Into our third century
As Britain’s oldest conservatoire, the Academy has a lot of history to be proud of. The famous names who have studied and taught here since our foundation in 1822 are a constant source of inspiration.
1800 - 1899
1822
The Royal Academy of Music is founded as Britain’s first conservatoire, in Tenterden Street, Hanover Square.
1826
Carl Maria von Weber conducts our first orchestral concert.
1830
HM King George IV grants a Royal Charter.
1856
Arthur Sullivan enters the Academy.
1886
Franz Liszt visits the Academy.
1900 - 1999
1903
Aged 13, Myra Hess wins a scholarship to study piano at the Academy.
1911
The Academy moves to custom-built premises on Marylebone Road.
1923
Sir Henry Wood, a former student, joins as a professor.
1935
Junior Academy is founded.
1936
Richard Strauss visits the Academy.
1953
HM Queen Elizabeth II becomes the Academy’s Patron.
1957
Harrison Birtwistle studies clarinet at the Academy.
1961
Former student Sir John Barbirolli becomes conductor of the first orchestra.
1968
HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother opens our new library.
1969
Felicity Lott becomes a student.
1971
Simon Rattle becomes a student.
1976
The Sir Jack Lyons Theatre is opened.
1982
Evelyn Glennie becomes a student.
1991
The innovative BMus degree is launched.
The Sinfonia travels overseas for the first time, to the Republic of Korea.
1992
The refurbished Duke’s Hall reopens.
1994
Ligeti visits the Academy for the 10-year anniversary of the International Composer Festival, which has previously celebrated Messiaen, Berio, Henze and Tippett.
1997
The Academy becomes the first conservatoire to found its own recording label.
1998
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester becomes the Academy’s President.
The Sinfonia makes its first orchestral visit to Beijing and Tokyo.
1999
The Academy becomes the first conservatoire to be admitted as a full member of the University of London.
1-5 York Gate purchased for the Academy by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
2000 - Present
2001
The two-year postgraduate Royal Academy Opera course is introduced.
The David Josefowitz Recital Hall opens.
2002
A Royal Opera House performance with Sir Elton John raises nearly £1m for the Elton John Scholarship Fund.
2005
A combined Academy and Juilliard School orchestra performs under Sir Colin Davis at the BBC Proms.
2009
The Bach Cantata Series, which will run over a 10-year period, is launched.
2010
Honorary Doctorates are given to Stephen Sondheim, Pierre Boulez and Daniel Barenboim.
2011
Royal Academy Opera presents the acclaimed premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’s Kommilitonen!
2012
The Privy Council grants degree-awarding powers to the Academy.
An Academy and Juilliard orchestra performs at the BBC Proms and in New York with soloist Imogen Cooper, conducted by John Adams.
2012-18
Visiting professors appointed include John Adams, Semyon Bychkov, James Ehnes, Sir Mark Elder, Edward Gardner, Richard Goode, Dave Holland, Steven Isserlis, Oliver Knussen, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and Christian Thielemann.
2013
The Sir Elton John/Ray Cooper organ is installed in the Duke’s Hall.
2014
A practice centre is added to our facilities.
2017
The entrance is refurbished to include step-free access.
The Academy is rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
2018
Student cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason performs at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The new Susie Sainsbury Theatre and Angela Burgess Recital Hall open.
2019
Hans Abrahamsen becomes the first Oliver Knussen Chair of Composition.
A joint Academy-Juilliard orchestra performs at the BBC Proms.
2019-21
Students take part in major collaborations with Tokyo Geidai, Glenn Gould School and the Czech Philharmonic.
2020
Student performances shared on social media as part of our #RAMplaysON campaign reach five million people.
2022
To celebrate its bicentenary, the Academy launches the 200 PIECES project, inviting 200 composers to write 200 new works for solo instrument or voice.