On Wednesday, Year 10 and Year 12 music students went on a visit to the Royal College of Music in South Kensington.

Upon our 10am arrival, we were immediately greeted with some lovely red RCM tote bags and a few prospectuses to read containing interesting information about the university. We embarked on an early tour of the RCM to start the day, visiting the RCM Museum first of all, where we were personally toured by a museum curator. The ancient musical instruments we got to see, along with the detailed information paired with each exhibition, made for a fascinating experience. Examples of some of the instruments included a barrel organ, a musical device that plays itself upon being wound, a harpsichord, and a clavichord. We then went on to visit the performance simulator demos. These captivating studios re-enact the circumstances of performing, such as a simulated audience and bright lights. These studios are part of the university’s joint research with Imperial College, and help students to learn what their behavioural patterns are when about to perform.

After visiting the library, which consists of over 400,000 musical scores for a large variety of instruments, and sitting in on an amazing orchestral rehearsal, our tour ended. Afterwards we had lunch on the steps of the iconic Royal Albert Hall. We then went on to listen to an hour long concert in the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, containing music from an assortment of instrumentalists, including an astounding percussion piece. After loud applause for the audience, we made our leave, but the unanimously incredible experience we all had on our visit made for a trip we would not soon forget!

Femi, Year 12