1970s
The Northern College of Music, Manchester, was its name when it was officially opened by its President, The Duchess of Kent, on 28 June 1973. But it had been open for teaching since the previous autumn. On 17 July 1973 the title of ‘Royal’ was approved by The Queen.
The College was an amalgamation – or, more accurately, a fusion – of the existing music colleges in Manchester – the Royal Manchester College of Music (RMCM), which opened in 1893 with the city’s most illustrious musical benefactor, Sir Charles Hallé, as Principal; and the Northern School of Music, founded in 1920 with Hilda Collens as Principal.
