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Spring at the RNCM

Over 200 events including the very best in jazz,

classical and world music

The Royal Northern College of Music’s40th anniversary celebrations continue this Spring with an array of concerts and events by international artists and RNCM students.

The RNCM Session Orchestra, featuring students on our Foundation Degree and BMus course, kick-starts the sessionon Thursday 10 January with a free lunchtime concert featuring hits by the Jackson 5, Amy Winehouse, Counting Crows and Jamiroquai. That day also sees the first concert in our RNCM International Artist Diploma series with an evening performance by the Wu Quartet.

Our celebratory Ludwig van season continues in 2013 with the RNCM Chamber Music Festival (January 11 – 13) - three days of concerts, lectures and workshops dedicated to the chamber music of Beethoven; and the RNCM Strings Weekend (March 16 – 17), which focusses on Beethoven’s 10 violin sonatas and five cello sonatas. Our symphony cycle also resumes with days devoted to Beethoven 3 (February 1), Beethoven 4 (March 7) and Beethoven 5 and 6 (22 March and 23 respectively). In addition, we have the annual RNCM Festival of Brass between Friday 25 and Sunday 27 January, Day of Percussion on Sunday 10 February,Day of Song on Sunday 28 April, and a contemporary note, Black on White: The Music of Heiner Goebbels between Saturday 23 and Monday 25 March.

Jazz remains a prominent of part of the RNCM’s performance programme, and in 2013 we welcome Django Bates’ Belovèd (9 February) to showcase their new album, Confirmation; Brad Mehldau (14 February) and Kevin Hayes, who have teamed up to present an evening of their own compositions as well as pieces by Philip Glass and Steve Reich; Claire Martin and the Montpellier Cello Quartet (22 March), who present their take on the Great American Songbook; and our mighty Big Bandplays two great shows when it teams up with trombonist Mark Bassey (2 February) and jazz violinist Chris Garrick (27 March).

Classical recitals to look forward to this season include Austrian pianist Till Felner,who performs on Saturday 19 January, and Nelson Goernerand Philippe Cassard, who present a concert for two pianos on Monday 18 March. Other live music includes The Be Good Tanyas(1 February), June Tabor (20 March), a performance of John Cage’s Song Books by Lore Lixenberg, Gregory Rose and Robert Worby (13 March), and Get The Blessing with RNCM alumni Ben Cottrell and Ben Watte (24 April).

Following the success of its Autumn production of Monteverdi’s Il ritornod’Ulisse in patria (The Return of Ulysses), RNCM Opera presents Shostakovich’s Moscow Cheryomushki (Paradise Moscow) between March 21 and 28. Written in 1959, this faced-paced and zany operetta focusses on a group of Muscovites who employ all manner of tricks to secure flats for themselves in the highly coveted new city district of Cheryomushki. Prior to this, on January 22, we also have the RNCM Opera Gala; an evening of well-known arias featuring RNCM alumni, vocal students and the Orchestra of Opera North.

The Opera Gala is one of three collaborations between the RNCM and Opera North this season. On January 22 we present Crows’ Bones, an evening of ghost stories and folk songs, featuring Lau’s Martin Green and Becky Unthank, and on March 25 we will be screening The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari featuring a brand new soundtrack by Martyn Jacques, frontman of the Grammy-nominated punk-cabaret band Tiger Lillies.

For further information or to request interviews please contact Liz Rowley, PR and Media Relations Officer, on 0161 907 5369 or email.To learn more about the RNCM visit or to downloaded our brochure visit

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Notes to Editors:

  • In addition to being one of the UK’s top conservatoires, the RNCM is recognised as one of the North West’s leading performing venues offering a large Concert Hall, Theatre, a smaller Studio Theatre and the Carole Nash Recital Room.
  • Throughout the year the College is host to over 400 concerts and events ranging from classical music to world music and jazz.
  • It is both a platform for RNCM students to develop their incredible talent, and a stage for world-class performers to showcase their work.
  • To date, some of the biggest names in music have also appeared at the RNCM, including Adele, Jarvis Cocker, Supergrass, James Blake and the late Amy Winehouse.