What is Royal College of Music?
[[Image:Royal College of Music - April 2007.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The front [[facade]] of the Royal College of Music]] The '''Royal College of Music''' is a [[conservatoire|conservatory]] in [[London]] where young people can study [[music]]. It was founded in 1882. Many musicians who became famous studied music at the Royal College of Music. The Royal College of Music was founded by [[Royal charter]]. The president was the Prince of Wales (later [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]]). The president has always been a member of the royal family. The first director was Sir [[George Grove]] and he was followed by Sir [[Hubert Parry]]. The first building was opposite the west side to the [[Royal Albert Hall]], but in 1894 the RCM moved to a larger building south of the Royal Albert Hall on Prince Consort Road. The College is still there, but there have been many extensions and improvements to the building since then. There are about 520 students at the RCM. About 170 of these are [[post-graduate]] students. The college can award degrees and diplomas in music. Composers and performing musicians can study there. There is a large museum of [[musical instrument]]s. Next to the main building is a 400-seater [[opera house]], the Britten Theatre, opened in 1986. There are now over 600 students from about 50 countries. The director of the Royal College of Music is Dr Colin Lawson. ==Some famous people who studied at the Royal College of Music == *[[Thomas Allen (singer)|Thomas Allen]] (born 1944), singer *[[Julian Anderson]] (born 1967), composer *[[Malcolm Arnold]] (1921 - 2006), composer *[[Arthur Bliss]] (1891 - 1975), composer *[[Rutland Boughton]] (1878 - 1960), composer *[[Julian Bream]] (born 1933), guitarist and lutenist *[[Benjamin Britten]] (1913 - 1976), composer *[[George Butterworth]] (1885 - 1916), composer *[[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor]] (1875 - 1912), composer *[[Thurston Dart]] (1921 - 1971), performer and musicologist *[[ Andrew Davis]] (born 1944), conductor *[[Colin Davis]] (