Royal Opera House and Guildhall School to collaborate

26 February 2013, 12:05

The Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Royal Opera House have announced a range of postgraduate opportunities for young opera composers.

The Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Opera House plan to provide two new postgraduate qualifications in the coming years. The opera company and conservatoire are joining forces to offer a Composer in Residence studentship post, which leads to a doctoral degree. The post will be fully funded by both the Guildhall School and the Royal Opera House, offering one composer every two years to take up the role over a three year post.

The studentship, targeted at composers who have some experience in composing for opera, will allow the composer to research and write a major work for the Linbury Studio Theatre, to be staged in the final term of the third year. Guildhall School's head of Composition, Dr Julian Philips, who previously held the role of Composer in Residence at Glyndebourne Festival Opera from 2006-2009, will supervise the post, partnered by Associate Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House, John Fulljames, and a second supervisor from Guildhall.

Guildhall School also plans to launch a new one-year master's course in Opera Making, subject to validation by City University London, starting in September 2014. Students will produce one chamber operatic work lasting around 25 minutes, to be rehearsed, produced, and performed.

Dr Philips said: "I am thrilled we have such a unique and exciting opportunity to work with the Royal Opera House and to combine the expertise of a conservatoire and opera house to help support composers in the creation of new operatic work. This Composer-in-Residence scheme gives the composer a secure, fully funded period of three years to develop a major chamber opera for the Royal Opera House within the framework of the Guildhall School's dynamic doctoral programme. Additionally, the new master's Programme will offer young composers and writers their first immersive experience in the creation of contemporary opera and I am immensely excited to be able to search out and support new creative talent in such an innovative way."

Applications for the doctoral degree programme close on 31 May 2013. Recruitment for the master's course will begin in June 2013.