Royal College signs 4 new violin profs
OrchestrasShaken up by the departure of Mark Messenger as head of strings, the Royal College of Music has revamped its violin teaching for the new school year.
Soloist Jennifer Pike has joined as full professor, alongside Peter Manning, former leader of the Royal Opera House Orchestra. Also collecting new mortarboards are violinists Mathilde Milwidsky and Alexander Gilman.
And Richard Harwood, lately principal cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, has been appointed cello professor. James Williams, incoming Director of the Royal College of Music, was CEO of the RPO where Harwood played.
Alexander Gilman has been teaching at RCM since 2019 as a visiting prof, him being cozy with Mark Messenger and his LGT Young Soloists, which are deeply intertwined with RCM
Never had a lesson with Gilman, but apparently he is the real deal. Some of the college’s best violinists study with him and speak very highly of him!
Never heard of Mathilde, but excited to see new blood coming in. Highly needed if you look at the current teacher roster…
Also wonderful to see Jennifer Pike. She has a wonderful recording of the Elgar and Vaughan Williams sonatas. Good job Royal College!
I’ve worked with Mathilde. If you find a more gifted violinist you will be doing very well. She is an exquisite musician.
Mathilde and Peter are fantastic.
Jennifer… well. If you can’t say anything nice and all that.
MaltingSnape I’m assuming you have no experience of either Jennifer’s playing nor her teaching because a better musician you would struggle to find. I don’t mean you, because clearly you wouldn’t understand even if you had found one.