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The Royal College of Music is one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. It is located in Kensington, London.

Founded in 1882 as a successor to the National Training School for Music by the then-Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), the school opened in 1883 with George Grove as its director. It moved to its present location in the Albertopolis cultural quarter, next to Imperial College, London and opposite the Royal Albert Hall in 1894. In the same year Hubert Parry became director, remaining until 1918.

The college teaches all aspects of western classical music from undergraduate to doctorate level. It also has an extensive museum of musical instruments which is open to the public.

The front facade of the RCM

Famous students of the RCM have included:

• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), composer
• Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), composer
• Leopold Stokowski (1882 - 1977), conductor
• George ButterworthGeorge Sainton Kaye Butterworth ( July 12, 1885 August 5, 1916) was a British composer best known for his settings of A. Housman's poems. Born in London into a musical family who moved to Yorkshire early in his life, Butterworth received his first music l (1885 - 1916), composer
• Arthur BlissArthur Bliss was a British composer. Born in 1891 of an English father and American mother, he was destined to display characteristics of both nations, his profound romanticism balanced by an unquenchable energy and optimism. After studying at the Royal C (1891 - 1975), composer
• Eugène Goossens (1893 - 1962), conductor
• Noel GayNoel Gay born Reginald Armitage ( July 15, 1898 March 3, 1954) was one of the most successful British composers of popular music of the 1930s and 1940s. He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England and educated at Wakefield Cathedral School, London's Roya (1898 - 1954), songwriter
• Constant LambertConstant Leonard Lambert ( August 23, 1905 August 21, 1951) was a British composer and conductor. Educated at Christ's Hospital and the Royal College of Music, Lambert was a prodigy, writing orchestral works from the age of 13, and at 20 received a commis (1905 - 1951), composer
• Michael TippettSir Michael Kemp Tippett ( January 2, 1905 January 8, 1998) was a British composer. Born in London of English and Cornish stock, he was educated at Marlborough and the Royal College of Music, where he studied composition with Vaughan Williams and conducti (1905 - 1998), composer
• Peter PearsPeter Neville Luard Pears ( June 22 1910 April 3 1986) was an English tenor and life-long partner of the composer Benjamin Britten. He studied at Keble College, Oxford, serving as organist at Hertford College, but left without taking his degree. He later (1910 - 1986), singer
• Benjamin BrittenEdward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten ( November 22, 1913 December 4, 1976) was a British composer and pianist. Life He was born in Lowestoft in Suffolk, the son of a dentist and a talented amateur musician. He began composing prolifically as a child, an (1913 - 1976), composer
• Charles Groves (1915 - 1992), conductor
• Neville Marriner (born 1924), conductor
• Joan Sutherland (born 1926), singer
• Colin Davis (born 1927), conductor
• Julian Bream (born 1933), guitarist and lutenist
• James Galway (born 1939), flautist
• John Williams (born 1941), guitarist
• Thomas Allen (born 1944), singer
• Andrew Davis (born 1944), conductor
• John Lill (born 1944), pianist
• Andrew Lloyd Webber (born 1948), composer

See also:

• Chetham's School of Music
• Royal Academy of Music