Pearson, I. E. (2025) Dialogues with musical histories: learning from the past. In: Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire: Critical Perspectives from the Royal College of Music, London. Routledge. ISBN 9781032251066 (hardback) 9781032251059 (paperback) 9781003281573 (e-book)
Abstract
A distinctive feature of the RCM’s education and training of musicians is the hands-on experience they enjoy with various tangible objects relating to music’s art and craft. These items encompass more than musical instruments, portraits, images, engravings, sketches, photographs, busts, and concert programmes, as well as archives pertaining to individuals, ensembles, and organisations. In enabling both the RCM community and the general public access to these materials, the College continues to encourage and promote ‘the cultivation of music as art throughout the world’, as outlined in its founding charter of 1883. This chapter outlines circumstances behind the acquisition of such collection materials, charting interactions from which students benefit. We consider how such encounters synthesise post-war developments in object-based learning and arts education practices. Two case studies demonstrate the breadth of these materials and their current relevance: the first predates the College’s founding and considers items from a canonical period in musical history, highlighting aspects of the reception of Austro-German high Classicism; the second begins in the 1930s as the RCM celebrated its 50th anniversary, using evidence from personal archives to portray the fostering of musical friendships and collaborations, amidst portfolio careers similar to those currently pursued.
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