Charles honors top talent at Royal College of Music ceremony
The Prince of Wales has honored some of the finest music talent at a Royal College of Music (RCM) ceremony.
In his capacity as President of the RCM, Harles made annual visits to the London Conservatory, where he presented awards to artists such as Grammy-nominated saxophonist Amy Dickson and composer Anna Meredith.
He also met with RCM junior students and young musicians who have learned instruments through RCM Sparks, the college’s outreach program.
HRH The Prince of Wales with tributes during his annual Presidential Visit to the Royal College of Music, recently recognized as a top global inst
RCM Director Professor Colin Lawson said: “The President’s visit is always a significant moment in the Royal College of Music calendar and this year we recognize the contribution of exceptional musicians from around the world, many of whom are Royal College of Music alumni.
“To produce world-leading musicians, there must be better access to quality music education for all and young people continuously supported in their progress.”
Musicians Dickson and Meredith have been named Fellows of the RCM alongside Richard Boothby, founder of the Purcell Quartet, and Thomas Trotter, organist at Birmingham Symphony Hall and recent recipient of the Queen’s Medal for Music.
RCM Professor and violinist Gabrielle Lester, who has directed orchestral recordings of numerous film and television scores including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Doctor Who, was also among the cohorts who became RCM Fellows during the ceremony.
After the awards, Charles met with young musicians from RCM’s junior division, including siblings Imaan and Jamaal Kashim, who play violin and harp respectively.
Imaan, 18, said the program has been a “musical stepping stone” for him as he has now been offered a place at RCM from September.
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Jamaal, 14, added that his time in the youth department showed him how “differences can be brought together through music to create something unified and very beautiful”.
HRH meets 12-year-old twins Sami and Mehdi, students involved in the Royal College of Music Sparks engagement program c. Chris Christodoulou
The siblings were also part of a musical performance that RCM students provided for the prince.
Charles also met 12-year-old twins Sami and Mehdi Uwahemu, who have been engaged at RCM Sparks since 2016 and both receive a spot in RCM’s junior division.
Her mother Fouzia Radi said: “I am grateful to the Royal College of Music for giving my two sons the opportunity to learn an instrument with great teachers.
“They really enjoy music and thanks to this opportunity they got the chance to go to a good local secondary school with a music major. It gives me great joy to see them both flourish.”
Founded in 1883, RCM was recently ranked as the world’s leading performing arts institution by subject in the QS World University Rankings 2022.
This is the first time that the London Conservatory has taken the top spot, overtaking the Juilliard School in New York, which has held that position since 2016, when this categorization was first introduced.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/charles-presents-honours-to-top-talent-at-royal-college-of-music-ceremony-41611793.html Charles honors top talent at Royal College of Music ceremony