Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes 16|17 16/17 INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY DISCIPLINE Royal Conservatoire Conservatoire Royal of Scotland Scotland 784 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND 195 POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS STUDIED WITH US IN 2013/14 16/17 CONTENTS WELCOME TO OUR CONSERVATOIRE 05 Welcome 40 Dance 06 What you need to know 44 Drama 08 Our experts 58 Music 12 Our partners 78 Production 16 Campus and facilities 84 Screen 18 Location 88 Learning and Teaching Royal Conservatoire Conservatoire Royal Student life Research 24 96 Glasgow is one of the greatest cities for the arts and we are RCS is very much part of the local community, using art to proud to have the conservatoire of the future located here. transform the lives of people in Glasgow – whether this is locally through community arts projects or on an international of I am so pleased you want to continue your artistic education and Scotland Scotland Graduate destinations How to apply you are considering studying with us at the Royal Conservatoire stage such as performing at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth 34 98 of Scotland. There is an innovative energy here at RCS that Games. We are national, representing the cultural distinctiveness will inspire, transform and prepare you, as well as educate and of our nation, and we are international in our reach – attracting nurture your individual artistic voice. students from across the globe to benefit from our unique Open days artistic education and projecting our work in the great cities RCS is a community of artists. Our collaborative curriculum and communities around the world. 102 encourages a sense of community and allows space where new work can be created and performed within your own We are the only UK conservatoire to offer excellence across the discipline or across the multiple art forms we excel in. All of performing arts disciplines of dance, drama, music, production our teaching staff are leaders in their respective fields with and screen. As such, our experience is unique, brimming with years of educational experience to guide your learning. possibility, and primed to help you become artistic leaders. I hope to welcome you here as a student in the future. Every day RCS is filled with thoughtful, disciplined work from our students and staff. We learn through our journey of study “The RCS experience is unique, Jeffrey Sharkey and reflection, through preparing for performances and by Principal brimming with possibility and sharing work in our multitude of halls and performing venues primed to help you to become the each year. artistic leaders of the future.” We are embedded in Glasgow and Scotland, partnering with Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal all the national companies and every major arts organisation. As the only conservatoire for the nation, you will benefit directly from the many professional artists that come to Scotland – you will watch them perform, learn from them in masterclasses and guest lectures, and be inspired by their artistry. 04 05 WHY WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW RCS ? With just under 1,000 students learning across two locations, specialising in five different art forms, RCS is oozing with innovative ideas, creative performances and a mass of talent. If you want to cut through the noise, here are some essential things you need to know about RCS. 1. Performance is everything 3. You get more contact time Our whole curriculum is built around performance, ensuring with your tutor than at any other we equip you with the skills to be the best performer you UK conservatoire can be. Every year we hold over 500 performances across our We have one of the highest staff-student ratios of any conservatoire five professional venues, making us the busiest performing in the UK. If you’re a music student here, you will receive a arts centre in the whole of Scotland. 90-minute individual lesson each week on your principal As well as performing in RCS, you will also have the opportunity study. And if you have a second instrument – you’ll get another to perform in a range of external venues throughout your time 30-minute individual lesson every week. This makes RCS the here, taking to the stage at other UK theatres, festivals, concert UK’s leading conservatoire for individual music tuition. halls and industry events. Some of the performance highlights of the past year include: 4. Glasgow is the best place for Royal Conservatoire Conservatoire Royal | MA Classical and Contemporary Text students artists to work in Scotland performing Love’s Labour’s Lost at As the unofficial capital of Scotland, Glasgow is the epicentre Shakespeare’s Globe, London for the nation’s leading performing arts companies and is home | Music students playing alongside Nicola Benedetti and to BBC Scotland, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, Playwrights’ the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Chennai, Studio Scotland and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. of This means our students are ideally placed in Glasgow to work Scotland Scotland Delhi and Mumbai with industry experts on our doorstep. Glasgow is also home | BA Acting and BA Production Arts and Design students to dozens of theatres, performing arts venues and music halls touring their production of Coriolanus to St. Petersburg and is renowned for its love and celebration of culture. | BA Digital Film and TV students premiering their films on the big screen at Cineworld 5. We love to collaborate 2. Our tutors are seriously good From the second you walk in the door, you will be collaborating with your fellow students – across all the art forms. RCS is a Some of the industry’s best performers and educators work unique environment where you will have countless opportunities here. Our specialist tutors are all practising professionals in their to collaborate and create new work. From the annual, cross- own industry so you can learn from their experience as well disciplinary Bridge Week Festival to working in partnership as benefit from their knowledge and contacts. You’ll also learn with the national companies on collective projects – your from the huge array of visiting artists who visit RCS regularly artistic voice will be developed and nurtured. to teach masterclasses. In recent years, our visiting artists have included Donald Runnicles, Peter Manning, Nicola 6. Our graduates work Benedetti, Matthew Bourne, Paul Laverty and Billy Boyd. Benefitting from the strong working partnerships with the national companies and industry leaders, our graduates work in their field upon completing their studies. Across each discipline, graduates achieve notable success – with many students securing work or apprenticeships before they finish their studies. In the School of Music, 99% of our undergraduate students are employed or in further study (HESA, 12/13). 06 07 OUR Flautist Katherine Bryan has been What is a typical working day like for you? performing to international audiences Mostly pretty crazy! If I’m rehearsing for a full day with E the RSNO, I sometimes teach for a few hours afterwards. X since she was just 15 years old. At the It’s amazing, I can be totally exhausted but the moment a PERTS young age of 21, Katherine was appointed student comes in, it’s like a caffeine shot! Trying to then fit Principal Flute with the Royal Scottish K B in some practise time for myself can be challenging, but often National Orchestra – a position she still necessary, so it usually gets squeezed in at the end of the day. holds whilst performing globally and teaching at RCS. What’s been your career highlight to date? Giving the Scottish premiere of American composer You have been teaching at RCS for nine years. Christopher Rouse’s Flute Concerto. A relatively unknown A R What is it you enjoy most about teaching? piece in the UK, but I couldn’t have wished for a better I love seeing a student improve over the course of our lessons, response. To feel you have successfully sold a new piece but it’s not just about that; to see a student embrace an idea to audiences is a wonderful feeling. and run with it is just fantastic for any teacher. I really enjoy discussing concepts with students and seeing them get You’ve studied at music schools in the UK and US, inspired by the pieces we work on together. including Juilliard. What is it about the RCS School of Music that is different from other institutions? T Y Music students receive a 90-minute lesson each The number of students here isn’t too large so there are lots week on their principal study – 30 minutes more of opportunities for everyone, and also a great camaraderie than any other UK conservatoire offers. How much between students. They are very supportive of one another. difference does this extra individual teaching There is a great atmosphere at RCS – it’s like a big family. time make to a student? People go out of their way to help each other, both staff Extra time to build a strong, trusting relationship with a and students. Also, it is easier to gain access to Scottish- H A teacher is something I valued hugely when I was a student. based professional musicians. The proximity of RCS to all of There is always so much to get through, so 90 minutes is Scotland’s national companies and Glasgow’s cultural wonderful, especially in the first couple of years of study. It’s events means making contacts is easy. nice to have more time to discuss ideas and work on things properly. I usually go into a lot of detail during lessons, so it’s What are you looking for in a potential music student? good not to be rushed, and give the student time to Enthusiasm, openness, and a good work ethic.