Guildhall School of Music and Drama facts for kids
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| Type | Music conservatoire Drama school |
|---|---|
| Established | 27 September 1880 |
| Chairman | Graham Packham |
| Principal | Jonathan Vaughan |
| Patron | Lord Mayor of London |
| Students | 930 (2015/16) |
| Undergraduates | 640 (2015/16) |
| Postgraduates | 390 (2015/16) |
| Location |
Silk Street, City of London, England
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| Campus | Urban |
| Owner | City of London Corporation |
| Affiliations |
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The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a famous school in London, England. It teaches students about music and drama. It started in 1880. Students can learn about classical music, jazz, acting, and how to work behind the scenes in theatre. Students come from over 70 countries to study here.
The school is known as one of the best in the world for performing arts. It is located inside the Barbican Centre in the City of London. About 1,000 students attend the school. Most of them study music, while others focus on drama and technical theatre. The Guildhall School works closely with the Barbican Centre and the London Symphony Orchestra. Many famous people have studied here, like Sir Bryn Terfel, Sir James Galway, Michaela Coel, Daniel Craig, and Sir George Martin.
Contents
History of the Guildhall School
Early Years (1880–1977)
The Guildhall School of Music first opened on September 27, 1880. It was in an old warehouse in the City of London. It was the first music college in Great Britain to be run by the city. At first, it had 64 part-time students.
The school quickly grew too big for its first home. In 1887, it moved to a new building on John Carpenter Street. This new building was specially made for the school. The Lord Mayor of London, Sir Reginald Hanson, opened the new school. The first principal, Thomas Henry Weist Hill, led about 90 teachers.
The new building was designed by Sir Horace Jones. It had 45 studios for teaching. Each room had thick concrete walls to block sound. Every room also had both a grand piano and an upright piano. There was also a concert hall for orchestra and choir practice.
At first, students only studied part-time. But in 1920, full-time courses were added. The school also started teaching speech, voice, and acting. By 1935, the school changed its name to "Guildhall School of Music and Drama."
Moving to the Barbican (1977–2005)
In 1977, the school moved to its current home. This is in the middle of the Barbican Centre in the City of London. The City of London still owns and funds the school.
In 1993, the school got a new place for students to live. It was called Sundial Court. This building used to be part of a brewery in the 1700s. It is only a three-minute walk from the school. Sundial Court has rooms for 178 students.
In 2001, the Barbican Centre, including the Guildhall School, became a Grade II listed building. This means it is a special building that needs to be protected.
Recent Developments (2005–Present)
The Guildhall School has won special awards called the Queen's Anniversary Prize. They won in 2005 for their outreach programs. They won again in 2007 for their opera program.
A big new building called Milton Court opened in 2013. It cost £90 million to build. This new building has three performance spaces. There is a concert hall with 608 seats, a theatre with 223 seats, and a studio theatre. It also has new teaching rooms for drama students.
The school offers programs for both undergraduate and graduate students. It also has a Saturday school called Junior Guildhall. This program is for young musicians aged 4 to 18. In 2014, the school changed its logo to a more modern design.
What You Can Study
The Guildhall School can now give out its own degrees. Doctoral degrees are approved by City, University of London.
Music Programmes
The school offers a four-year program for musicians. There are also advanced programs for masters and diplomas. Students can choose to focus on classical or jazz music. They can study an instrument, singing, or composing music. At the master's level, singers can specialize in Opera Studies. The school also offers degrees in writing opera and music therapy.
Drama Programmes
The Guildhall School has a three-year acting degree. It also has a master's degree in acting. These programs prepare students for professional theatre. The school also works with the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. This special program lets students study acting in both London and Beijing.
Production Arts Programmes
The school offers a three-year degree in production arts. This teaches students how to work behind the scenes in theatre. Students can specialize in stage management, costumes, theatre technology, or design. The school even teaches about special computer-controlled systems used on stage.
Learning for Young People
Guildhall School has a Saturday school for talented young musicians under 18. It is also the biggest provider of music education for young people in the UK. They have created new music "hubs" in Norfolk and Somerset.
