Notable alumni of Royal College of Music

Benjamin Britten

choreographer · 1913–1976

English composer, conductor, and pianist (1913-1976)

Andrew Lloyd Webber

producer · b. 1948

British theatre composer (born 1948)

James Horner

orchestrator · 1953–2015

American film composer and conductor (1953-2015)

Mika

songwriter · b. 1983

British-Lebanese musician, singer and songwriter

Gustav Holst

librettist · 1874–1934

British composer (1874–1934)

Vanessa-Mae

alpine skier · b. 1978

British violinist

Sarah Brightman

film actor · b. 1960

British singer and actress

Lang Lang

classical pianist · b. 1982

Chinese pianist

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski

banker · b. 1938

Peruvian politician and economist; Prime Minister (2005–06), President (2016–18)

Ralph Vaughan Williams

classical composer · 1872–1958

English composer (1872-1958)

Joan Sutherland

opera singer · 1926–2010

Australian soprano (1926-2010)

Leopold Stokowski

organist · 1882–1977

British-born American conductor (1882–1977)

Eugen d'Albert

composer · 1864–1932

Scottish-born German pianist and composer (1864-1932)

Neville Marriner

violinist · 1924–2016

British conductor and violinist (1924–2016)

Rick Wakeman

session musician · b. 1949

English keyboardist

Jason Kouchak

songwriter · b. 1969

pianist/composer

Colin Davis

music educator · 1927–2013

British conductor (1927–2013)

Malcolm Arnold

jazz musician · 1921–2006

English composer and conductor (1921–2006)

James Galway

flautist · b. 1939

Irish flute player

Julian Bream

classical guitarist · 1933–2020

English classical guitarist and lutenist (1933–2020)

Michael Tippett

musicologist · 1905–1998

English composer (1905-1996)

John Williams

classical guitarist · b. 1941

Australian classical guitarist (born 1941)

Julian Lloyd Webber

music educator · b. 1951

British solo cellist and conductor

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

composer · 1875–1912

English composer and conductor (1875–1912)

Arthur Bliss

choreographer · 1891–1975

English composer and conductor (1891–1975)

Frank Bridge

music educator · 1879–1941

English composer and violist (1879–1941)

John Ireland

music educator · 1879–1962

British composer and teacher of music (1879-1962)

Rebecca Clarke

musicologist · 1886–1979

English composer and violist (1886–1979)

Roger Norrington

musician · 1934–2025

British conductor (1934–2025)

Peter Pears

opera singer · 1910–1986

English tenor (1910–1986)

Edmund Rubbra

musicologist · 1901–1986

British composer (1901-1986)

Arthur Benjamin

music educator · 1893–1960

Australian composer, pianist, conductor and teacher

Trevor Pinnock

music educator · b. 1946

English harpsichordist and conductor

English composer (1904–1977)

Barbara Thompson

jazz musician · 1944–2022

English jazz saxophonist, flutist and composer (1944–2022)

Christopher Tin

film score composer · b. 1976

American composer

Andrew Davis

musician · 1944–2024

British conductor (1944–2024)

Michalis Chatzigiannis

songwriter · b. 1978

Greek-Cypriot singer, former yeputy Minister of Culture of Cyprus

Australian concert pianist

Ola Gjeilo

classical pianist · b. 1978

Norwegian composer and pianist

Anna Fedorova

classical pianist · b. 1990

Ukrainian pianist

Constant Lambert

musicologist · 1905–1951

British composer and conductor (1905–1951)

Richard Bonynge

pianist · b. 1930

Australian conductor and pianist

Gwyneth Jones

opera singer · b. 1936

Welsh operatic soprano

Eugene Aynsley Goossens

music educator · 1893–1962

English conductor and composer (1893-1962)

Alina Ibragimova

classical violinist · b. 1985

Russian-born violinist residing in the UK

English composer (1915-1982)

Alfie Boe

recording artist · b. 1973

English actor and singer

English operatic baritone (born 1944)

George Butterworth

musicologist · 1885–1916

English composer (1885–1916)

Clara Butt

opera singer · 1873–1936

British singer (1872-1936)

Agnes Yewande Savage

academic · 1906–1964

Scottish-Nigerian physician

Arnold Dolmetsch

music theorist · 1858–1940

French musician and instrument maker in England (1858-1940)

Imogen Holst

woman conductor · 1907–1984

English composer, arranger, conductor, teacher and festival administrator (1907-1984)

Elisabeth Lutyens

film score composer · 1906–1983

British composer (1906–1983)

Elizabeth Maconchy

composer · 1907–1994

English composer (1907-1994)

