Academy student appointed as RLPO Percussion section leader

Matthew is currently studying for his Master's degree and will begin his role at the RLPO shortly after finishing his final exams at the Academy.

As a teenager, Matthew performed with the Hallé Youth Orchestra and was Principal Percussionist with the National Youth Orchestra. He went on to win the Percussion category in the BBC Young Musician 2018 competition. In the 2022/23 season, Matthew was appointed as an Emerging Musicians Fellow of the RLPO, and will now lead the orchestra's percussion section from the beginning of the 2024/45 season.

The RLPO has also announced that Academy alum Sophie McQueen will join the Orchestra as Associate Principal Second Violin. Since leaving the Academy, Sophie has been a member of Manchester Camerata and has performed across the UK with the Scottish Ensemble, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Berkeley Ensemble, London Contemporary Orchestra and London Sinfonietta.

The Academy would like to congratulate both Matthew and Sophie on their brilliant new roles at the RLPO.