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Vocal Studies and Opera

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The inspirational training provided by our School of Vocal Studies and Opera is renowned the world over.

Drawing on the expertise of our dedicated professors, behind the scenes staff, and professional partners, our unique and carefully curated programmes provide young singers with the necessary skills and real-world experience to develop long and successful careers.

Intensive one-to-one tuition and ensemble coaching is complemented by masterclasses and an array of specialist classes designed to enhance your dramatic, language, stagecraft, and musicianship skills. You’ll also have opportunities to participate in public recitals, concerts and biannual Opera Scenes, ensembles including the RNCM Chamber Choir and RNCM Songsters, a host of internal and external competitions and professional engagements, and our fully-staged opera productions. Open to vocalists in all years, RNCM operas are performed in our 670-seat theatre twice a year and are produced by a guest creative team – ensuring you receive first-hand industry knowledge as you study.

Our exclusive partnerships with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, Opera North, Buxton International Festival, and Edvard Grieg Korene in Norway provide enviable opportunities for further professional development, and we’re fortunate to be the home of postgraduate Repetiteur Studies, providing intensive training for pianists wishing to enhance their skills in this area.

Principal Study Options

  • Singing
  • Repetiteur Studies (postgraduate only)

Professors

All Staff

‘It is an absolute delight to see our students flourish through the training we provide; refining their craft and making their mark on the world as inspired and accomplished young artists.’

Professor Lynne Dawson

Head of Vocal Studies and Opera

Auditions

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Auditions are an integral part of the conservatoire application process. They’re a chance for you to excel, share your personality and get to know us a little better too, so it’s important that you’re as prepared as possible.

Requirements

All applicants will be invited to a live audition at the RNCM in November or December 2026. In-person applicants (excluding those opting for an overseas audition) are not required to submit a recording prior to their audition, but must still complete an Acceptd application. Overseas applicants who are unable to travel are invited to apply for an online audition.

To qualify for an online audition, you must select ‘Online’ under ‘Audition Location’ on UCAS Conservatoires and submit an audition recording within your Acceptd application. Your recording will be pre-screened and if you are shortlisted for an online interview, you will be notified via UCAS Conservatoires.

Audition requirements are outlined below, but if you require further information, please email [email protected] or call 0161 907 5465/210.

In Person Auditions (Live) and Recorded Auditions (Overseas and GRNCM Applicants)

Please select THREE pieces of your own choice (maximum 12 minutes in total) to be sung from memory, contrasting in period and style. Please note that the panel may not hear all 12 minutes of repertoire, but you should be prepared to sing all three pieces.

In addition to your repertoire, you need to prepare a short spoken passage in English which can be either prose or poetry, or, indeed, an extract from a newspaper article. The panel will listen to your English recitation to assess your spoken voice, to see whether you are aware of pitch, pace, energy, resonance and so on. You do not need to perform this from memory.

For those attending in person, your audition will also include an interview, giving the panel an opportunity to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations, whilst giving you the chance to ask any questions you might have about studying with us.

Audition Recordings (Overseas and GRNCM Applicants)

If you are submitting a recorded audition, please introduce each piece by giving only the title and composer. (Please also list your three pieces in your Acceptd application.) Your recording should also include a two-minute introduction (either as a separate video or as part of your main audition recording), outlining who you are, why you would like to study with us, and a little about the repertoire you’re performing.

Online Auditions (Overseas Applicants)

If you have submitted an audition recording and you are shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a live audition via Zoom. Please select TWO contrasting pieces of your own choice (maximum 10 minutes in total), that you think best demonstrate your skills and ability. Your two pieces for the live online audition may be the same pieces you submitted as part of your recorded audition.

This part of the process will also include an interview, where the panel would like to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations.

In Person Auditions (Live) and Recorded Auditions (Overseas Applicants)

Please prepare, of your own choice, ONE piano solo (maximum five minutes) from the Early Romantic or Romantic period that demonstrates a level of virtuosity, and TWO operatic excerpts (maximum 10 minutes in total) containing more than one character (sing in vocal parts optional).

For those attending in person, your audition will also include an interview, giving the panel an opportunity to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations, whilst giving you the chance to ask any questions you might have about studying with us. You will also be asked to complete a sight-reading task.

Audition Recordings (Overseas Applicants)

If you are submitting an audition recording, please introduce each piece by giving only the title and composer. (Please also list your three pieces in your Acceptd application.) Your recording should also include a two-minute introduction (either as a separate video or as part of your main audition recording), outlining who you are, why you would like to study with us, and a little about the repertoire you’re playing.

Online Auditions (Overseas Applicants)

If you have submitted an audition recording and you are shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a live audition via Zoom. Please prepare:

ONE  piano solo of your own choice (ideally from the romantic period, lasting no longer than five minutes) that demonstrates a level of virtuosity.

