Autumn 2014 at the RNCM

The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) looks forward to opening its doors to a newly refurbished Concert Hall this Autumn.

For four decades thousands of talented students and professional musicians have performed in this venue and now, as the transformation nears completion, the new season looks set to continue this tradition with a quality programme full of diversity.

Opening on Thursday 6 November with a celebratory concert by world-renowned baritone Sir Thomas Allen, the RNCM Concert Hall, together with the RNCM Theatre, Studio Theatre, and Carole Nash Recital Room, will play its part in hosting a season full of exciting music from across the genres.

As always jazz plays a prominent part with appearances from the Neil Cowley Trio (18 October), Claire Martin and the Montpellier Cello Quartet (21 September), and the RNCM Big Band, which presents two exciting projects – one with jazz pianist Julian Joseph as part of the Manchester Science Festival (31 October), and the other with the Northern Dance Orchestra (10 December).

The new season also welcomes an explosive performance by the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers (7 October); incredible folk music from 4Square (21 October), Cara Dillon (15 November), O’Hooley and Tidow (26 November), and supergroup The Full English (1 November); concerts from Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys (10 September), pianists Nils Frahm (28 October) and James Rhodes (20 September), musician and composer Clint Mansell (10 October), and The Byrds former frontman, Roger McGuinn (7 November); a collaboration between The King’s Singer’s and the RNCM Chamber Choir (20 November); and a screening of Jean Epstein’s 1928 classic silent movie The Fall of the House of Usher accompanied by a live score for chamber orchestra by Charlie Barber, based on musical sketches by Debussy (30 October).

The 450th anniversary of the Bard’s birth is celebrated over the next few months with a Shakespearean theme running throughout the season. Emma Kirkby presents Songs of the Golden Age with re-imaginings of songs that feature in The Tempest and The Fairy Queen (22 November); the Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments perform Nine Daies Wonder; an early music project focussing on Shakespearean actor Will Kemp, who danced his way from London to Norwich in 1600 (16 December); and the RNCM Symphony Orchestra plays Prokofiev’s instantly recognisable Romeo and Juliet (14 November).

Finally, for opera fans, Lehár’s playful operetta The Merry Widow is RNCM Opera’s offering this Autumn (3 – 13 December), while Music Theatre Wales presents Philip Glass’ The Trial, based on Franz Kafka’s novel of the same name (22 October), and RNCM alumnus Tim Benjamin heads back to his alma mater with his latest opera, Madame X (25 September).

For more information or to request interviews, images and press tickets, please contact Liz Rowley, PR and Media Relations Officer, at or 0161 907 5369. Alternatively, to download the Autumn programme, click here.

ENDS