Jonathan Hicks presents on 'the royal musical complex'

Jonathan Hicks presents on 'the royal musical complex'

In a session at the annual meeting of the Royal Musical Association, Jo Hicks, a lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Aberdeen, discussed royal branding in UK classical music.

From conservatoires to exam boards, performance venues to learned societies, royal branding is a prominent feature of UK classical music institutions. It seems banal to remark that most students undertaking formal classical training at tertiary level in this country do so under the sign of royalty (RAM, RCM, RNCM, RCS, RWCMD, RBC). Likewise, it’s well known that the UK (and Commonwealth) market-leader in formal music exams is the ABRSM. The BBC Proms, the UK’s largest classical music festival, is, of course, centred on the Royal Albert Hall. And the two landmark venues for classical music on London’s Southbank are the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall. The conference for which i wrote this this paper--the annual meeting of the Royal Musical Association--is not limited to the study of classical music, but the RMA still fits the royal pattern. So, what is the historical and contemporary significance of this entanglement of interests?

While monarchy has always called upon musicians, and musicians have often depended on royal patronage, my analysis of the UK’s “royal musical complex” emphasises the legacies of Victorian musical organisation. These legacies, I suggest, have not simply persisted, but have been actively intensified at certain junctures, notably the period of post-WWII decolonisation when the meanings of monarchy were recalibrated to new social and political realities. From the perspective of the present, and debates about decolonising music studies, I seek to understand better the history and politics of the royal musical complex and the extent to which it represents a barrier to social and racial justice.

Search News

Browse by Month

2024

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2024
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2024
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2024
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2024
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2024
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2024
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2024
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2024
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2024

2023

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2023
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2021

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2021

2020

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2020
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2020

2019

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2019
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2019
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2019

2018

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2018
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2018
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2018
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2017

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2017
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2017
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2017
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2016

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2016
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2016
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2016
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2016
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2016
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2016
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2016
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2016
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2016
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2015

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2015
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2015
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2015
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2015

2014

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2014
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2014
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2014
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2014

2013

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2013
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2013
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2013
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2013
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2013
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2013
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2013

2012

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2012
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2012
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2012
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2012

2011

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2011
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2011
  12. Dec

2010

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2010
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2010
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec