There may now be one-way systems and hand sanitisers everywhere you look, but the RWCMD show is well and truly back on the road, and it’s wonderful to hear music and performance ringing around our beautiful performance spaces once again.
What a first few weeks it’s been – here are just some of the many highlights. Don’t forget to tag us with #RWCMDCreative to help us to find you!
Last week we were hugely honoured to be asked to join an amazing list of guest speakers supporting our partners Race Council Cymru to launch Black History Wales.
This year long celebration has grown from the annual Black History Month, using the creative arts to promote a better understanding of black history and to change perspectives on black culture.
This joyous online celebration was led by the founder of Race Council Cymru and the College’s Hodge International Chair of Diversity, Professor Uzo Iwobi.
She talked about their support for the College’s diversity initiatives as it works to become more and more inclusive on its journey to promote equality, before introducing Director of Drama Performance Jonathan Munby (at 1.44 on the video above).
Jonathan then introduced our new Writer in Residence Chinonyerem Odimba:
If you want to know how my full name is said correctly in a Nigerian accent skip to 1 hour 44 secs to hear @Uzolwobi bless my name properly. Great event @BHMWales @RWCMD https://t.co/eTwCsApcIs
— Chinonyerem Odimba (@Chino100percent) October 1, 2020
The BBC Radio Wales Arts Show welcomed us back with a special feature length episode. As well as showcasing our new role as Europe’s first Steinway Exclusive Conservatoire, presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas talked to Principal Helena Gaunt, Director of Music Tim Rhys-Evans, and Jonathan Munby about the future of performance training and the College’s exciting and innovative plans in facing the challenges of training under Covid.
You can listen to the whole episode here: BBC Radio Wales Arts Show: RWCMD The Show Must Go On
Of course in these first weeks back the top priority has been to make everyone feel safe and welcomed – especially our first year students. Our new induction fortnight aimed to bring them into our College community, showing the new ways of working and helping them to get to know their fellow students and academic teams.
This included a week of workshops led by Tonic Theatre, engaging in collaborative empowerment sessions, focusing on acknowledging and celebrating difference and examining power, respect and boundaries.
Getting back to training it’s important that our students can continue to make productions and engage with an exciting range of guest artists and live performance – and diolch yn fawr to all our students, staff and visiting artists for all your understanding, patience and support in helping us to do that.
Design for Performance students have been thrown straight into it as usual, with first year and MA students working on their paper sculpture installations – turning our southern foyer into an aviary of huge birds.
Here’s first year design student George to tell you all about it:
In other design news to start the term: Design for Performance grad and Linbury Prize winner Rose Revitt has won The Stage Debut Award for Best Designer:
Woohoo!! Go @RoseRevitt. Winner of Best Design @TheStage #DebutAwards. Her design for Dr Korczak’s Example @LeedsPlayhouse was utterly stunning. She’s one hell of a talent. pic.twitter.com/IDoll5JTOq
— Amy Leach (@amycleach) September 27, 2020
Llongyfarchiadau as well to acting grad Mari Izzard who was nominated in the best writing category for her debut play, Hela at The Other Room, the first time a Welsh play has been up for that category.
Bringing together design and music is Flying Bedroom, an immersive theatre company made up of music, composition and design students. We’ll be following their project as it grows wings…
We finally made it into a room together! Here is a little glimpse of our first socially distanced rehearsal pic.twitter.com/50553lZgmM
— The Flying Bedroom (@FlyingBedroom) September 20, 2020
Amserjazztime kicked off the term in its inimitable laid back Friday evening style, live streaming from the Carne foyer. Catch up with the ones you’ve missed while waiting for next week’s tunes – now from its new home on YouTube.
In case you hadn’t heard – we’re moving to the RWCMD YouTube channel for tomorrow night’s #AmserJazzTime. Listen to our Jazz students in your phone, tv, laptop, tablet – wherever you are!
