Students' Union
Contact: union@gsmd.ac.uk
Keep up to date by joining the Guildhall SU Facebook page.
The Role of the Students' Union
The Guildhall School Students' Union actively represents students throughout their time at the School. Led by a full-time President, elected annually, the Union acts as a channel of communication between the student and staff bodies. In addition, the Union acts as a point of contact between students and relevant external bodies. From its office in the School, the Union offers advice on a wide range of topics, and can provide useful information on the Guildhall School, its surrounding area, and student life.
The President of the Students' Union is a member of the School's Board of Governors and sits on the majority of School Committees with the team of Student Representatives, who gather feedback from current students on all aspects of their experience at the School.
The Students' Union provides confidential support across a wide range of topics to students on an individual basis, and works alongside Student Affairs to ensure students receive the appropriate support and resources to maintain their well-being throughout their studies. The Union also runs numerous health and welfare campaigns for the student body throughout the academic year.
Alongside its representative function, the Union organises extra-curricular activities throughout the year and is at the centre of the Guildhall's social scene. These include some of the many clubs and societies that the School has to offer including the Guildhall Queer Collective, the Christian Union, Guildhall Football Team, Guildhall Netball and more! The Union is also active in arranging a variety of social events, many of which are centred around the well-established Basement Bar, located a stone's throw from the School in Sundial Court, the Halls of Residence. The bar is open every weeknight from 7pm. Starting with Freshers' Week at the beginning of term, the Union hosts a variety of events which include live music, comedy nights, pub quizzes and charity fundraisers. Special events for mature and postgraduate students ensure that all students are catered for over the course of the year.
The Union is a member of the Association of London Conservatoires Of Performing Arts (ALCOPA) who collaborate with similar institutions on activities such as ski trips, football matches and other regular social events.
The Union aims to make each student's time at the School the best it can possibly be, and strives for excellence in every aspect of student life.
Meet the Team
Darcie Jago – President
This year's President is Darcie Jago. Originally from Lincolnshire, Darcie grew up playing cornet in Brass Bands. After joining JRNCM she changed her focus to the trumpet, and shortly after moved to Wells Cathedral School in Somerset. She joined Guildhall in 2018 and has just graduated from the classical trumpet course, including spending 4 months on an Erasmus Exchange in Oslo in 2020. For the past 2 years Darcie has been the Events & Societies Officer, and is excited to build on her experiences within the SU this year.
The President is the only full-time member of the committee. It is their responsibility to ensure that the union is fully functional in its many roles throughout the school, such as: representing the student body in a range of board meetings alongside the student reps, organising events, promoting clubs and societies, raising awareness of student welfare issues and supporting the work of the other Executive Officers.
Violetta Suvini - Academic Affairs Officer
This year’s Academic Affairs Officer is Violetta Suvini. Violetta is a second year Postgraduate student here at the Guildhall, studying violin. Before coming to Guildhall, Violetta studied Modern Languages at Oxford University, and outside of Guildhall, likes to read anything from Dante to Berger to Beckett. She is looking forward to her role in the SU, gathering feedback from students and working to ensure there is as much communication, clarity and support around academic affairs as possible.
Justin Anderson - Events & Societies Officer
This year’s Events and Societies Officer is Justin Anderson. Born in the Dorset countryside, Justin's passion for events comes from a love of concerts, festivals, and drama. He wants to put a unique spin on the role, and is excited by the wide range of skills the team brings to the table, giving perspectives from every department.
Jeremy Mitchell - Finance Officer
This year’s Finance Officer is Jeremy Mitchell. Originally from Brooklyn New York, Jeremy is following his passion of acting after making a drastic career change, having worked in Banking for approximately 10 years. His knees may pop when he stands, his hearing and memory are also on decline, and he may fall asleep in a middle of a conversation but rest assured he is still a “spring chicken”. His role is to manage the Union budget and monitor the Student Union expenditure. This all gets reported back to the Student Parliament, to help the SU run smoothly.
Lucas Houldcroft - Marketing & Communications Officer
This year’s Marketing and Communications Officer is Lucas Houldcroft. Having completed his undergraduate degree at Guildhall, Lucas is now a first-year postgraduate trumpet student on the Orchestral Artistry course. Like all Brummies, Lucas is a balti-enjoyer and knows Tommy Shelby, and in his spare time likes cooking and playing gamelan. This is a new role this year, with the main responsibilities being to help the President manage the SU social media accounts, and ensure there are clear and effective communications between students and the SU.
Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh - Diversity Officer
This years Diversity Officer is Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh. Nazli has spent much of her life in the city of Edinburgh (Scotland), but was born in Tabriz (Iran) and loves to travel. Alongside her studies, Nazli also teaches on the Masters in Opera Making and Writing, of which she is an alumnus. She has directed for multiple national companies across the UK, and has been recognised internationally for leadership in multiple disciplines. The Diversity Officer has a key role in supporting under-represented groups, and celebrating diversity throughout the student community.
