Annual Report 2024/25

The School's final-year Acting students immersed themselves in five fully staged drama productions during 2024/25 - concluding three years of intense training as they prepare to enter their chosen industry. In the Autumn Term, we staged productions of Moira Buffini’s Loveplay and Joel Tan’s No Particular Order, exploring life, love and society, with direction by acclaimed theatre-makers Ola Ince and Anna Morrissey respectively. In the Spring term, we presented fresh takes on Shakespeare from alumna Mariah Gale, who returned to Guildhall with her new production of The Winter’s Tale, and Owen Horsley, who directed Hannah Khalil’s bold adaptation of The Life of King Henry VIII: All is True. The Summer term brought the final drama production of the academic year, with Neil Bartlett's sparkling adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, directed by Ellen McDougall.

2024/25 also saw the return of Guildhall School's now annual screen project with Hidden in Plain Sight, a series of short films curated by professional writers and performed by our final-year actors in collaboration with students and professionals from across the Drama, Music and Production Arts faculties. Delving into darkened corners, office blocks and underground safes, the compelling stories followed an eclectic set of friends, colleagues and strangers alike. All blissfully unaware of what is actually hidden in plain sight.

Music students performed across hundreds of concerts and masterclasses during 2024/25, appearing as soloists and members of large and chamber ensembles across an enlightening, entertaining and eclectic array of repertoire.

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra and Chorus opened the season with a programme of works by Mozart, Debussy, Poulenc, Gity Razaz and Lili Boulanger, the first of four performances in Barbican Concert Hall during 2024/25. The concert was conducted by Ludovic Morlot, Music Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, and featured solo contributions by students Alannah Makoni (BMus Saxophone) and Seohyun Go (MPerf Soprano). Later in the Autumn term, the Symphony Orchestra performed Holst’s The Planets under conductor Alpesh Chauhan, marking the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth, as well as other works inspired by planets and constellations, from composers Thomas Adès (Junior Guildhall), Kaija Saariaho and Colin Matthews. In the Spring, the Symphony Orchestra performed Richard Strauss’ epic An Alpine Symphony with Guildhall alumnus Roberto González-Monjas (Violin 2013), in a programme that also featured students Sebastian Hill (MPerf Tenor) and Sarah Pennington (BMus Horn) performing Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra's final appearance at the Barbican during 2024/25 formed part of the 2025 Gold Medal Final, the latest edition of the School's most prestigious music prize. This year, three exceptional soloists from the School’s Vocal and Opera departments performed with piano accompaniment and the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer. Soprano Seohyun Go (MPerf Soprano) was named the winner, following an outstanding final which also featured finalists soprano Manon Ogwen Parry (AdvCert Soprano) and baritone Redmond Sanders (AdvCert Baritone/Bass).

We continued to partner with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in delivering the Orchestral Artistry Masters programme for advanced instrumentalists, as well as through a number of performance opportunities that ensure students benefit from direct links with the profession before they graduate. These included performances of Richard Strauss' Salome at the Barbican Concert Hall and Puccini's Suor Angelica at the Edinburgh Festival and BBC Proms, all conducted by the LSO's Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, as well as performances as part of the LSO Discovery Free Friday Lunchtime Concerts series. Composers from our Electronic & Produced Music department also worked with the LSO during our exciting new Film Music project, with saw the orchestra record the students' original scores, on which they'd been mentored by Academy Award winning composer Rachel Portman.

Our partnership with the BBC Symphony Orchestra also continued in 2024/25 with Guildhall musicians once again taking part in the orchestra’s Total Immersion days, with an exploration into symphonic electronics and a celebration of Pierre Boulez.

Alumna and Artistic Director of Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Candida Thompson, returned to the School to conduct the Guildhall String Ensemble in a celebration of British music featuring works by Thomas Adès, Vaughan Williams and Walton. 

The winner of the 2025 Guildhall Wigmore Prize, violinist Kryštof Kohout, had the opportunity to perform at London’s world-famous Wigmore Hall with pianist Edward Leung, in a illuminating evening of late-19th and 20th-century violin repertoire.

