Course contact details
Main Contact
Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
Repetiteurship (Taught)
- Master of Music
- 2 Years
- Full-Time
- 20 September 2027
- Postgraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
Course summary
The application deadline for this programme is 31 January 2027
Repetiteurs are the lynchpin of an opera company. On the Repetiteurship course, you will study all the core skills needed to enter the profession. During your time at the RCS, you will play and perform in a variety of productions, concerts and opera scenes.
As a student of the MMus Repetiteurship course, you will study on the Alexander Gibson Opera School, working closely with Scottish Opera and the RCS Vocal Performance Department. The Repetiteurship course is run by Duncan Williams, a highly experienced repetiteur and teacher of national and international repute. There will be an opportunity to receive coaching from external professionals from the UK opera companies, and work on productions with highly experienced conductors.
Applicants are required to be technically proficient at the keyboard to a very high standard. You will play music of all genres from the baroque to contemporary. Students will be taught the fundamentals of repetiteurship, including how to play orchestrally, how to work with a conductor, and how to coach singers. A large part of the training will be participating in practical sessions, such as playing for language and performance classes, masterclasses, and singing lessons. The Opera Department works closely with the Conducting Department, and opportunities often arise for repetiteurs to develop conducting skills and experience, if they so wish.
Recent productions at the RCS include Die Zauberflöte, Idomeneo, The Rape of Lucretia, Cendrillon, L’étoile, Flight, Dead Man Walking, and Die Dreigroschenoper.
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Primary instrument/specialism
- Repetiteur
Modules
Course Modules
MMus Stage 1
Principal Study 1 – 80 Credits
-
Individual lessons
-
Assessment: playing for performances, excerpts
Graduate Studies 1 – 30/20/10 Credits
- Negotiated departmental activities, such as rehearsals, playing for classes and external projects
Practice Research – 10 Credits
- Research project
MMus Stage 2
Principal Study 2 – 90 Credits
-
Individual lessons
-
Assessment: playing for performances, mock audition
Graduate Studies 2 – 30/20/10 Credits
- Negotiated departmental activities, such as rehearsals, playing for classes and external projects
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/mmus-ma-repetiteurship/#programme-structure
Assessment method
More information about what the course entails can be found on our departmental webpage.
How to apply
If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
Apply by
1 October 2026
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 894F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
In addition to the general entry requirements, candidates will preferably already have:
- Some repetiteur experience at professional or near-professional level
- Broad knowledge (and performance experience) of mainstream operatic repertoire, from performance and listening
- The ability to work encouragingly and effectively with others, including as part of a larger team
- Experience of working in the context of operatic and/or musical theatre, and a knowledge of the main operatic languages (French, Italian, German) is desirable. https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/mmus-ma-repetiteurship/#entry-requirements
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Typical qualification requirements
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- Please prepare the following repertoire for your audition / recording submission: - Prepare a short, own choice piano piece (5 minutes maximum) - Prepare two operatic scenes (own choice) one of which should be from a Mozart opera, and the other from a 19th or 20th century score. The scenes should be for a minimum of two characters / voices (ie. not just arias), the Mozart scene should contain some secco recitative and candidates should be prepared to play and sing from the vocal score, preferably in the original language. - Prepare an excerpt from La Boheme Act 4 Please refer to our departmental webpage, under the 'how to apply' section, for more information about the audition: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/mmus-ma-repetiteurship/ Through audition, applicants will be required to demonstrate: - a high degree of technical competency on the instrument or voice in the service of specific repertoire - an ability to demonstrate a considerable degree of understanding of the repertoire performed - an ability to perform specific repertoire convincingly - a considerable degree of self-confidence and creativity with respect to the repertoire performed - a degree of self-sufficiency, initiative and independence in selecting, preparing and performing a particular programme - a developing musical personality
- Interview
- The interview will be held by members of the audition panel. It will explore your understanding of the demands of the programme, knowledge of repertoire, aspects of performance practice, performance experience and attitudes, and professional aspirations. You may also be invited to talk about the recording you have submitted. You may also be given a sight reading as part of this process, depending on your principal study department(s).
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | 6.0 with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 80 | Overall score of 80, with minimum scores of: Reading – 18, Listening – 17, Speaking – 20, Writing – 17 |
| PTE Academic | 59 | Overall score of 59 with a minimum of 59 in all components (reading, listening, speaking, writing) |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 169 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 169 with a minimum of 162 in all components |
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Recording | £65 |
| RCS (Glasgow) | £65 |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Recording | Not Applicable |
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not Applicable |
Additional Information
All applicants need to complete an Acceptd account profile and application regardless of which location you choose, this is part of the audition process (https://app.getacceptd.com/rcs) and needs to be completed once your UCAS application has been submitted. All live in-person auditions will be scheduled through the Acceptd platform. If you don't have an acceptd application, we won't be able to audition you. Applicants submitting performance recordings via our Acceptd platform, may be asked to a follow-up live online interview with the department you are applying for. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants (and where possible international applicants) to attend in-person. You can view the audition requirements and what to prepare for this course at the following page on our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/mmus-ma-repetiteurship/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
Fees are variable depending on the mode of study. Please consult the Conservatoire's website for more information: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/fees/
Please note, all new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
Sponsorship information
Music Scholarships
Within the School of Music, the majority of scholarship awards are made following an audition and offer of a place at the RCS. Scholarships are made based on ability and potential with some for financial need. Many School of Music scholarships are made for the duration of the programme. There is no separate scholarship application for the School of Music as everyone is automatically considered.
Related courses
At Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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