The Opus One Summer Music Festival is establishing itself as an international platform for young musicians. The programme, running in July this year, welcomes upwards of 30 participants, from small children to young professionals, and offers solo masterclasses, chamber music workshops, and public performances across London as well as in Paris, France.
Founded initially as a chamber music production company by Canadian pianist and entrepreneur Shirley Wu, Opus One Music began by producing concerts that emphasised the social function of chamber music and created employment opportunities for young professional musicians. Its roots trace back to the Festival de Musique Ça Va Bien Aller, a Montreal-based online initiative which began in 2020, bringing together 15 international musicians for weekly concerts during the pandemic and which received commendation from the Office of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In 2026, the festival has expanded to a full eight days from July 8th–16th and will include one-to-one lessons and classes for piano, violin, ‘cello and clarinet, as well as the opportunity for chamber music workshops. Former participants have included students and alumni from leading institutions such as the Mannes School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Chetham’s School of Music, and junior departments of the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Learning Stagecraft and Building Confidence
Similar to last year, I will be adjudicating the London ‘showcase’ concert platform for students held at London’s Royal Academy of Music, alongside producer Michael Steer. This performance platform is intended for students who would benefit from performing in a beautiful large concert hall, complete with the Royal Academy of Music’s ‘flagship’ Steinway Model D piano. Such a platform offers great practice, especially for those who would like to run a particular programme, air new (or old) repertoire, or learn to become more confident and comfortable on stage. Performers will also receive helpful, positive feedback from the adjudicators and a high-quality recording of their performance, useful for auditions or simply an excellent progress benchmark.
Last year’s showcase was a most enjoyable, interesting event, and we heard students of all age ranges from around Grade 3 or 4 (ABRSM) level right through to professional performance standard.
After the showcase, students are invited to attend a recital consisting of music by this year’s featured composer, Claude Debussy. Debussy’s Preludes will be performed by course piano tutor Julian Jacobson, followed by the Première Rhapsodie for clarinet with Polish clarinettist (and clarinet tutor on the course) Piotr Dec.
Later in the day there will be a certificate and awards ceremony, and participating students will form a chamber ensemble to play Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. Finally, there will be a reception for all guests and participants hosted in the Patron’s Room. It’s a packed day for those who want to steep themselves in a fragrant combination of French music and music pedagogy.
2026 Summer Music Festival Showcase & Concert
The talent showcase will be held at the Royal Academy of Music’s Dukes Hall on July 12th at 11.00am (rehearsals start at 10.00am): young musicians of all instruments are invited to participate in this event, and they don’t need to attend the entire course to do so. Every performer will receive a high-definition video, master-grade audio recording, and professional stage photography.
Find out more about how to apply by clicking here.
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Top Image: Duke’s Hall at the RAM
