Overview
- London’s Royal Academy of Music announced a new foundation year for disadvantaged, state-educated musicians aged 18 to 20 to widen access to conservatoire training.
- Students selected for the year receive free tuition, one-to-one teaching, ensemble training, mentoring, support to access quality instruments, accommodation in University of London halls, and a £16,500 living-cost award.
- The course offers five places, runs for one year as preparation before auditioning for degree study, begins in July, and aims to recruit at least half of participants from outside London.
- The academy will not consider privately educated applicants, including bursary recipients, a rule that independent-school leaders call discriminatory and challenge with data showing wide bursary use in their sector.
- Principal Jonathan Freeman-Attwood said the scheme targets committed musicians held back by limited teaching and opportunity, and a spokesperson argued independent-school pupils are more likely to have had access to music training.