The Royal College of Music (RCM) in South Kensington is home to a hidden gem: world class studio facilities, available for private hire right in the heart of London. Famed as a world-leading institution, the RCM provides a wide range of professional-quality services and facilities, including music recording, video production, web streaming, audio-visual research and development.
The original studio was founded in 1967 and was the first electronic studio at any UK academic institution. Today, the studio complex is housed directly underneath the RCM Concert Hall. The Belle Shenkman Studio, a spacious live room, contains its own Steinway Model D grand piano, three control rooms linked to performance spaces around the campus, and three rooms dedicated to composition, production and editing. In addition to the core work within the College, RCM Studios offers a commercial service to clients including major broadcasters, record companies and leading international soloists.
The in-house studio team at the RCM offers a range of professional services from amplification for announcements and speeches, through to full music reinforcement for a band, jazz group or orchestra. The college also employs recording engineers, who manage the studios with the support of Digital Production Coordinators, videographers and a team of freelance specialists where required. Through RCM Studios, clients will also have access to a professional broadcast-quality service for recording, filming or live streaming via YouTube or other platforms.
Sam Glenister-Batey, Head of Events and Venue Hire at the Royal College of Music, says: “Our studio complex is truly a one-off location for musical endeavours, broadcasters and event organisers. RCM Studios are always in high demand from commercial clients, and we expect to see a significant increase in demand from corporate clients as hybrid events come to the fore.”
“As a charity and place of education, all private hire of our studios helps to support the development of the next generation of talented musicians, as well as maintaining and developing the facilities. It is our ambition at RCM that no student should be denied an RCM education due to lack of funds, so part of the money raised through venue hire goes to support the RCM Scholarship Fund.”
