Violinist Jennifer Pike joins new roster of string professors at the Royal College of Music

Friday 13 September 2024

Legendary violinist Jennifer Pike has been appointed violin professor at the Royal College of Music (RCM), alongside revered leaders of the orchestral world. Peter Manning, former leader of the Royal Opera House Orchestra has been appointed violin professor, while Richard Harwood, previously principal cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has been appointed cello professor.

James Williams, Director of the Royal College of Music, comments: 'It gives me great pleasure to welcome these eminent musicians to join the RCM's community of string professors, offering our students exceptional learning opportunities through their teaching and performance.' 

Gary Ryan, Head of Strings at the Royal College of Music, comments: ‘I’m delighted to welcome a wonderful new cohort of string professors to the RCM String Faculty. Together they bring a wealth of international experience as soloists, orchestral players and teachers. All of them are passionate about working with our young musicians and I’m delighted that the students will have the opportunity to benefit from their expertise.' 

Violinist Jennifer Pike is a highly sought-after soloist and chamber musician, celebrated for her ability to captivate audiences. Alongside regular performances with the world’s leading orchestras, she has curated distinguished concert series for BBC Radio 3 and Wigmore Hall and has an extensive discography with Chandos Records. She first rose to prominence in 2002 when she became the youngest-ever winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and in 2020 she was honoured with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in recognition of her contributions to classical music.

Two leaders of the orchestral world also join the RCM Strings Faculty, bringing with them a wealth of experience to mentor the next generation of strings players. Peter Manning, best-known for his 19 years as Concertmaster of the Royal Opera House Orchestra, now joins the College as violin professor. His illustrious career includes leading the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras and founding the Britten String Quartet. Richard Harwood, now a cello professor at the RCM, brings his rich experience as principal cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also previously principal of the John Wilson Orchestra and guest principal of the London Symphony and RTÉ Concert Orchestras. 

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Violinists Mathilde Milwidsky and Alexander Gilman, both renowned for their exceptional artistry and contributions to the world of music, complete the line-up of new string professors this autumn. Mathilde Milwidsky has been recognised for her performances at prestigious concert halls around the world, has collaborated closely with leading composers including Brett Dean and Mark Simpson. Her accolades include First Prize in the Royal Overseas League Music Competition Strings Section and recognition from The Strad, Classic FM, and Le Soir to name a few. Alexander Gilman, who has been a Visiting Professor of Violin at the RCM since 2019, now joins the faculty as a full-time violin professor. Passionate about fostering young talent, he is Artistic Director of the LGT Young Soloists.

These five artists join a roster of the world’s leading string players and teachers at the Royal College of Music where students benefit from world-class mentorship, unparalleled performance opportunities and a vibrant community of dynamic and supportive musicians. 

Find out more about the Royal College of Music Strings Faculty.