Our Chamber Music Festival returned for a weekend of captivating performances, bringing together some of the most talented Guildhall students with world-renowned chamber professors. 

In Autumn 2024, our Opera department marked 150 years of Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus, in a new production from director Ashley Dean, conducted by Dominic Wheeler. In the Spring, Dominic also conducted students in Martin Lloyd-Evans' new production of Jonathan Dove's operatic adaptation of Mansfield Park, performed in author Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary year. Finally, James Henshaw returned in the Summer to conduct Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, directed by Oliver Platt. 

Jazz highlights at Guildhall in 2024/25 included performances with Billy Childs, Ola Onabulé, Steve Banks, Helen Sung, Alec Dankworth and Nikki Iles; the launch of the Guildhall Studio Ensemble in concert with Bill Laurance; and the return of the Guildhall Jazz Festival, in association with EFG London Jazz Festival, with headline performances from Helena Kay, Giacomo Smith & Mozes Rosenberg and Sultan Stevenson.

In 2024/25 our growing Guildhall Young Artists (GYA) network of six centres provided performing and production arts training to 1849 children and young people, an increase of 9% from 2023/24. We delivered over 40,000 one-to-one lessons during the year, alongside 436 ensembles which came together every week, as part of the individually tailored learning for each GYA student. 

Ten GYA students progressed to undergraduate courses at the School in 2025, an increase of 25% from 2023/24, with 34 others going onto performing arts degree programmes elsewhere (an increase of 36% from 2023/24). The entrants to Guildhall School in 2025 included an Australian based pianist studying on GYA Online’s Pathways to Conservatoire course, who auditioned for his place in Hong Kong. This brought the total number of GYA students progressing to performing arts degrees to almost 200 since 2021.  

Our creative highlights for GYA in 2024/25 included 21 members of Junior Guildhall playing with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, a joyous whole-centre interdisciplinary showcase from GYA King’s Cross students to a packed-out Milton Court Concert Hall, and GYA delivering Guildhall School’s first partnership project with Carnegie Hall, as part of the renowned concert hall’s Link Up programme.   

Our first Link Up project saw 300 primary school pupils from seven London schools introduced to orchestral music, experiencing the thrill of making live music by singing, dancing and playing alongside the talented musicians of the London Schools Symphony Orchestra (LSSO). The orchestra, which is managed by Centre for Young Musicians (part of GYA) was conducted by Christopher Warren-Green and Ammal Bhatia, the LSSO’s Conductor in Residence for 2024/25. 

During 2024/25, GYA also made a foray into recorded work, with students from Junior Guildhall getting the chance to take part in a professional recording of new music by composer and multidisciplinary artist Nwando Ebizie, conducted by Creative Director of Guildhall Young Artists, Spencer Down. The students quickly got to grips with one sided headphones and click tracks, with the work forming part of an immersive show for Windrush Day on 22 June, celebrating and commemorating the contribution African-Caribbean migrants and their families have made to the UK. 

During 2024/25, our Music Education Islington (MEI) programme reached 3000 children and young people across the London borough, engaging them in a wide variety of accessible musical activities. Nearly 100% of these children are state-school educated. 

Through MEI, we supported 80% of all Islington schools with their in-school music curriculum provision, with 39 schools using MEI’s access to the Charanga online school which, combined with MEI’s own materials, featured across 4315 hours of teaching and 1295 hours of vocal activities. 1016 students across the schools also had their own Charanga online school accounts.

We delivered in-school instrumental teaching across 24 Islington schools in 2024/25, including three special schools, with 15 different instruments taught. This included 63 hours per week of individual lessons for 130 students, and 37 hours per week for whole class teaching, reaching 1100 students.

Key in-school projects included the expansion of our Open Orchestras programme from two to three schools, providing weekly ensemble opportunities for 30 children with complex needs, and the singing programmes and massed school performances, which reached over 1000 students. Our Music Therapy provision also supported 41 pupils across three schools, including two Pupil Referral Units.

