Inevitably this year’s graduation celebrations were a little different. Instead of gathering in gowns and drinking fizz at Cardiff’s beautiful St David’s Hall we were making do with homemade hats and a cup of tea each in our own different spaces.
But you can’t keep down RWCMD, and we came together online to celebrate our newest graduates, the wonderful Class of 2020 and their incredible achievements.
We’ll see you all in Cardiff next year to make up for it. And in the meantime, to all our latest alumni, don’t forget to keep in touch by joining our alumni association (it’s free! Details at the end).
Here are just a few of the many lovely moments shared across social media over the last few days. Over to you…
So @beclewis___ and I had an idea for the @RWCMD graduates this year. Since no one was getting a graduation, we biked around to people, and took homemade graduation portraits. They are super cute and you can see the full series here https://t.co/1mtERQzCdt pic.twitter.com/3LWwq7hhfW
— Meredith (@MereLewis95) July 6, 2020
Photographer Bec Lewis also took our brilliant featured image of Musical Theatre grad Caleb Lagayan.
We knew that composer Derri’s celebrations would be out of the ordinary but we had no idea how Drag-ulous they would be!
CONDRAGULATION to @derri_lewis for completing his degree! I am so proud of you, but you don’t need to hear that from me… https://t.co/q67WpJgNjy
— (@JasperDommett) July 3, 2020
Our ever-creative Arts Management students making the most of a lockdown party and whatever they have to hand…
I did, there was a Zoom call for graduands. Our actual proper ceremony has been moved to next year but it was fun. We had a master’s degree cohort zoom afterwards with makeshift hats. Mine was. Frida Kahlo snowglobe and an Amazon package. pic.twitter.com/vq1UFCB32Q
— beth forrest & a bowl of ennuitabix (@bethwritesstuff) July 3, 2020
Congratulations to trombonist Bethan celebrating in the beauty of the Welsh countryside:
And parents can still get involved – even more so when everyone is all at home together!
Congrats Year of the Dog – who’ve been keeping it real this lockdown with their vegetable percussion. Don’t forget to report back from that big world out there…
And just like that, Year of the Dog have graduated from the @rwcmd where it all began.
Bring on the big wide world. #Graduation2020 #bbcintroducing #netflixsexeducation pic.twitter.com/LoISmRinji— Year of the Dog Band (@YOTDband) July 4, 2020
Composer Kirsten, reminding us of amazing performances over the last few years. We look forward to sharing the music in our buildings again too.
Llongyfarchiadau, Joe! (now playing the piano on his very own stool and with his eyes wide open…)
Absolutely thrilled to be graduating from @RWCMD with a First Class Honours degree! Immensely grateful for all the incredible opportunities over my four years: for my wonderful teachers and the insanely talented, lifelong friends I’ve made along the way! #RWCMD pic.twitter.com/XGO83IuRpB
— – (@JoeCavalliPrice) June 27, 2020
Violinist Jennifer Cleland, hoping for sunshine next year, but meanwhile the sofa will do…
Singer and conductor Pilar remembering friends and great times at RWCMD:
Always nice to have a double celebration: congrats to Thomas on his graduation and his award for Choral Conducting – again!
On what would have been Graduation Day @RWCMD, I’m delighted to be the recipient of The Fujisawa Male Voice Choir Award for Choral Conducting for the second year running! pic.twitter.com/yKMl3jPWN7
— Thomas Mottershead (@Thomas_Motty) July 3, 2020
And Jack puts us all to shame, achieving more in the last six years than most of us do in a lifetime!
Stage Manager Eleanor: great images of some of the amazing performances we’ve seen during her time at RWCMD:
Always stylish, design for performance grad and Skills Award runner-up Juliette,
First class indeed. Congrats, Callum.
Graduated from @RWCMD with a first !! This is for you Nan and Bamp ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/aSYbC7qj5m
— Callum Scott Howells (@Callumhowells_c) June 26, 2020
Hope you’ll all be back soon to take more joyous pics by the legendary logo outside our lovely building…
Not how I’d pictured graduation day, but today marks my fond farewell to @rwcmdacting – can’t spend it there in person so here’s a picture of me on the phone to me ma the day school got cancelled. Three unforgettable years, diolch @rwcmd ✨ pic.twitter.com/X9UCiNcQkk
— Catrin Walker-Booth (@catrinwb) June 26, 2020
But of course, ever creative – if you can’t get to the RWCMD sign, then, with the magic of photoshop, it can just damn well come to you! Great idea, Lucy!
And here’s our featured artist, Caleb. Showing how it should be done! We’ve already started practising for next year…
It wasn’t just the students who were overcome with emotion. I’m not crying, you’re crying, Roger!
Laughing & crying at the same time – Really proud of you #RWCMDClass2020. Amazing examples of achievements and success shown on our virtual Grad Day. Music is now more important than ever #RWCMDClass2020, the future’s yours ! Llongyfarchiadau Pawb pic.twitter.com/vSzOP3hSpd
— Roger Argente (@superbrassuk) July 3, 2020
From two of our newest Honorary Fellows: a lovely message from award-winning costume designer, Ray Holman:
Be brave and kind graduates. Good luck to everyone especially all the super talented design folk. Diverse, varied, artistic skills you all have and everyone is different. #RWCMDClass2020 👏🏴👨🎓👩🏽🎓 https://t.co/bxAWt1mY7e
— Ray Holman (@HolmanRay) July 4, 2020
And a gift of a song from Luke Evans (and Fellow and grad Amy):
Happy graduation day @RWCMD graduates . Me and the insanely talented Amy Wadge singing one of her beautiful songs. Enjoy! https://t.co/Gxu5a2PkdU
— Luke Evans (@TheRealLukevans) July 6, 2020
Thank you for sharing your special day with us. Until next year, our congratulations and love to you all!
New graduates: join the alumni association for free here.
Thanks to photographer Bec Lewis for letting us share so many of her photos. Find out more about her work on her website: beclewis.co.uk
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