TWO contrasting operatic scenes of your own choice (ideally ensemble scenes or scenes which involve multiple characters, last no longer than 10 minutes in total). Please note that you are not required to sing in the vocal parts.

During the audition, you may also be asked to complete a sight-reading task and undertake a short interview.

Opportunities

Why RNCM?

RNCM Opera

The RNCM is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading training centres for opera, offering advanced singers intensive, training alongside exceptional performance opportunities. Through expert tuition and two fully staged productions each year, students gain unrivalled professional experience working with leading creative and technical teams.

Learn more

Collaborative Piano

Collaboration with pianists is an integral part of training at the RNCM. Drawing on close links with our School of Keyboard Studies, vocal students work regularly with collaborative pianists in lessons, masterclasses, song recitals, and opera projects.

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Choirs

The RNCM offers a range of choral ensembles, from the Symphony Chorus and Chamber Choir to the dynamic Gospel Choir, bringing together performers from all Schools of Study. We’re also home to the free-to-join RNCM Community Chorus – a friendly, creative and inspiring group of singers from Greater Manchester and beyond.

Competitions

Several prestigious internal competitions take place throughout the year that provide vital stage experience for vocal students. Key events include the Frederic Cox Award for Singing, the Joyce and Michael Kennedy Award for the Singing of Strauss, and the Williams-Howard Prize which supports underrepresented voices and collaborative pianists.

Alumni

All Alumni

Our alumni network is integral to our DNA and we’re continually impressed by the amazing things they achieve. Whether they’re performing in venues throughout the world, inspiring a classroom of children, making an incredible difference in hospitals and care homes, or utilising their skills in a different industry, their stories define who we are today and inspire where we could be tomorrow.

  • Simon Keenlyside

    Baritone | 1987

  • Elizabeth Llewellyn

    Soprano | 1996

  • Sir John Tomlinson

    Bass

  • Alice Coote

    Mezzo-soprano | 1993

  • Alexandra Lowe

    Soprano | 2017

  • Amanda Roocroft

    Soprano | 1989

Alumni Spotlight

Christine Rice | 1998

‘The RNCM was absolutely pivotal in my life. Not only was I awarded a postgraduate place, but I was allocated the most brilliant and gifted singing teacher, Robert Alderson, furnished with my first experiences singing lead operatic roles, supported during my initial forays into the professional world and, as if that were not sufficient, introduced to my husband, Crispin Woodhead, all within its walls. Three cheers for the RNCM.’

Christine Rice is one of the leading British mezzo-sopranos of her generation, and was appointed MBE in the 2023 New Year’s Honours for services to opera.

Photo credit: Patricia Taylor

Alumni Spotlight

Sir John Tomlinson | RMCM, 1970 

‘My four years at the RMCM were fantastic; I was not a ‘star’ but learnt an immense amount. Although history, harmony, languages, improvisation, movement and drama, piano, sight-reading, and musicianship are all immensely important, it’s the development of the voice itself which is the crucial thing.

‘Learning to sing for most young singers is a lengthy and difficult process that needs time, patience, and devoted work, which is why I want to contribute to the development of RNCM vocal students. It’s a long hard road with lots of wrong turns that can be taken, and I feel duty bound to spend some of my time now, in the latter part of my performing career, helping them on their journey.’

Sir John Tomlinson is an internationally-renowned opera singer and President of the RNCM

Videos

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News

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News In Brief

  • Congratulations to vocal alumnus Rafael Rojas, who won three prizes at the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition.
  • Alumnus Graham McCusker has worked as music director, pianist, and composer on the new Sense and Sensibility film
  • Congratulations to vocal alumna Georgia Mae Ellis, who makes her Royal Opera House debut as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni this season

Application FAQs

How do I apply?

UCAS Conservatoires applications open on 9 July and close on 1 October. Once you have submitted your UCAS application, you should submit an Acceptd portfolio that meets the audition requirements for your instrument.

View our Application Portal
How much does it cost to apply and audition?

The UCAS application fee for 2027 entry is £34.50. The RNCM audition fee for Single Principal Study is £80 and £120 for Joint Principal Study.

Audition fee waivers are available for UK applicants who meet any of the following criteria:

  • Applicants in receipt of UK government benefits
  • Applicants with a combined household income of £35,000 or below
  • Applicants who are eligible for free school meals (FSM)
  • Applicants who are care leavers

Please contact [email protected] if you think you are eligible for a fee waiver.

Do I have to come to the RNCM for my live audition and interview?

All UK-based applicants are encouraged to attend their audition live at the RNCM in Manchester. Overseas applicants and those unable to travel are welcome to apply for an online audition and interview, which will take place in our main auditions period alongside in-person auditions.

When will I receive a decision from the RNCM?

If you apply on time and audition within our main auditions period, you will be notified of the outcome of your application by Thursday 24 December.

For late applicants, we aim to process all application decisions within 2 weeks of each audition.

Resources