Mark-Anthony Turnage

music educator · b. 1960

English composer

British composer and poet

British musician, songwriter and record producer (born 1948)

British composer

Sarah Connolly

opera singer · b. 1963

English mezzo-soprano

Cyril Rootham

musicologist · 1875–1938

English organist, teacher, conductor and composer

Peter Oundjian

music educator · b. 1955

Canadian violinist and conductor

Peggy Glanville-Hicks

journalist · 1912–1990

Australian composer (1912–1990)

English composer, organist, and teacher

English composer (1895–1984)

Richard Harvey

film score composer · b. 1953

British composer and musician

English composer (1883-1964)

British composer (1878–1960)

Douglas Lilburn

composer · 1915–2001

New Zealand composer (1915–2001)

Sidonie Goossens

music educator · 1899–2004

British musician (1899–2004)

Marion Stein

aristocrat · 1926–2014

Austrian-born British concert pianist

Charles Wood

music arranger · 1866–1926

Irish composer

Landon Ronald

music educator · 1873–1938

British musician (1873-1938)

English musician (1951–2013)

Léon Goossens

oboist · 1897–1988

British musician (1897–1988)

Ernest John Moeran

musicologist · 1894–1950

English composer (1894-1950)

Robert Thurston Dart

music educator · 1921–1971

British musicologist (1921–1971)

Welsh composer (1906-1977)

Kevin Penkin

composer · b. 1992

Australian composer

British composer

Robert Smythe Hichens

novelist · 1864–1950

English journalist, novelist and short story writer (1864–1950)

Walford Davies

university teacher · 1869–1941

British composer (1869–1941)

Hamish MacCunn

music educator · 1868–1916

Scottish romantic composer, conductor and teacher (1868–1916)

British composer (1920–1998)

Ruth Gipps

oboist · 1921–1999

English composer (1921–1999)

Danish conductor

Francis Monkman

guitarist · 1949–2023

British musician (1949-2023)

English composer (1941-2017)

British composer (1926–2022)

English composer

Scottish tenor (1927–2010)

film score composer

Ivor Bolton

harpsichordist · b. 1958

British musician

Fanny Waterman

piano teacher · 1920–2020

English musician (1920–2020)

Edgar Bainton

music educator · 1880–1956

British composer (1880–1956)

Canadian baritone

Australian composer, musician and writer (1913–2005)

Ephraim Amu

musicologist · 1899–1995

musicologist, composer and teacher (1899–1995)

English conductor and violinist

Northern Irish musician (1935–2002)

Amanda Aldridge

music educator · 1866–1956

British opera singer, teacher and composer (1866–1956)

Clemency Burton-Hill

broadcaster · b. 1981

English actress, novelist, journalist and violinist

British composer (1909-1995)

English mycologist (1916-2005)

Edward Downes

oboist · 1924–2009

British conductor (1924–2009)

Philip Sparke

trumpeter · b. 1951

British composer

English composer (1917–2009)

Irish composer (1915–2000)

English composer (1876-1906)

English actress

British composer (1899–1973)

British musician (1914-1982)

Caroline Lavelle

cellist · b. 1969

English singer-songwriter and cellist

British composer and pianist

Canadian composer (1908–2000)

Igor Ozim

violin teacher · 1931–2024

Slovene violinist, musician and music educator

Wayne Marshall

music arranger · b. 1961

British pianist, organist and conductor

English composer (1920–1990)

Ukrainian violinist

Julius Drake

music educator · b. 1959

English pianist

British musician

British operatic soprano

English music manager and agent (1926–2007)

Paul Esswood

opera singer · b. 1942

English countertenor and conductor

English clarinetist and conductor (1926–2017)

British conductor (1915–1992)

Cherry Vann

Anglican bishop · b. 1958

Archbishop of Wales

British pianist and conductor

Swedish musician and luth player

Garth Knox

viola d'amore player · b. 1956

Irish musician

English composer and pianist (1911-1959)

British musician

British composer, teacher of composition and university teacher (born 1967)

English composer (1916–2012)

Alicia Adélaide Needham

woman conductor · 1863–1945

Irish composer (1863-1945)

Anna Meredith

musician · b. 1978

British composer and performer of electronic and acoustic music

Claire van Kampen

theatre director · 1953–2025

English director and composer (1953–2025)

British composer (1916-1983)

English classical pianist

British editor and Beethoven expert

Camilla Tilling

opera singer · b. 1971

Swedish soprano

British composer

Beatrice Harrison

cellist · 1892–1965

British cellistin (1892–1965)

English composer, pianist and conductor (1921–2014)

