A historic music charity has received its largest ever gift in more than 200 years of existence from the widow of an influential postwar ship owner.
The Royal Academy of Music today announced a £30m donation from UK-based Norwegian philanthropist Aud Jebsen to renovate and upgrade its facilities.
It is the largest in the charity’s 203-year history and the most substantial donation ever given to an arts college outside the United States, according to the academy.
The charity received its previous record donation of £6m, from the Gatsby Chair of Musical Theatre, in 2022.
With her £30m donation, Jebsen said she was proud to support the charity, thanking her late husband Kristian Gerhard Jebsen – who founded two major shipping companies after World War II.
Simon Robey, the charity’s chair, said: “The academy could not wish for a more dedicated and extraordinary donor than Aud Jebsen.”
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, RAM principal, added: “This extraordinary gift will be game-changing in enabling us to bring our York Gate building up to the high standards set by the Susie Sainsbury Theatre and other important recent developments.”
Donation to fund building refurbishment
The Royal Academy of Music saw its fundraising income increase to £14.9m in the year to July 2024, up from about £11.2m the year prior, according to its most recently filed accounts with the Charity Commission.
Following the £30m donation, major works by Wright & Wright Architects will take place on the charity’s grade II listed regency building over the next three years.
This will also include a “top-level” acoustic refit of teaching, rehearsal and practice rooms.
The building at 1-5 York Gate will be renamed Aud Jebsen House to recognise her support.
The adjoining David Josefowitz Recital Hall will also be renovated and renamed the Aud and Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Recital Hall in honour of Jebsen and her late husband.
