For most conservatoire graduates, orchestral performance is only one part of a broad portfolio, but many conservatoires still model their training on the expectations of a full-time orchestral career. In an opinion piece in Classical Music our Artisitic Director Dr Aleks Szram asks: surely it is now time to acknowledge that the core curriculum – and the repertoire it teaches – must evolve?
“Training must prepare students for the diverse activities that constitute careers, not by abandoning orchestral skills or downgrading classical music, but by embracing an evolution that meets new demands, perspectives and approaches. This means expanding the range of skills covered in the curriculum and placing a wider range of repertoires at its core, not as an add-on. Professional musicians operate across a varied landscape, and it is not possible to cover all music during the years of training. The answer is to approach repertoire as a vehicle through which skills are developed, including the ability to be curious. Learning repertoire, canonic and non-canonic, is a life-long journey for all of us – an exciting journey that motivates our curiosity and personal development. At Trinity Laban we cherish our classical canon, but we also act relentlessly to expand it.”
Read the full article on Classical Music’s website
Photo credit: Mariana Pires