Out-of-school activities included our MEI Music Centres. During 2024/25, 268 students attended weekly sessions across three different locations, including 120 students brought by their schools through our Music Centre School Scheme, so that participation was not dependant on parents or carers being available to transport children between schools and the Music Centres. 45% of all places were subsidised, including 25% of which were fully funded. We added two more Music Centre schools to our network, despite the financial challenges faced by many schools this year. 

Around 230 pupils performed in end-of-term concerts, of which 50 joined larger public events at Milton Court and Finsbury Park. These included the New Sounds Festival at Milton Court, a major highlight of 2024/25 which was co-produced by a group of young event producers. The day-time event of the festival featured 300 students from 14 different schools, including three SEND schools, and ensembles from the MEI Music Centres.

Our Music Makers Lab supported Islington’s school holiday activities during Easter and Summer, with 43 participants coming together to to collaborate in songwriting and performance. Our new and experiential Pop Pioneers programme also bridged the gap between education and industry, with 60 students working with Pirate Studios in Dalston, Ronnie Scott’s and Hackney’s EartH to develop skills in performance, composition and production

We also supported Under 5 Play & Stay centres with our Music Explorer activities, focusing on child-father bonding sessions and reaching 120 young children and their parents/carers.

Working in partnership with Open Up Music, Guildhall School leads the London Ensemble of the National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO), a project whose core purpose is to be fully, intentionally and creatively accessible. The London Ensemble brings together young disabled and non-disabled musicians aged 14–24, offering free participation and an environment where inclusive practice underpins every aspect of music making. During 2024/25, 13 participants rehearsed monthly and performed in London, with the ensemble’s distinctive mix of traditional and accessible instruments ensuring that every musician could take part meaningfully, regardless of physical ability, neurodiversity or musical background.

This work runs in parallel with Guildhall School’s Open Orchestras programme, delivered through Music Education Islington, extending the School’s commitment to accessible ensemble music making across both community and educational settings.

The year also saw strengthened collaboration between NOYO London and Guildhall’s Social Arts Practice (SAP) elective. SAP students supported rehearsals throughout the Spring Term by leading warm-ups, assisting musicians and developing their own inclusive facilitation skills. Their involvement enriched the ensemble experience while deepening the project’s commitment to accessibility by embedding emerging practitioners in this inclusive musical environment.

Highlights of the year included three London Ensemble members successfully auditioning for the National Ensemble, which performed at Milton Court Concert Hall in April 2025. In June 2025, the London Ensemble returned to Milton Court for an informal sharing, marking the final rehearsal of the year and celebrating the achievements of a group that continues to model what fully accessible, barrier‑free ensemble music making can look like.

Our Short Courses continued to be an essential part of Guildhall School’s lifelong‑learning offer, engaging learners of all ages and backgrounds in our world‑class training and learning, supporting their development, whether they are beginning their journey or advancing professional practice.

During 2024/25, we delivered 44 Summer Schools, 11 Easter Short Courses and 39 Evening Courses, all led by our experienced teachers and industry-leading guest tutors, across disciplines from drama, music and production arts to creative industries skills and writing. These programmes were joined by 1564 participants, reflecting the breadth and appeal of our offer, and during our Summer Schools we welcomed international participants from 63 countries, including Portugal, France, China, Spain and the US, reinforcing Guildhall’s global reach and reputation. 

We awarded 36 participation bursaries for our Short Courses, as part of our Access and Participation Plan, providing financial support to those living in low-income households. 

We also continued to deliver a diverse range of professional development courses for those working in the performing arts and creative industries, supporting lifelong learning and career progression. Many participants return for multiple courses, deepening their skills and engagement, and a number progress to apply for Guildhall School’s higher education programmes. 

Feedback from participants indicated that 87% would recommend their course to a friend or colleague, 95% rated their experience as very satisfied or satisfied and 95% also said their course inspired them. 

Guildhall Ignite is our executive and professional development consultancy, the only offered by a specialist arts education institution combining EMCC accredited coach training with performance-based coaching, from our team of experienced executive coaches and specialist coaches in the performing arts. 