British composer, pianist and music educator (1886-1967)

Eileen Joyce

harpsichordist · 1912–1991

Australian pianist (1912–1991)

Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl

aristocrat · 1874–1960

British politician (1874-1960)

Nigerian musician

Alexander Romanovsky

pianist · b. 1984

Ukrainian musician

British musician (1893-1963)

Alexander Shelley

cellist · b. 1979

British conductor

British composer and ethnomusicologist (1942-2010)

Simon Bainbridge

music educator · 1952–2021

British composer

Hugh McDowell

musician · 1953–2018

British musician (1953-2018)

Scottish composer (1909–2006)

Simon Halsey

music director · b. 1958

British conductor

Gareth Malone

music journalist · b. 1975

English choirmaster and broadcaster

English keyboard player, composer and conductor

Herbert Fryer

music educator · 1877–1957

British pianist, composer and music pedagogue (1877–1957)

Jan Latham Koenig

musician · b. 1953

British conductor

Carlos Bonell

guitarist · b. 1949

English Classical guitarist of Spanish origin

British composer

Swedish composer

British classical violist (1916-1978)

English virtuoso concert pianist

David Warburton

music teacher · 1965–2025

British Conservative MP (1965–2025)

Canadian opera singer

British film and tv composer and bandleader (1927–2024)

Leslie Heward

conductor · 1897–1943

British composer and conductor (1897–1943)

Ludovic Morlot

musician · b. 1973

conductor

Welsh soprano singer (born 1964)

British composer (1898-1954)

British conductor, singing coach and fascist (1901–1990)

Ernest Farrar

music educator · 1885–1918

English composer, pianist and organist (1885–1918)

Robin Milford

composer · 1903–1959

English composer (1903–1959)

James Gourlay

music arranger · b. 1954

Scottish conductor and tubist

Scottish composer and pianist (1901–1961)

English trumpet player (1926-2011)

British musician (1928–2000)

British composer and musicologist (1908–1999)

British concert organist (1944–2020)

Jonathan Lemalu

opera singer · b. 1976

New Zealand singer (1976— )

Martyn Green

opera singer · 1899–1975

British actor and singer (1899-1975)

British mezzo-soprano

Steve Nieve

musician · b. 1958

English keyboardist

British film composer (1925-2001)

Ellen Nisbeth

violist · b. 1987

Swedish violist

harpist (1894–1991)

English organist and composer (1861–1947)

Gervase Elwes

opera singer · 1866–1921

British tenor (1866–1921)

Kunle Ajayi

gospel singer · b. 1964

Nigerian Gospel, Songwriter, Saxophonist, televangelist and director of music at the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He was born in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Olga Jegunova

musician · b. 1984

classical pianist, born in Latvia and now living in London

Kathryn Stott

music educator · b. 1958

British pianist

British composer (1905-1981)

American-born, English-raised conductor and composer

Javier Álvarez

composer · 1956–2023

Mexican composer (1956–2023)

Gustavo Núñez

musician · b. 1965

Uruguayan bassoonist

British composer from Cornwall

British cellist, composer and music professor (1871–1963)

English musical composer and tutor (1925-2002)

English composer and violinist (1882–1959)

English soprano (1876–1959)

British pianist (1977 -)

Dobrin Petkov

musician · 1923–1987

Bulgarian musician

British singer and musician

Gabriella Di Laccio

opera singer

Brazilian operatic soprano

British musician

Fritz Hart

music educator · 1874–1949

British composer (1874-1949)

British musician

Irish composer (1918-1980)

British composer

Scottish conductor and opera intendant (1926-1995)

British composer and conductor (1911–1975)

English organist (1903-1946)

British musician

South African operatic tenor (1974-2010)

Catalan composer

British composer

British musician (1909–1988)

British pianist and accompanist

Sofi Jeannin

choir director · b. 1976

Swedish singer and choir director

English composer (1952–2021)

Sheila Nelson

music educator · 1936–2020

English violin and viola teacher

Tim Mead

opera singer · b. 1981

English countertenor

British botanist and bryologist (1910–1985)

Irish composer (1917-2000)

Geoffrey Toye

conductor · 1889–1942

English conductor, composer and opera producer

British composer and conductor (1902-1972)

English lyric tenor

British missionary

Agnes Elisabeth Overbeck

pianist · 1870–1919

German composer and pianist (1870-1919)

New Zealand-British organist

British children's writer

British composer

British musician

British composer

French musician

Arthur Oldham

music educator · 1926–2003

British composer and conductor

Béatrice La Palme

opera singer · 1878–1921

Canadian singer (1878-1921)