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Walk the School with Guildhall students

During my time here, I organised an international conference based around my subject involving delegates from 4 continents

Emily Baines
DMus, ‘Mechanical Musical Instruments as a Source for Historical Performance’

The research community at Guildhall is a really interesting place to be

Stefania Donini
PhD

I found it very beneficial to take a break from a busy teaching career to think and reflect on my teaching value, principle and strategies

Yushan Li
PGCert Performance Teaching

Studying at Guildhall is really cool because you are in a setting where the arts are valued by an entire community

Natasha Mbwana
BA Performance & Creative Enterprise

The projects we work on are real - we are in effect constantly getting work experience

Laurie Lumley
BA Video Design for Live Performance

Guildhall is an institution that knows it has to be connected to the outside world - that's the key thing. It's not a bubble. It has roots in the city and in the world.

Jonathan Ferrucci
Artist Diploma Piano

One minute you could be playing in the Guildhall Studio Orchestra with jazz musicians, the next you could be playing in the opera pit, then the next minute you'll be with actors doing the musical and then playing a symphony in the orchestra.

米illie Ashton
BMus Violin

I had access to people I would never have been able to meet as a young composer starting out.

Na'ama Zisser
Doctoral Composer in Residence

I knew about the fantastic tutoring and resources, but the friendly and stimulating environment clinched it for me.

Eden Lonsdale
BMus Composition

I had the opportunity to play percussion with the Guildhall Studio Orchestra which gave me the chance to learn from, and play alongside, amazing senior players, as well as to perform with the incredible Liane Carroll.

Dave Adsett
BMus Jazz Drums

At Guildhall, they don't hold your hand, but they're going to push you to become the actor that you want to be.

Daniel Adeosun
BA Acting

It's the scale of productions that really makes Guildhall stand out. It gets to the point where you think, wow, this is massive. In other places, you just wouldn't have that opportunity to learn on the job.

Sian Clare
BA Technical Theatre Arts (Costume)

A statement from Guildhall School

Over the last week, we have been holding intensive discussions in response to Black Lives Matter, and we have taken a long hard look at ourselves. There has been welcome progress in some areas of our work, but not in others. We recognise that there is a long way to go, and that we have a responsibility to act now.

In addition, we have heard from Black students and alumni of their traumatic experiences whilst studying at Guildhall. We acknowledge the damage racism continues to cause our Black students, and apologise to Black students and alumni who have suffered during their training. It isn’t good enough, and we have to do better. We take allegations of racism extremely seriously, and are hugely concerned by what we have heard. With this in mind, we would encourage those who feel able to do so to come forward, so we can act on this now. You can directly email me atprincipal@gsmd.ac.ukor contact any other senior member of staff at the School who you feel comfortable speaking to.

We have already begun to take active steps in a number of areas of our training, but we know that has not gone far enough. We will therefore form a working group with representation from across the School – across our three faculties, across students and staff, prioritising representation of Black people and others who have been historically under-represented – to challenge us, and present a specific set of commitments to the Senior Management Team whose responsibility it will be to deliver them. We expect that these commitments will include a range of activity to continue the much-needed increase in representation in our student and staff bodies; a complete review of our faculty curricula and artistic programming; and further training and anti-racism learning resources for all staff and students. Our Board will expect, and request, urgent progress.

We will work closely with the Student Union, and also seek out advice from those outside our organisation, whilst recognising that it is our responsibility to bring about change, and no-one else’s.

As we said last week, Guildhall stands with all Black communities and everyone fighting against racism. Those voices must be heard and acknowledged within our own walls, and we must change and renew as a result. We pledge to take this work forward today.

Lynne Williams
Principal