As a student at the Academy, you will have access to a breadth of opportunities

Here are some of the experiences you can expect to have during your studies here:

  • Collaborate in regular chamber concerts and special events with students from a wide variety of disciplines, including themed recitals with singers.
  • Contribute to a creative process for new guitar music by composers, ranging from current students to major international figures.
  • Present innovative solo and ensemble programmes in the Academy’s state of the arts performance spaces and in venues across London and beyond.
  • Explore the guitar’s concerto repertoire, with opportunities to perform in concerts and a prize competition.
  • Participate in masterclasses with world-leading musicians such as Fabio Zanon, Edoardo Catemario, Paul Galbraith, Tilman Hoppstock, Jonathan Leathwood, Nigel North, David Russell and Miloš Karadaglić.

Alumni and student successes

We’re proud to see Academy guitarists lead the way with diverse, international careers. You can see some of their recent successes below:

Tohi Harada (undergraduate)
Awarded First Prize at the 2025 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award, administered by the Worshipful Company of Musicians
Awarded 'Grand Prize' and 'Rodrigo Prize' at the 14th Joaquín Rodrigo Guitar Competition in Olsztyn, Poland

Declan Hickey (alum)
Awarded Second Prize at the 2025 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award

Plínio Fernandes (alum)
Second recording Bacheando released as an exclusive Decca Gold Recording Artist

Alexandra Whittingham (alum)
Recording contract with Decca

Giacomo Susani (alum)
Carnegie Hall debut in New York performing his own Guitar Concerto; Artistic Director of the Barco Teatro Festival in Padova (Italy)

Michael Butten (alum)
2nd Prize at the Francisco Tárrega competition in Benicasim (Spain); new CD, issued by First Hand Records, of music from the two Elizabethan ages

Maryna Vosmirova and Ernest Syrota (undergraduates); Declan Hickey, Davide Magni and Goncalo Maia Caetano (postgraduates)
Selected by the International Guitar Foundation for its Young Artist Platform

Goncalo Maia Caetano (undergraduate)
2nd Prize in the 'Gallery of Guitars' international competition (Scotland)

Georgi Dimitrov (postgraduate)
Naxos CD and solo recital of works by Bach at the Leipzig Bach Festival
Co-Holder of the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ New Elizabethan Award 2024-25

Petar Jovanovic and Tohi Harada (undergraduates); Georgi Dimitrov (postgraduate)
Awarded the Julian Bream Trust scholarships for 2024-25

Gus McQuade (postgraduate) and Eleanor Grant (alum; soprano/double-bass)
Selected by the City Music Foundation for its Young Artists scheme

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24 November 2025
  • General news

Royal Academy of Music releases three Bicentenary Series recordings

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24 July 2025
Gonçalo Maia Caetano playing a classical guitar and looking off into the distance whilst smiling. In the background there are stage lights and fog.

Meet Gonçalo Maia Caetano

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