD Meyer Violin Prize
Humphrey Searle Scholarship
Ian Evans Lombe Scholarship
Il Circolo Music Award
Ilona Eibenschutz Award
International Music and Art Foundation Scholarship
Irene Hanson Scholarship
Jacqueline Ward Award
James Horner Scholarship
Jane Barker Scholarship
Jean Middlemiss Award
Jenny Marsh Chapman Memorial Scholarship
Jessie Sumner Scholarship
Joan Weller Scholarship
John & Marjorie Coultate Scholarship
John and Sylvia Daughtry Scholarship
John Birch Scholarship
John Nickson & Simon Rew Scholarship in memory of Sir Peter Jonas
Joseph Clover Scholarship
Julia and Hans Rausing Scholarship
Karaviotis Scholarship
Keith Poole Award
Kendall Taylor Scholarship
Kenneth and Violet Scott Scholarship
Kirby Laing Foundation Scholarship
Kiri Te Kanawa Scholarship
Kit and John Gander Award
Knights of the Round Table Award
Koganovitch-Kagan Scholarship
L A Jones Scholarship
L G Harris Trust Scholarship
Lady Ruth Fermoy Award
Leonard Marks Memorial Award
Leopold de Rothschild Scholarship
Leverhulme Arts Scholarships
Linda Beeley Scholarship
Linda Hill Scholarship
London Women’s Clinic Foundation Scholarship
Lotti Masterson Scholarship
Maria Björnson Memorial Fund Award
Marian and Gordon Pell Award
Martin Harris Scholarship
Mary Tindall Scholarship
Mason Award
Michael Quinn Award
Michael Redman Scholarship
Midori Nishiura Scholarship
Mike Rimmer Scholarship
Mills Williams Junior Fellowship
Milstein Medal Award
Mimi Opperby Award
Musicians’ Company Lambert Scholarship
Nancy Wolfers Scholarship
Needley Family Scholarship
Neville Wathen Scholarship
Noël Coward Composition Scholarship
Noel Croucher Scholarship
Norah Popple Award
Oak Foundation Scholarship
Pamela Weston Clarinet Scholarship
Parnassus Scholarship
Peter and Sheila Bennett Scholarship
Petronella Dittmer Scholarship
Pidem Scholarship
Poppy Holden Scholarship
Professor Bernard Nevill Award
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Scholarship
Ray Davies Award
Richard & Susan Jarvis Award
Richard Goulding Scholarship
Richard Newton Scarth Award
Richard Silver Scholarship
Risman Foundation Scholarship
Rivers Symmons Scholarship
Robert Anderson Award
Robert Avery Scholarship
Robert Lancaster Scholarship
Robert McFadzean Whyte Award
Robert Sutherland Award
Roger Phillimore Award
Rose Williams Scholarship
Royal College of Music Pete Handley Award
Russell Race Scholarship
Sergei Kojine Scholarship
Sheila Saam Memorial Scholarship
Sir Gordon Palmer Scholarship
Sir John Stratton Scholarship
Somers-Mountfort Scholarship
South Square Trust Award
Stanbridge Drake-Brockman Scholarship
Stanislawa Kryszek Award
Steinway Scholarship
Stephen Catto Memorial Scholarship
Stephen Roberts Scholarship
Tait Trust Scholarship
The Berkman Family Scholarship
The Big Give Scholarship
The Brian Newbitt Hartley Scholarship
The C H Scholarship
The Charles Colt Scholarship
The Charles Ravel Scholarship
The Charles Stewart Richardson Scholarship for Composition
The Colin and Mimi Watts Scholarship
The David W Patterson Scholarship
The Dennis and Sylvia Forbes Award
The Doctor Knobel Fund
The Frederick and Phyllis Treby Scholarship
The Geoffrey Boyes Memorial Scholarship
The H F Music Award
The Hargreaves and Ball Trust Scholarship
The Headley Trust Scholarship
The Herbert Howells & Thomas Fielden Scholarship
The Houston Family Scholarship
The Ivor Llewellyn Foster Scholarship
The JMC Award
The John Astor Fund
The Johnson Scholarship
The Lawson Bursaries
The Lawson Scholarship
The Linbury Scholarship
The Margaret Mount Scholarship
The Maureen & Harold Adams Scholarship
The New Generation Europe Foundation
Scholarship
The Orpheus Scholarship
The Patrick & Helena Frost Foundation Award
The Pauline Hartley Award
The Ramona and Trevor Swale Scholarship Fund
The Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation Scholarship
The Ruth Keattch Piano Scholarship
The Siow-Furniss Scholarship
The Sir Peter & Lady Walters Scholarship
The Spiller Award
The Stanley Picker Award
The Stephen Stuart-Smith Vocal Award
The Sussex Scholarship
The Victor and Lilian Hochhauser Scholarship
The Victor Dahdaleh Foundation Scholarship
The Wyseliot Scholarship
Theo Max van der Beugel Scholarship
Thomas Llewellyn Cottrell Scholarship
Tiong Kiu King Scholarship
Victoria Robey Scholarship
Vivian Prins Award
Wall Trust Award
Wilkins-Mackerras Award
William Mealings Scholarship
Winifred Law Award
Yvonne Wells Award
Zhenghill Award
We would also like to extend our thanks to those who donate anonymously, and those who have donated to the RCM Scholarships Fund including attendees of the Future Music Gala, supporters of our Big Give Christmas Challenge, and the ABRSM for their support of scholarships and bursaries in 2024–25.
For further information on the RCM Scholarships Fund, please contact the Philanthropy Team on +44 (0)20 7591 4862 or philanthropy@rcm.ac.uk or visit www.rcm.ac.uk/supportascholarship
STAY IN TOUCH
Scan the QR code to keep in touch with the RCM Alumni team.
Don’t forget to let us know what you’ve been up to by joining our RCM Alumni LinkedIn group, and by tagging us on:
@RCMLondon
royalcollegeofmusic
bit.ly/RCMAlumni
@RCMLondon
@RCMLondon
@rcmlondon.bsky.social
@royalcollegeofmusic
You can also share your recent news by email to: RCM.Alumni@rcm.ac.uk
CELEBRATE ONLINE
Share your photos and messages of congratulations on social media using @RCMLondon or #RCMGraduation
The RCM Graduation Ceremonies are being live streamed on the RCM website and will be available to view after the event at www.rcm.ac.uk/graduation
Keep up to date with your fellow graduates with the RCM’s magazine, Upbeat, published three times a year online and in print. Scan to sign up.
