Guildhall School Guide for prospective students Acting | Music | Technical Theatre www.gsmd.ac.uk Prepare for Peak Performance... This guide was published in May 2013 and is intended to provide general information only concerning the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Full and up-to-date details on all programmes and services are available on the School’s website: www.gsmd.ac.uk All programmes validated The School aims to promote equality of opportunity by City University, London through educational provision so that no student or prospective student receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of age, gender, marital status, colour, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, political or religious belief. 2 To find out more visit www.gsmd.ac.uk Acting p10 www.gsmd.ac.uk/acting Music p26 www.gsmd.ac.uk/music Technical Theatre p64 3 www.gsmd.ac.uk/technical_theatre Distinctive excellence... The modern Guildhall School is distinctive in being the only major European conservatoire which is both a music school and a drama school, and one which is pre-eminent in technical theatre, professional development and music therapy. The reputation of the teaching, and increasingly the research, across all disciplines in the School is unrivalled. Students experience working in a professional context to professional standards with an exemplary pool of outstanding artists who work with us as directors, conductors, coaches and tutors. The School’s alumni consistently succeed at the highest levels of their chosen profession. New or recently refurbished state-of-the-art facilities, including two concert halls, three theatres, spacious practice, teaching and living spaces, support and enhance the unique Guildhall experience. For over 130 years, the Guildhall School has stood as a vibrant showcase of the City of London’s commitment to education and the arts. Situated in the heart of the City, the School moved to its present premises in the Barbican in 1977, solidifying a unique link with both Europe’s largest arts and conference centre, including the Barbican Hall and the Pit Theatre, and the world-class London Symphony Orchestra: an alliance now recognised as a leading international centre for performance, training and education in the performing and visual arts. 4 To find out more visit www.gsmd.ac.uk The Guildhall School’s Campus is London and beyond... The Guildhall School enjoys a location There is an abundance of free in the very heart of one of the most entertainment on offer in London and, exciting cities in the world. Make as a student, you are entitled to the most of your training by taking concessions on virtually all entertainment advantage of the wealth of opportunities tickets, plus discounts in many shops and surrounding you. restaurants as well as major exclusive Next door to the Silk Street building discounts on important items such as is the Barbican Arts Centre with its Tube and bus travel. theatres, cinemas, concert hall, library You are a short train-ride or flight away and art gallery, home to such institutions from Europe and all the riches of those as the London Symphony Orchestra continental cities. and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The The Guildhall School comprises Guildhall School is also within easy approximately 34,000 square metres distance of the West End theatres, the over four neighbouring buildings which Royal Festival Hall, National Theatre on are continually updated and enhanced. the South Bank, the Globe Theatre, Tate The School now boasts five major Modern and all the major galleries. public performance venues equipped to showcase the work of its students. To find out more visit www.gsmd.ac.uk 5 Exciting new facilities The Silk Street building was purpose-built in 1977 and is attached to the Barbican Centre. Facilities in this venue include a 196-seat Music Hall, 80-seat Lecture Recital Room, and a 308-seat Theatre, all of which are open to the public. In addition, there is a Studio Theatre, 41 teaching/practice rooms, electronic music studios, recording and sound studios, the Students’ Common Room and IT facilities. Milton Court, the School’s new development, is virtually across the road from the Silk Street building. It houses additional world-class performance facilities: a 608-seat concert hall, a 227-seat training theatre, a studio theatre, 3 major rehearsal rooms, a TV studio suite, and space for teaching, office and support services. All the spaces in Milton Court have been built to exceptionally high specifications and utilise state-of-the-art, professional standard technical facilities. 6 To find out more visit www.gsmd.ac.uk The location of the School within the‘ City of London and being close to London’s thriving theatre life (not least, through our ties with the Barbican Centre) is a great advantage, especially as an international student looking to begin my career in the UK. Karin Singh, BA Technical Theatre Arts’ To find out more visit www.gsmd.ac.uk 7 Life at the Guildhall School Student Affairs Library The Student Affairs team is committed to the The Library aims to provide students with a comfortable, general well-being of the students and in helping supportive and welcoming environment. Its staff all them fulfil their potential during their time at the have a specialist knowledge of, and an interest in, music School. It provides a supportive environment to assist or drama. Lending facilities include books on music, students in making the most of their student life and theatre, drama criticism, stagecraft, costume, and offers a valued and comprehensive range of support music therapy. There is also a comprehensive collection services designed to meet their academic and welfare of plays, poetry, scores, sets of chamber music parts, needs. Services include provision of counselling and CD and DVDs. E-resources including New Grove support, health and welfare advice, physiotherapy, Online, RILM, RISM, RIPM, Music Index, the Performing disability support (including learning support for Arts Online, Credo Reference, JSTOR, the Encyclopedia dyslexic students), English for speakers of other Britannica and the Catalogue of Printed Music are also languages, financial advice, accommodation and available for searching. The Guildhall School was the international student support. The office is situated in first conservatoire in the UK to offer its students and the School’s hall of residence, Sundial Court. staff access to both Naxos and Classical Music Library web-streaming services, via state-of-the-art audio terminals in the Library. 8 To find out more visit www.gsmd.ac.uk IT Facilities Accommodation The School’s Information Technology department’s Sundial Court, the School’s hall of residence, is core purpose is to provide up-to-date and reliable located in Chiswell Street, just around the corner computing resources, empowering the Guildhall from the main Silk Street building. Sundial Court School community to make effective use of has 177 bedrooms in thirty-nine flats, each with technologies. The main IT area in the Students’ either three, four, five or six bedrooms. Common Room provides a number of PCs and A3 Local amenities, including supermarkets, bars, colour printer-photocopiers for use by students, all of restaurants and sports facilities are all within easy which are linked to the School’s file and mail servers. walking distance. Two underground stations are Additional facilities are also available throughout the within minutes of the residence. Underneath the School. Wireless access points are situated around the accommodation is the Basement, which houses the School and there is a wired network in the Sundial School Bar, a self-serve laundry, practice rooms and Court hall of residence. a communal television room. Studio Resources The Guildhall School’s recording studio incorporates an advanced industry standard Pro Tools recording and production system, complemented by a comprehensive microphone collection. The studio itself houses a Steinway B piano recently refurbished and specially voiced for the studio, and can accommodate small to medium-sized chamber, jazz and contemporary ensembles. It is used for workshops, demo sessions, portfolio recordings, radio drama work and CD production to fully professional Sundial Court standards. There is also provision for producing demo DVDs, both in the recording studio and in the performance spaces. Security is provided 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. With only 177 rooms, it is not possible to offer a Students’ Union place at Sundial Court to every student. However, The Guildhall School Students’ Union actively every attempt is made to provide accommodation for represents students throughout their time at the first year undergraduate students. All those offered a School. Led by a full-time President, elected annually, place at the Guildhall School are welcome to apply. the Union acts as a channel of communication Further information on halls of residence, hostels between the student and staff bodies. In addition, and external accommodation, including details of the Union acts as a point of contact between private lodgings, rooms to rent in shared houses students and relevant external bodies. From its and details of local letting agencies, may be obtained office in the School, the Union offers advice on from the Student Life Officer. a wide range of topics, and can provide useful information on the Guildhall, its surrounding area, Full details about Sundial Court and external and student life. accommodation options will be sent