Royal College of Music. London mus. college, successor to National Training School of Music. Founded by Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) in 1882 and opened 1883, when it received Royal charter. Orig. housed in building occupied by Nat. Training Sch., new building in Prince Consort Road, S. Kensington, was opened 1894. Large concert-hall added 1901 and later an opera th. (Parry Theatre) which was replaced in 1986 by Britten Theatre. Further extensions 1964 and 1973. Has superb mus. library and valuable coll. of historical instr. Governed by pres. and council, with dir., board of professors, graduates, and donors. Dirs.: George Grove 1883–94; Hubert Parry 1894–1918; H. P. Allen 1918–37; G. Dyson 1937–52; E. Bullock 1953–60; K. Falkner 1960–74; D. Willcocks 1974–84; M. Gough Matthews 1984–93; Janet Ritterman from 1993. In 1990 the opera course of the RAM was merged with that of the RCM and known as The London Royal Schools’ Vocal Faculty.

Royal College of Music. London music conservatoire for the training of performers, composers, and teachers. Founded in 1883 and based on the former National Training School of Music, it opened with 50 scholars and 42 fee-paying students under the directorship of George Grove. Stanford was an influential founding professor there (1883–1924), as was Parry (1883–1918), who succeeded Grove as director in 1894. The Britten Opera theatre was opened in 1986. The college owns valuable collections of musical instruments and archival material.

Eric Cross