We coach hundreds of leaders and teams in a broad range of industries, including the arts, education and business, with a suite of programmes designed to support leaders to meet business needs and respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow. We also offer specialised evaluation services to highlight the sustainable impact of this work.  

In 2024/25, we worked with 386 participants (an uplift of 130% year on year) providing over 350 hours of training and coaching services to professionals within these sectors. Clients include Imperial, WorldSkills UK, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Royal Ballet and Opera, City Bridge Foundation, Digital Catapult, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Positive feedback for our work and the effect it has continues to grow.

"Musicians who took part have been incredibly positive about the experience...they found new language and skills to build even stronger relationships within their sections and teams."

Peter Garden, Chief Operating Officer, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

"I would strongly recommend Guildhall Ignite with whom we have worked closely at Imperial College London over several years. Ignite has been a valued partner in shaping and delivering impactful leadership and coaching development.”

Valarie Williams-Foy, Head of Leadership Development, Imperial College London

Guildhall Production Studio is our award-winning, full-service production studio, employing advanced technologies to deliver captivating results in the public and private sector, bridging creative and commercial projects and working in multiple disciplines across performing arts and technology. Guildhall Production Studio works alongside students, alumni, freelancers and other industry partners to deliver a diverse range of output.

Our highlights in 2024/25 included providing comprehensive live-event production support for fashion designer Patrick McDowell’s SS25 collection show Portraits of a Painter at London Fashion Week, as well as working alongside renowned artist Tom Piper MBE to deliver an immersive sound installation at part of Christmas at Waddesdon Manor, experienced by around 48,000 visitors.    

Repeat engagements included once again returning to Lightpool Festival, Blackpool’s annual celebration of light, receiving an approximate footfall of 26,500, and to Derry City for Europe’s largest Halloween Festival, creating a spooky projection show seen by around 100,000 visitors. 

Building on Guildhall Production Studio’s grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s CResCa fund (Creative Capabilities and Research), we were able to undertake R&D activity with our cutting-edge volumetric capture system, created with Holosys by 4DViews.  

Alongside this, Dr Leslie Deere, our Postdoctoral Researcher in Digital Performance and Production, presented at many conferences throughout the year, including the 11th Annual Media Art History Conference in Manizales, Colombia, Electronic Visualisation in the Arts (EVA) London, and the Resonanz Conference at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Carl Miller, Guildhall Production Studio’s part-time Research Resident, also conducted workshops with performance and technology creatives as part of his development of four interlinked prototype Extended Reality (XR) experiences.  

All at the School are profoundly grateful for the generous support from individuals, liveries, companies and trusts. Their contributions enable us to deliver world-class training and innovative projects, nurturing artistic citizens, driving cultural change and inspiring the extraordinary.

Thanks to over 600 donors, philanthropic gifts totalled £4.04 million, up from £3.23 million the previous year, all of which enabled the following achievements:

• Over 2300 scholarships and bursaries awarded to students across all subjects and including more than 200 for young people under the age of 18 through Guildhall Young Artists. Some scholarships are awarded on the basis of talent, while others are for those demonstrating financial need. Each and every scholarship helps the scholar to immerse themselves further into their training without financial constraints, allowing them to unleash their potential to maximum effect and helping them apply their talents to the benefit of society. 
   
• Expansion of the quantity of bursaries for children and young people up to the age of 18 attending Guildhall Young Artists centres in Kings Cross, Taunton, Norwich, Online and Junior Guildhall, driving the School’s commitment to access and to attracting exceptional talent. 
   
• Launch of the 1880 society 
  The 1880 Society celebrates those whose gifts in wills help secure Guildhall School’s future. Income from gifts in wills remains one of the School’s most significant sources of philanthropic support, making a profound difference to students today, tomorrow and for years to come. In 2024–25, we went public with the launch of the 1880 Society, inviting supporters to join this community and create lasting opportunities – from scholarships and world-class training to performance experiences – nurturing the next generation of performers, makers and innovators.
   
