Back to RNCM with Bassoon Student Alice Wriglesworth

We’re back! After almost three months away from College again, I am so excited that we are being allowed back in the building.

It’s so exciting seeing friends in person rather than on Zoom, it’s like seeing a celebrity in real life, it feels that strange.

Alice and friends, reunited!

Being able to access the RNCM building is amazing and makes such a difference to my student life in Manchester. In fact I’m sure that’s the same for all the students at RNCM this year.

Students studying Wind and Brass instruments have been really lucky in that College has invested so much into making it possible for us to have principal study lessons in person – and providing the amount of space needed so that everyone has the opportunity to use the practice rooms.

They have even installed glass screens in between practice rooms on the ground floor so we can have our principal study lessons in person! It’s amazing, and recently they have installed blinds so that if you’re just practicing privately you can pull it down and the room is just like it was before.

Specially converted RNCM G-Rooms

Using a practice room is one of the many benefits of being back in the building. Another really exciting opportunity is to play in chamber groups again! I really enjoy the time I spend doing chamber music at College and it’s something I have really missed when the building has been closed.

In the first week back I was able to play in two wind quintets – one of which I am a part of – and the other as a deputy for a bassoon player who decided to stay at home this term. It was so much fun; you really can’t replace the sound of a quintet all playing together in the same room. It was the first time I had seen the other members since 2020!

The end of the spring term is getting closer which means so are our academic deadlines. I have been very busy completing various projects this week and at points it has been a bit overwhelming. I’m in third year and this term we have all been on placements that RNCM have organised for us.

Bassoon class

The format of this part of the course has had to be altered slightly because of the pandemic. I have been on the RNCM Pedagogy placement and I think it has been really beneficial to me. Teaching is something I would really like to get involved with someday and I’ve found this placement really eye opening in terms of how different your teaching style has to be in different situations!

This week we have been doing group presentations on

Academic class on Zoom for my placement

our chosen topics around teaching and it’s actually been really fun planning the lessons and also observing. Hopefully, I’ll get to put my new skills and knowledge into action soon!

Being back in the building does make me so much busier. Not only with practice but now I have to think about travelling in to College again, food shopping and things like packing my lunch!

Something separate from music that I have recently got into is cooking. I’m really enjoying discovering new recipes at the moment and experimenting with different flavours. This might be because I received some measuring spoons for my birthday and I just really wanted to use them!

Whatever the reason, I am having a really good time. This is my current favourite, a spicy sticky tofu recipe, in case you’d like to try it:

My sticky tofu creation

I hope everyone has settled back in okay and looking forward to a well-deserved break over the Easter holidays!

Alice

25 March 2021