Statement from the Royal Musical Association on the Proposed Suspension of Recruitment to all UG Music Programmes at the University of Nottingham

As the oldest, largest, and most prestigious learned society for music in the UK, we write strongly to protest the recent university announcement about suspending the recruitment to all undergraduate music programmes at the University of Nottingham. The Department of Music is without doubt a leading institution for music research and teaching in the UK, with a broad range of specialisms in music history and culture, composition, ethnomusicology, performance, jazz, opera, film music and creative music technology. This feeds excellent research-led teaching, and an undergraduate experience of the highest quality. The current President of the RMA, Professor Simon Keefe, can directly attest to the extremely high quality of the teaching and of the diverse range of opportunities provided to students, having served as the external examiner of undergraduate music programmes between 2017 and 2021. He considers the department’s undergraduate offering to be one of the most attractive and appealing in the UK.

The University has signalled a desire for music performance to continue productively on campus in the absence of undergraduate teaching in music in the years ahead. But this is a forlorn hope. Top-quality musical experiences of all shapes and sizes are not possible without a research-led music department to support and lead such activity. Music students, who benefit from the varied, high-level teaching in the Department, run many University ensembles, and would be unavailable without continued undergraduate teaching; and music staff, who currently engage proactively with programming and event organisation and delivery thereof currently give many hours of unpaid labour to supporting such activity. The inspiring, sector-leading and unique collaboration between the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and the BBC Concert Orchestra, would not be able to continue as University of Nottingham Music staff and students have been crucial to leading and delivering partnership activity, including composing music showcasing Nottingham on international broadcasts. Furthermore, partnerships fostered by the Department with organisations including Nottinghamshire Music Hub, Nottingham Theatre Royal and Concert Hall, Streetwise Opera, Sinfonia Viva, Opera North, Music for Everyone and the Halle Orchestra would be in danger.

The international outcry the university’s announcement about the Department of Music has already generated, including from many eminent musicians and national associations, and the huge number of signatures on the student-led petition, speaks volumes. The University’s Department of Music has been a national leader in music education since its formation in 1881; the proposed closures will end over a century of such activity. The closure of Music would also create a cold spot in the East Midlands, which goes directly against government priorities for music education, as laid out in the Curriculum and Assessment Review (November 2025) and the plans for a National Centre for Music Education, as well as the strategic priorities outlined in the Creative Industries Sector Plan (August 2025). We urge the University of Nottingham in the strongest terms to reverse its decision to suspend recruitment to all undergraduate programmes in music, and to continue to provide whole- hearted support to a department that has already achieved so much in so many different areas of music, and which, with its highly talented and deeply committed staff body, is excellently positioned to thrive in the future.