• Support of our performances 
  Supporting Guildhall School productions is vital to our students’ education. Offering such extensive and high-quality opportunities to appear on professional platforms, in stage productions, concerts, recitals, exhibitions and showcases, allows our students to collaborate with industry professionals and build real-world networks and experiences while still training. Each show deepens their technical skill, confidence and readiness for the sector. These exceptional opportunities are only possible thanks to the committed support of our donors, whose generosity directly enhances the learning experience and helps shape the next generation of performers and creators. 
   
• Backstage Roadshow 
  The Production Arts Backstage Roadshow is a national initiative introducing state school students to backstage careers through hands-on workshops in scenic art, lighting, sound, props, costume, video mapping and stage management, while also addressing an identifiable skills gap in the industry. Recognising both an absence of drama provision within many state schools and that under-18 pupils from low socio-economic backgrounds cannot travel to theatres or conservatoires to explore performing-arts careers, Guildhall invested in a new outreach initiative. The Backstage Roadshow brings specialist training into schools, giving students practical experience of backstage roles and direct contact with expert staff, professional materials and industry-grade technology. 
  
  After a successful pilot year, the Garek Trust extended its support to fund the roadshow’s first full year. 
  
  Year One focussed on activities in London where the roadshow delivered 64 three-hour workshops to over 200 students, and technical support and equipment to end-of-year school shows seen by audiences of 1200 pupils, parents, and staff. 
   
• Equipment project / capital project    
  Supporting Guildhall School productions is vital to our students’ education. Offering such extensive and high-quality opportunities to appear on professional platforms, in stage productions, concerts, recitals, exhibitions and showcases, allows our students to collaborate with industry professionals and build real-world networks and experiences while still training. Each show deepens their technical skill, confidence and readiness for the sector. These exceptional opportunities are only possible thanks to the committed support of our donors, whose generosity directly enhances the learning experience and helps shape the next generation of performers and creators. 

Key priorities in 2025/26 include: 

• Increasing scholarship funding to attract and retain exceptional talent and ensure access for all.
• Growing support for Guildhall Young Artists so it remains a national leader in under-18 provision.
• Investing in facilities and accessibility initiatives that allow students to develop their skills and ambitions to the fullest.

We are delighted to remain in contact with more than 12,500 alumni, many of whom continue to engage with and give back to Guildhall.

Among the alumni who visited Guildhall this year are Ewan McGregor OBE FGS, Judy Craymer CBE FGS and Joseph Fiennes FGS, Harry Gregson-Williams FGS and Anne Sofie von Otter FGS.  Between them, they attended our annual gala and led student workshops and masterclasses. We are grateful to them and to the many other alumni who choose to volunteer as mentors, or contribute as audition panellists, guest artists and directors, while others remain integral to the School as staff members, researchers, governors and trustees.

Reunions continued to play an important part in alumni engagement. We welcomed back music graduates from the class of 1985, Production Arts graduates from the class of 2007, hosted the alumni gathering in Hong Kong, and welcomed alumni to the School’s flagship events including the Production Arts’ Graduate Exhibition and the prestigious Gold Medal Competition in the Barbican Hall.

In 2024/25 we provided support for alumni at the early stages of their careers and beyond. The Acting Alumni Gym offered free workshops with expert practitioners, while the Acting Alumni Scratch Night provided a platform for new work and the opportunity to receive feedback from an audience of fellow alumni, staff and students.

We launched the Making It Fund, enabling alumni who graduated within the past five years to apply for three-four figure grants to support the development of their creative practice.

Alumni also benefited from discounts on short courses, and access to career opportunities shared through our alumni social media channels.

In 2024/25, we welcomed the following individuals into our community of Fellows and Honorary Fellows: Adrian Dunbar, Shirley Henderson, Ursula Jones, Michael Mainelli (Lord Mayor), Vivienne Littlechild MBE JP, David Mumeni and Cleveland Watkiss MBE, Nicky Spence OBE, and staff Ann Sloboda, Mike Roberts, Gill Allen and Lisa Evans. We also presented historically awarded fellowships to Toby Spence and Sally Greene OBE We thank them for joining the Fellowship and for the active role they play in the life of the School.