Recognising the challenge and expense of staging dance with live music, the RPS Drummond Lockyer Fund for Dance enables practitioners to activate plans that may not otherwise have been possible, exploring new collaborations and sharing vibrant new creations with audiences.

The fund began life in 2007 as the RPS Drummond Fund in memory of the writer, broadcaster and lifelong dance aficionado Sir John Drummond CBE. In the years since, it has supported a range of collaborations between composers and choreographers, as detailed here. It was set up by John’s long term partner Bob Lockyer OBE, himself a major force in British dance for decades. Sadly Bob died in 2022 and you can read our tribute to him here. In recognition of all Bob himself did, and his relationship with John, the fund now bears a new name: the RPS Drummond Lockyer Fund for Dance. A generous gift from Bob’s Will has also replenished the fund so that we can continue supporting composers and choreographers for some years to come.

This year, we are pleased to support four projects through our Performance funding stream. This includes two projects supported by the Research and Development stream of the fund in 2024 – Caught Again in the Net of Rebirth and TELLUS – as well two we are newly supporting this year – Dance:Music and Gentleman Jack. We are excited to see them brought to the stage to be shared with audiences.

Details of the composers and choreographers we are supporting are listed below, and you can discover more about the four exciting projects they are working on here.

Caught Again in the Net of Rebirth
Torben Sylvest composer and Chandenie Gobardhan choreographer

Dance:Music
Devon Bonelli composer and Kevin Turner choreographer
Company Chameleon

Gentleman Jack
Peter Salem composer and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa choreographer
Northern Ballet

TELLUS
Dickson Mbi composer and choreographer
Dickson Mbi Company

Applications for the next round of grants from the RPS Drummond Lockyer Fund for Dance will be announced in mid-January 2026 on our website. We are committed to supporting a diverse range of music-makers in all our charitable activities, and are particular keen to encourage and welcome more women composers to apply for this fund next year.

The Royal Philharmonic Society – a registered charity – has been at the heart of music for over 200 years, creating opportunities for musicians to excel, and championing the vital role that music plays in all our lives.

Through our programme of grants, commissions, professional development and performance opportunities, we help many performers and composers overcome barriers to progress and fulfil their potential. Through the annual RPS Awards – described by The Sunday Times as ‘the biggest night in UK classical music’ – we celebrate musical accomplishments UK-wide and tell a vital story of what music-makers do for the benefit of others. Through RPS Membership and our new talks and events, we aim to cultivate greater pride and curiosity in classical music. Through all our endeavours, we are dedicated to proving classical music’s rightful and powerful place in society.

To discover more about how you can join our cause, click here.