Royal Academy of Music announces Changing Tides

The Academy announces Changing Tides, a new series of collaborative projects that will see world-class musicians work alongside Academy students between 2027-29.

The Academy’s distinct role, alongside teaching, is forging industry links for students, creating opportunities for them to learn from globally renowned artists. For over 20 years, Academy projects such as SIDE-BY-SIDE concerts and composer in residence series have played an indispensable role in allowing students to work directly alongside professional musicians, elevating their collaborative skills and professional network. 

Changing Tides is a pioneering new programme that will realise the Academy’s ambition to bridge the gap between music training and future professional careers. At the heart of it lies with the passion and commitment of Vincent Meyer in his philanthropic involvement with many arts organisations, and most recently at the Academy. He has worked closely with us in exchanging ideas of how best to bring contemporary music ever-more centrally into the fabric of our educational life.

As part of this scheme, the next three years will see an expansion of our SIDE-BY-SIDE work for composers and performers and an extension of our mentorship programme.

Across 2027, students will benefit from the expertise of three Visiting Professors: Ryan Wigglesworth, a leading composer-conductor of his generation and our Richard Rodney Bennett Professor of Music (Composition & Contemporary Music), Hans Abrahamsen, the Academy’s Oliver Knussen Professor of Composition and Brett Dean, internationally recognised composer, conductor and violist.

Each academic term will feature a series of performances that enrich students’ education. In spring 2027, we look forward to visits from composer and jazz-trombonist Alex Paxton and leading pianist Tamara Stefanovich, who will be in residence at the Academy over two terms.

Spring 2027 also sees SIDE-BY-SIDE concerts with the Nash Ensemble and the Riot Ensemble. The latter will premiere new works for Spatial Audio and take part in an Art Galleries Project at Holborne Museum in Bath.

January 2027 term marks the start of the Riot Ensemble Academy Mentorship, benefitting twelve performers and six composers across two cohorts. The students will work alongside the Riot Ensemble over the course of 18 months to create new work, curate performances and collaborate on programming and devising live events of contemporary music.  

Collaborations with Riot Ensemble continue into Summer 2027, alongside our Composer in Residence series with Rebecca Saunders and SIDE-BY-SIDE concerts with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, including a new work by award-winning composer and current student Shin Kim, in both London and Birmingham. Students will take part in extended projects with Joseph Havlat, Gareth Moorcraft and Edmund Finnis.

The Academy’s longstanding partnership with London Sinfonietta, now in its 25th year, continues with a concert at the Southbank Centre. This concert will feature musicians from the Academy, London Sinfonietta and the North London Music Hub. 

Looking further ahead, Michel van der Aa, Nina C Young and Thomas Ades join us as Composers in Residence and Colin Currie and Tamara Stefanovich return to the Academy to perform alongside students.

Changing Tides will continue to develop it's international profile with collaborations with the Frick Collection in New York.