President's Visit 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
On Thursday 12 May HRH The Prince of Wales made his annual visit to the Royal College of Music where, in his role as President of the RCM, he presented special honours at the College’s awards ceremony.
His Royal Highness conferred Honorary Doctorates in Music (DMus) upon pianist Lang Lang, and upon composer-conductors James MacMillan and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
In addition, Fellowship of the Royal College of Music (FRCM) was conferred upon five outstanding musicians: singer Sally Burgess, conductor Laurence Cummings, composer George Fenton, organist David Graham, and conductor John Wilson.
Honorary Membership of the Royal College of Music (HonRCM) was presented to six notable individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to music and to the RCM in particular: RCM librarian Sarah Batchelor, philanthropist Philip Carne, English Touring Opera General Director James Conway, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus General Manager Paul Hughes, RCM administrator Margaret Packham, and Dr Kit Wynn Parry, who has pioneered important work in musicians’ health and wellbeing.
His Royal Highness also presented the Tagore Gold Medal to two students who graduated last year – pianist Antoine Françoise and soprano Paula Sides – and the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Rosebowl to soprano Sarah-Jane Brandon. These three exceptional young musicians gave a short concert.
After the ceremony, His Royal Highness met RCM staff and students, and explored some objects from the RCM’s internationally renowned collections, including a manuscript score by Parry, an engraving of Liszt, and the recently acquired “Kessler Viols”: a unique collection of four outstanding early English instruments.
