As the Royal Northern College of Music celebrates its 50th anniversary, Tom Service talks to current students at the college and former alumni - including the pianist Alexandra Dariescu and conductor Alpesh Chauhan. He meets the RNCM’s Principal, Linda Merrick, as well as the college’s archivist, Geoff Thomason, to learn more about the college’s past, the role it currently plays in the city’s musical life, and its aspirations for the future.

Formed of present and former students of the college, Tom catches-up with three members of an all-female genre-defying string quartet, Vulva Voce, to hear how their approach to repertoire and performance is winning over audiences.

With Manchester’s leading classical ensembles descending on Bridgewater Hall for a weekend-long festival celebrating the city’s rich musical heritage, Tom Service meets the Director of the BBC Philharmonic, Beth Wells; Chief Executive of the Hallé Orchestra, David Butcher; Creative Director of the Manchester Camerata, Samantha McShane; and Artistic Director & Chief Executive of the Manchester Collective, Adam Szabo.

And, Music Matters hears from the composer John Luther Adams, whose new work 'Prophecies of Stone' is set to premiere next month at the Manchester International Festival. We chat too to the biennial festival’s Director of Music, Jane Beese, about the ambitions for Manchester’s new cultural venue - Aviva Studios.