Students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland shared the stage with celebrated alumni for a very special royal performance at Buckingham Palace on Thursday (June 20).

Musicians and ballet dancers from Scotland’s national conservatoire joined renowned mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill, award-winning conductor Jessica Cottis and actor Sam Heughan, star of hit TV drama Outlander.

Together, they presented a glittering programme for VIP guests attending The Prince’s Foundation’s gala dinner, hosted by His Royal Highness, the Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay who is Patron of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland said: “I was incredibly proud to watch our current students perform alongside distinguished RCS alumni Karen Cargill, Jessica Cottis and Sam Heughan for this very special occasion for our Patron in celebration of the Prince’s Foundation. They delivered a memorable performance in beautiful surroundings and this was a wonderful showcase for RCS and Scotland.”

With Sam Heughan as Master of Ceremonies, the specially curated programme included Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Op.87 performed by the RCS Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Jessica Cottis, with dancers from the BA Modern Ballet programme.

Karen Cargill took to the stage with the RCS Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jessica Cottis, for Hector Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été Op.7 while the RCS Chamber Orchestra performed two traditional pieces by leading musician, director and RCS tutor Greg Lawson. Also on the bill was Cha Teid Mor, a traditional Scottish song arranged by Donald Shaw, performed by Mairi McGillivray.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland works in partnership with The Prince’s Foundation to deliver specialist teaching and progression in strings and modern ballet for young people at Dumfries House, with shared ambitions for centres across Scotland. This partnership also enables emerging professional artists studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to inspire the next generation and their communities through the power of performance.

The Buckingham Palace event comes just weeks after His Royal Highness visited the Royal Conservatoire, where he had the opportunity to meet students and staff and see at first hand the artistry and creativity of the institution’s professionals-in-training.

It was also the same day that acting graduate Sam Heughan returned to his Conservatoire roots and met with His Royal Highness during his tour. He later hosted a Q&A session with acting students.