Making Music in London
BU students at the Royal College of Music in Fall 2023. Photo courtesy of Barb Raney
Making Music in London
Nearly a quarter of School of Music undergraduates take part in the program at Royal College of Music, which is exclusively offered to BU students.
In 2006, Professor André de Quadros, then director of Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Music (SOM), came to administrators with an idea: what if students had the opportunity to engage in a more holistic music education, by participating in a study abroad program?
“I had done a lot of work in study abroad, and had personally benefited from studying abroad as a graduate student myself,” said de Quadros in an interview. “I thought that giving our students the opportunity to study in other places would be an invaluable learning experience.”
After pitching the idea to administration and a trip around London to visit prospective conservatories, he settled on a location: the Royal College of Music (RCM), nestled in the heart of South Kensington, only blocks away from BU’s own London campus. The program that followed quickly blossomed into an unforgettable experience for students studying at the School of Music.
Now, nearly 20 years after the program began, the sentiment has remained true.
The London Music Program, which is run through a partnership with the RCM, is an essential part of the undergraduate experience for BU students in the School of Music. Nearly a quarter of School of Music undergraduates take part in the program, which is exclusively offered to BU students. It is one of few study abroad programs which satisfies necessary degree requirements while offering students the chance to study in a world-renowned conservatory.
Barb Raney, manager of student services for the School of Music, emphasized the importance of this aspect of the program for students looking to graduate within four years.
“It is unique in the sense that it is the only partnership program [BU has] that would satisfy the requirements of their bachelor of arts or music degree,” said Raney in an interview. “They don’t have to go through other global programs.”
The program, which is offered to students during the fall semester of their junior year, spans from late August to early December, and offers a variety of courses for students within the School of Music. While students take a liberal arts course — “The History of Popular Culture in London” — through the BU London Academic Center, all music instruction is provided by RCM staff.
Through the RCM, students take courses such as Music Theory, Music History, and Psychology of Performance, in addition to one-on-one lessons with RCM staff, many of whom are world renowned performers. Additionally, students are able to join the RCM Orchestra, Chamber groups, and Choral Ensemble.
Raney visits London during each October to check-in with students on their progress and to ensure that their transition back to Boston in the spring occurs smoothly. She typically visits just in time to hear a few student performances, which she described as “amazing.”
“It’s a great time for me to go in and get them ready for being back on campus in the spring semester,” said Raney.
Lily Kutner (CFA’24), a music education major with a concentration in voice, also spoke about the unique qualities of the program offered at the RCM that enhance her learning experience. “As a music education major we don’t get to take [as many] diction, performance, and acting classes,” said Kutner. “It was nice to be taught those kinds of things [in London].”
Kutner also praised the flexibility of the study abroad schedule. “It’s a bit of a breather, and you really get to experience London more,” she said. “We went to Paris and Rome and Brighton, England…it makes for a very different experience, but it’s a very useful one.”
For students interested in applying to the program, applications for the Fall 2024 cycle open March 15. The application process is not on a rolling admissions cycle, and decisions for program placements will not be made until after the application deadline has passed.
Raney recommends that students — particularly those pursuing Bachelor of Music degrees — speak with their assigned faculty before applying.
“If students are pursuing performance degrees, they absolutely want to be talking about [the program] with their applied teacher,” she said. “I’m always available to talk about the potential academic implications of [the program.]”
And for students concerned about the transition from Boston to London? Kutner recommends not sweating it.
“I wish I had been a bit more relaxed about going,” she said. “It’s not going to be nearly as scary as you think it will! Everything will work out okay.”
Study the Fine Arts Abroad
Sometimes the best way to expand your horizons is to step out of the practice room and into life and learning thousand of miles away. Extreme? We don’t think so. BU College of Fine Arts students enrich their undergraduate experience with arts-focused semester abroad opportunities in London or Venice. And you won’t be alone. CFA has the highest percentage of undergraduates studying abroad among all BU colleges.
