Strengthening Music in Society: The way forward for UK Conservatoires

This conference will bring together key voices and perspectives from across the classical music sector to collectively address the challenges and opportunities currently facing UK conservatoires and the classical music system of which they are a part.

This promises to be a key moment for the sector to come together – in the context of the challenges posed by Brexit and Covid19, and in response to global social justice movements such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo – to ask fundamental questions about our purpose and identity, to take stock and to set new progressive and inclusive directions which support performance excellence and the relevance and impact of our work within 21st century society.

Hosted by the Institute for Social Impact Research in the Performing Arts, the conference will take as its starting point an AEC-commissioned review article written by Professor Helena Gaunt, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, which highlights the main themes that have emerged from the international four-year AEC project ‘Strengthening Music in Society’. Helena’s opening keynote will draw out implications of these themes for the UK in particular, to which six invited respondents from across the sector will provide critical perspectives, followed by a Q&A session. The day will be chaired and facilitated by Jess Gillam MBE, award-winning saxophonist, broadcaster and Guildhall School alumna.

This conference is supported by and hosted in association with Conservatoires UK (CUK), the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) and SEMPRE.