Milton Court at 10: celebrating in style

As guests arrived, they were greeted by spectacular illuminations projected on to the side of the building, showcasing highlights from the past ten years and produced by Guildhall Live Events and our Recording & AV team. 

Pre-concert, guests enjoyed drinks, canapés and music by jazz ensemble, The Skovilles, featuring Guildhall students Miles Lavelle-Golding, Tom Jarvis, Jonah Phillips and Corin Viech.

Speeches were given by Alderman Sir Andrew Parmley, representative for The Lord Mayor; alumna and international soloist Tasmin Little; and the School’s Principal, Professor Jonathan Vaughan. There were laughs as Sir Andrew recalled the City of London’s initial reaction to Guildhall’s proposal for a new building in the early noughties (a resounding no!), and nostalgia in the form of Tasmin Little’s memories of being accepted to study at Guildhall School in the 1980s.

Principal Jonathan Vaughan commented:

“Although this is only my second year as Principal, I was fortunate to arrive at Guildhall School 16 years ago, as Director of Music, when Milton Court was in the planning phase. Ten years on from its opening, I am proud to be celebrating this milestone and reflecting on how it has helped us to achieve what we are today. The training facilities we offer are a vitally important ingredient in our outstanding league table success, ensuring that we are at the forefront of innovation and well equipped to prepare the next generation of artistic leaders for rewarding careers in their chosen fields.”

The centrepiece of the evening was a performance by Guildhall Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Joshua Weilerstein, which included the world premiere of Stannum, a newly commissioned piece by Guildhall Associate Head of Composition Dr Hollie Harding, alongside works by Mendelssohn, Gershwin, Florence Price and others. Of particular note was Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music, performed in its rare 16-soloist form with Guildhall singers joining the orchestra, and Ginastera's Four Dances from Estancia, which provided an irresistibly exhilarating finish to the concert.

Post-concert, guests were invited to try out two high-tech experiences: OpeRAVE, an augmented reality opera experience, and Driving the Future, an immersive demonstration of 3D technology in action; both made possible by a recent major grant to the School, and the purchase of cutting-edge XR (Extended Reality) equipment.

Following the Celebration Concert, Guildhall School is marking this important moment in Milton Court’s history with a host of anniversary performances that run through to December – view our events listings here.

We've also commissioned a brand new '10 Years of Milton Court' film and brought together some of the building's closest friends and advocates to reflect on what makes the venue so special – watch the official film here and read staff and alumni reflections here.

Keep an eye on our social media over the coming weeks too, where we'll be sharing archive materials alongside facts and figures that are sure to surprise you.

Photography by Mark Allan