What Brexit means for music in London

The consequences are becoming clearer.

1 No new concert hall

Neither the country, nor the City, nor its staff-evacuating financial institutions will stump up half a billion pounds for Simon Rattle’s vanity hall. Its chief sponsor, the unpopular Chancellor George Osborne, is struggling for survival.

2 Music colleges will lose EU students

They will be charged at full rates of up to £18,000 a year, instead of the present EU/UK rate of £9,000. Most will go elsewhere. Teaching jobs will be slashed. Two colleges will have to merge.

3 Blight on research

With the loss of EU research grants, universities will cut lecturer posts, starting with the arts. Music will suffer.

4 Less touring for orchestras

London orchs will lose their open market advantage in EU countries, starting with Spain. They will be replaced by Czech, Polish and German ensembles.

5 The upside?

There is no upside.