How to Get In
Getting into the Guildhall School of Music and Drama is very competitive. Students must pass a difficult audition.
For music programs, auditions are held in London, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, and Tokyo. For drama programs, auditions are held in many cities across the UK and in New York.
For the Production Arts course, students have an interview at the school in London. They can also interview at a special conference in the United States.
In 2018/19, over 2,600 people applied for the Acting course. Only about 1% of them were accepted. This makes it one of the hardest schools to get into in the UK. You apply directly to the school, not through a central system like other UK schools.
School Facilities
The Milton Court Concert Hall has 608 seats. It is the biggest concert hall at any London music school. The school works with the Barbican Centre to host public concerts. Famous groups perform here. Milton Court also has a theatre with 223 seats and a smaller studio theatre.
The school's main building on Silk Street is a Grade II listed building. It has a theatre for drama and opera with 308 seats. There is also a smaller concert hall, a recital room, and workshops for theatre. It has electronic music studios and recording studios. There are over 40 rooms for teaching and practicing.
The school also has another building nearby called the John Hosier Annexe. It has 44 more teaching and practice rooms. The Guildhall School library has one of the largest collections of music and drama books in Europe. The Guildhall Symphony Orchestra and Chorus often perform at the Barbican Hall, which is next door.
Famous Alumni
- Further information: Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Many talented people have studied at the Guildhall School. Here are some of them:
Music Alumni
Singers
- Sir Bryn Terfel (born 1965), a famous bass-baritone singer
- Dame Felicity Palmer (born 1944), a mezzo-soprano singer
- Sir Geraint Evans (1922-1992), a bass-baritone singer
- Roderick Williams (born 1965), a baritone singer
- Alice Coote (born 1968), a mezzo-soprano singer
- Anne Sofie von Otter (born 1955), a mezzo-soprano singer
- Wynne Evans (born 1972), a tenor singer
- Myleene Klass (born 1978), a singer and pianist
- Zara McFarlane (born 1983), a jazz singer
Instrumentalists
- Sir James Galway (born 1939), a famous flautist
- Paul Lewis (pianist) (born 1972), a pianist
- Jacqueline du Pré OBE (1945-1987), a cellist
- Alison Balsom (born 1978), a trumpeter
- Tasmin Little (born 1965), a violinist
- Jess Gillam (born 1998), a saxophonist
- Dave Holland (born 1946), a jazz double bassist
- Shabaka Hutchings (born 1984), a jazz saxophonist
Composers
- Thomas Adès (born 1971), a composer
- Debbie Wiseman (born 1963), a film score composer
- Sir George Martin (1926-2016), a composer and record producer
- Harry Gregson-Williams (born 1961), a film score composer
- Sir Noël Coward (1899-1973), a playwright and composer
Conductors
- Paul Daniel (born 1958), a conductor
- Jules Buckley (born 1980), a conductor
Drama Alumni
- Naveen Andrews – known for Lost
- Hayley Atwell – known for Captain America: The First Avenger
- Orlando Bloom – known for The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean
- Michaela Coel – known for I May Destroy You
- Daniel Craig – known for playing James Bond
- Peter Cushing – known for Star Wars
- Michelle Dockery – known for Downton Abbey
- Joseph Fiennes – known for Shakespeare in Love
- Conleth Hill – known for Game of Thrones
- Lennie James – known for The Walking Dead
- Lily James – known for Cinderella and Downton Abbey
- Damian Lewis – known for Band of Brothers and Homeland
- Ewan McGregor – known for Moulin Rouge! and Star Wars
- Alfred Molina – known for Spider-Man 2
- Simon Russell Beale – a famous actor
- David Thewlis – known for Fargo
- Dominic West – known for The Wire
- Jodie Whittaker – known for Doctor Who
Technical Theatre Alumni
- Neil Austin, a lighting designer
- Judy Craymer (born 1957), a producer
- Eric Fellner film producer
See also
In Spanish: Guildhall School of Music and Drama para niños
