If there is one place to which hopeful teen musicians aspire to go, it is the Royal College of Music. A looming, red-bricked, gothic style building in South Kensington, this prestigious conservatoire has been home to a plethora of famous musicians including 3 generations of Lloyd-Webbers, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten.


On Thursday 8th February, the RCM Philharmonic’s “Orchestral Masterworks” programme began with composer-in-residence Bertram Wee’s latest composition, piquing the audience’s interest immediately with its haunting dissonances and irregular rhythms, creating a thrilling piece fit for a horror movie. Enraptured by the spell-like genius of Shostakovich’s famous 5th symphony, a suite both tense and desperate, equally chilling and beautiful the rest of the concert flew by.


I spoke to American double-bassist Sam Beck-Johnson about his most inspirational composer. “Got to be Shostakovich”, he enthusiastically replied, without missing a beat of the ‘walking’ jazz bass line he was plucking absentmindedly. “His music is quite dark and eerie and creepy.” He explained that it was probably due to Shostakovich’s dire experience of imprisonment during the Russian revolution. In response to the funding-cuts debilitating smaller music trusts and schools across the country, he proposed extra support for “the most charismatic, passionate and out-going ones, because they will break through the barrier and inspire others.” Beck-Johnson added that it is vital for aspiring young musicians to “make sure music-making is something they really enjoy”, emphasising that “it is just so much work”. When asked if all children should be made to play an instrument, he replied “not necessarily; it’s just not for everyone.”


I can only hope his plan for future musical education will soon be put into effect.