COLIN METTERS

In 1983 Colin Metters was appointed Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London, “....to establish and direct a conducting programme to be internationally pre-eminent”.   Across his 30 years as Head of Conducting that is exactly what he did, establishing a conducting course with a worldwide reputation which, during his tenure was recognised internationally as one of the world's foremost conductor training programmes.

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In addition to his commitment to teaching Colin Metters' career has taken him across the world conducting in Australia, Venezuela, Turkey, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Poland, UK, Ireland, South Africa,  Germany, Spain, Netherlands, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Korea and USA.  He has conducted for major ballet companies at the Sydney Opera House; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; and Lincoln Centre, New York.  He has taught in conservatoires in Helsinki, Beijing, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, St Petersburg, Weimar, Sydney, Cracow, Chicago, Michigan and New York and has given masterclasses with professional orchestras in Berlin, Belgrade, Moscow, Dubrovnik, Cardiff, Vilnius and Liepaja.  He is visiting Professor of Conducting at the Academy of Music in Cracow, gives masterclasses at the Royal College of Music in London, and is Emeritus Professor of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

He is in demand as a juror, serving on the jury for the 5th Prokofiev Competition in St Petersburg; the 4th International Violin Competition in Qingdao, China; various juries for the Dirigentenforum in Germany; the Atlantic Coast International Conducting Competition in Portugal and the Matacic International Conducting Competition in Zagreb.  In 2023 he will serve on the jury for the Leeds International Conductors Competition in the UK.

Colin Metters' repertoire is wide ranging encompassing mainstream works from classical to the present day.  He has received particular praise his conducting of their own works from:

Hans Werner Henze, Richard Rodney Bennet, Robin Holloway, Witold Lutoslawski, Krzsyztof Penderecki, Andrzej Panufnik, Michael Tippett and Olivier Messiaen.  Following a performance of Et Expecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum Messiaen wrote in Metters' score:

          "For Colin Metters - who conducted with so much power, courage and nobility this difficult work. With all my congratulations and my profound recognition!  Thank you, bravo!  And my friendship".