Find the link here: https://t.co/uaO0BaH9Cw
— AmserJazzTime (@AmserJazzTime) October 1, 2020
Our series of masterclasses continues as usual. We’re obviously having to approach it a little differently now but we’re still bringing world class artists to the College to work directly with our students.
The visiting artists are also performing to limited numbers of physically distanced staff and students – with those who can’t get into the concert hall watching via live streaming into the foyer.
And we’re back! Two fabulous socially-distanced concerts @RWCMD from the exquisite @ConsoneQuartet with #paolozanzu and @gwilymbowen. Glorious LIVE music-making. And only 5 days until @philip_higham is here for Bach and Britten and to work with our cellists. Go #rwcmdstrings!! pic.twitter.com/wWxGwrXZcy
— Simon jones (@Earlymuso) October 5, 2020
Our general audience can catch many of these performances a few days later as part of our digital programme (see details below).
We introduced our new oboe students to the Dora stage…
The inimitable Steven Hudson puts 3 of our fabulous intake of 7 new @RWCMD oboe students through their paces at our inaugural oboe club meeting! What an inspiration for the students to hear wonderful solo performances by Steve and Sarah-Jayne Porsmoguer on cor anglais too pic.twitter.com/2Dt9j4xErf
— Robert Plane (@robertplane) October 6, 2020
And Brass is back – look out for more performances coming up:
Today we had our first rehearsal back at @RWCMD!!!
We’re all very excited for some upcoming performances in the next few weeks too! pic.twitter.com/mSOEBnX1jo— Flora Brass (@Flora_Brass) September 29, 2020
The College’s blended learning approach means that while some of the classes take place in the College others are taking place online, bringing more people together:
Lovely to join @JessGillamSax this pm, answering questions from @NYAW_ccic & @RWCMD students as part of the mentoring collaboration with @BBCNOW. Being a fly on the wall in this morning’s rehearsal with the orchestra this morning was a real privilege – Wonders of technology! pic.twitter.com/qK1RQhK0kT
— Matthew Jones (@MattNYAW) October 7, 2020
And composition is back and ready to start creating:
Third year and start of term @RWCMD, excited to be starting research and experiments for new pieces!! #composer #newmusic pic.twitter.com/J9lVVWXpMV
— Ella Roberts (@sound_by_ella) October 4, 2020
First remote programming lesson of the year Today @odilon_m demonstrated how to intergrate the modular synth into Max (and vice versa) all over zoom! – It’s business as normal @RWCMD; so grateful to all of the tutors for adapting to this situation pic.twitter.com/yKiX0xwNPI
— (@JasperDommett) October 7, 2020
Our Arts Management learned about the future of arts teaching in Wales from Arts Council Wales:
Such an enlightening session this afternoon on what amazing work the #creativelearning programme is doing. So great to see the arts at the forefront of education – thank you so much for sharing it with us all!@RWCMD #ArtsManagement https://t.co/e6Kxd6CP0u
— Emma Thorpe (@_emmaarts) October 5, 2020
And as always, what keeps it all going is the excitement and creativity of our inspirational students: Croeso bawb.
The day I’ve had!!! I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have been given this chance study my MA Musical Theatre here, and to change my life at my age!!! @RoyalWelshMAMTs @RWCMD pic.twitter.com/h1aO4ewnq4
— Sean Lewis (@SeanLew89) October 5, 2020
Welcome back…
Week 2 of working with @LIPALiverpool & @RWCMD students & although our industry is in a scary, scary place- I’m so reassured & bloody excited by the emerging talent who are already so resilient, and too bright to not have a place to shine!
— Francesca Goodridge (@FrancescaJadeG) October 2, 2020
Look out for exciting news about our drama productions in the next few weeks.
Find out more about our courses go to our website www.rwcmd.ac.uk/study and keep up to date with all things RWCMD by following #RWCMDCreative.
To watch our recorded performances go to our Whats On page for more details.
Feature photo: Kirsten McTernan
Related Stories:
RWCMD: The first Steinway Exclusive Conservatoire in the World
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