Fringe Benefits: Luís Santos

ROSL Recitals is now just days away! Starting on Monday 6 August at the Royal Scots Club, ROSL ARTS prizewinners and scholars will be taking to the stage three times a day, for 30 concerts in two weeks. Today, we speak to bassoonist Luís Santos, one of our scholars currently visiting the UK from Perth, Australia. Recently studying at the University of Western Australia, after his month-long trip he will begin studying at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam under the tutelage of Simon van Holen. 

Fringe Benefits: ROSL Recommends

The best thing about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the huge diversity of shows on offer, with the roster seeming to grow in number and variety with every year. Where else can you see music, cabaret, dance, comedy, and theatre all in a day? 

Fringe Benefits: The Audience's Perspective

Over the last few weeks you've heard us wax lyrical about the many amazing musicians, both prizewinners from ROSL's Annual Music Competition (AMC) and scholars from across the Commonwealth, that are taking to the stage at the Fringe. With 'ROSL Recitals' now underway in Edinburgh, we can hear what the audience had to say about the first few concerts. 

Fringe in Numbers

We're now just days away from the start of ROSL's programme of Fringe recitals on 11 August at our clubhouse home here in London. Check out the key stats from the packed schedule. 

Fringe: The Countdown Has Begun

Its now only a matter of days until the ROSL Recitals series of concerts returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for more than 30 concerts across two weeks. Running at the Royal Scots Club from Monday 5 to Friday 16 August 2019, ROSL Recitals is your chance to hear some of the best classical music available anywhere on the Fringe. 

Fringe: The Gold Standard

Next month, ROSL returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for its 20th anniversary concert programme, featuring a huge selection of past ROSL prizewinners and scholars from around the Commonwealth. The standard is incredibly high and among them, some five Annual Music Competition Gold Medal winners will be performing, showing that ROSL Recitals are really the best at the Fringe. Let's find out who the five winners returning this year are.

Fringe: The Reviews Are In

ROSL is lucky enough to see some of the same faces year after year at our concert series at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This year, regular concert-goer Douglas Paton gave us his thoughts on the programme. 

From the Archives: A Letter from Princess Alexandra

Our Vice-Patron, HRH Princess Alexandra, has been an integral part of ROSL for decades, particularly when it comes to the Annual Music Competition. Her tireless support of the young musicians which take part every year has been a crucial part of the competition's continued success. We look back at her involvement with the club and the AMC over the years. 

From the Archives: Members Get Behind the Camera

With the entries for the 2021 ROSL Photography Competition now flowing in, Archivist Natalia Sedunova looks back at the history of members getting behind the camera.

From the Archives: Photographic Competition

The interest in our new ROSL Photography Competition has been excellent, but did you know that this isn't the first time the organisation has run such a competition. Read an excerpt from a 1937 edition of Overseas, calling for submissions of photographs showing the coronation celebrations for King George VI.

Full House for Ashley Fripp

Tuesday night saw the launch of Ashley Fripp’s new solo piano CD in the Princess Alexandra Hall at ROSL HQ. Winner of the 2011 ROSL Keyboard Prize, Ashley has recorded the music of three composers, Bach, Chopin and one of the world’s most internationally acclaimed contemporary composers, Thomas Adès. 

Garden Parties: So Good We're Doing it Twice

Wine, canapés, music, good conversation and great views. What more could you ask for. Such is the popularity of ROSL's Summer Garden Parties, we will holding two this year, one on Wednesday 24 July and the second on Wednesday 4 September. 

Get cosy this autumn with London's art scene

As we make our way into Autumn with the night’s drawing in and the coats coming back out, the art world in London is shaking things up and ROSL ARTS have some recommendations of things to do and see.

Happy 100th to Bernstein

Last night saw ROSL ARTS join forces with the Park Lane Group to celebrate 100th anniversary of the birth Leonard Bernstein, renowned composer, conducter, and pianist. The evening saw four pianists perform all 29 Anniversaries composed by Bernstein with a special introduction to the concert from Bernstein academic, Humphrey Burton. 

Have Your Say: Caine Prize 2018

The ROSL Readers’ Award is now well underway and the votes have already started flowing in, who will win this year’s inaugural prize? The ROSL Readers’ Award offers members the chance to support African authors by bringing their writing to a wider audience. The ROSL Readers' Award recipient will receive £1,000 as well as a commission to write a short story for our very own Overseas Journal. 

Hitting All The Right Notes

Winner of the 2019 Annual Music Competition Gold Medal, trombonist Kris Garfitt tells Mark Brierley how he made it all the way to the Queen Elizabeth Hall and where he plans to go from here. 

Huw Wiggin Launches Reflections

Last night our 2015 Annual Music Competition Gold Medal winner, saxophonist Huw Wiggin, returned to ROSL to launch his album Reflections with Orchid Classics. The evening included a performance of selected tracks from the album along with pianist John Lenehan and harpist Oliver Wass, including Huw talking about his inspiration behind the album, followed by the chance to meet and chat with all the musicians over a glass of wine.

I Feel a Song Coming on...

Sit back, relax and be entertained as the Royal Academy of Music take you on a journey through the glorious lyrics of Dorothy Fields, from her famous 1920s pop songs to Broadway and Hollywood musicals.  This specially devised cabaret featuring Dorothy Fields’ work will be directed by George Hall with musical direction from Guy Frati and Alex Beetschen.

In Case You Missed It

Our online event programme is as busy as ever as we move closer to reopening on 17 May. If you weren't able to enjoy them live, watch Isobel Williams' book talk and the Mithras Trio's concert online again here. 

In Case You Missed It: Mathilde Milwidsky

Last night, ROSL held its pre-lockdown last hurrah with a concert in the Princess Alexandra Hall in which AMC alum Mathilde Milwidsky violin performed on stage alongside John Reid piano. 

Incognito Launch

Last night saw the launch of the second Incognito exhibition, where anonymously donated postcard artworks were sold for £50 each, to raise money for ROSL's education projects. 

Incognito Postcards Still Available

Didn't manage to view our Incognito postcards last month? Don't worry, they are still available to view until the end of the month, with many artworks still available to buy for £50. You can view the postcards still for sale in the clubhouse or online. 

Incognito Returns Next Week

ROSL’s charity postcard exhibition Incognito returns next week, now in its third year! Over 150 artists from all over the world have created and donated artwork. 

Incognito: Last Call for Entries

Visual Arts Curator Eilidh is busy sorting this year's entries for our Incognito exhibition, but don't worry if you haven't submitted yours yet, there's still time. 

Introducing ROSL at Home

With the clubhouse closed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we have all been finding ways to stay connected and engaged with the outside world. For the young musicians, artists and writers we have the privilege of supporting, it is also their aim to stay creative. 

Introducing… ROSL Rush Hour

In 2019, we are expanding our concert programme to include a new series called ROSL Rush Hour, at which we will present a diverse array of one-hour concerts specifically designed to help you take shelter from bustling streets of London in our beautiful Princess Alexandra Hall. 

It's Annual Music Competition time!

February and March at ROSL means it is Annual Music Competition time again! Now in its 65th year, the competition is one of the most highly regarded around and has an enviable record of identifying the finest young talent out there. Prizewinners of the competition become part of the ROSL “family” and many winners over the years have told of how they come to regard the clubhouse as a second home, for rehearsals, concerts and mentoring as they start to make their way in a tricky but rewarding industry.

Kabantu Concert Cancelled

Unfortunately the concert scheduled to take place tonight at Over-Seas House, An Evening With Kabantu, has had to be cancelled at the last minute, due to a family tragedy. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to them. 

If you have already booked a ticket, please note that refunds are being processed today and you shouldn't need to do anything. If you have any queries, please contact the ROSL ARTS team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +44 (0)20 7408 0214 ext.216.

Korimako Piano Trio Win 2018 ROSL Pettman Scholarship Audition

Following auditions held at The Piano in Christchurch on 17 and 18 November, the Korimako Piano Trio have been selected to take up the Pettman/ROSL Scholarship for a New Zealand Chamber Ensemble in 2018. 

Leonard Bernstein's 100th Anniversary Celebration

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of renowned American composer and conducter Leonard Bernstein. Known for his long career as music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, he was also a prolific composer, writing music for West Side StoryPeter Pan,CandideWonderful TownOn the Town, and On the Waterfront, among others. He also composed three symphonies and many other chamber and solo works.