Music Performance - Joint Principal Study (Taught)

The MA Joint Principal Study (JPS) degree is intended for exceptional students who are capable of performing at masters level in more than one discipline. Your study will be shared between two departments, with both individual lessons and supporting classes split between disciplines.

Possible combinations include:

• Two instruments from different families within the performance strand, e.g. piano and cello

• Two genres, such as jazz and traditional music; jazz and (classical) performance; or traditional music and (classical) performance

• Two disciplines, such as composition and percussion

The following strands are self-contained specialisms, and may not be combined with another strand as part of a JPS route:\

• Chamber Music\
• Conducting\
• Performance and Pedagogy\
• Performance and Musicology\
• Piano for Dance\
• Repetiteurship

The following cases do not constitute joint principal study:#

• Students pursuing two instruments within the same family e.g. violin and viola, piano and harpsichord, flute and piccolo, and similar doublings

• Jazz and Traditional students who both perform and compose as part of their discipline

Acceptance onto the Joint Principal Study strand is exceptional, and is only offered to students who are able to demonstrate the requisite level of skill and commitment across both areas.

Overseas Applicants
We will be holding auditions at venues across the world, but audition requirements AND application deadline dates will change depending on your principal study and where you are applying to. We will be operating a pre-screening process for some instrumental departments. Full information on our locations, dates and requirements can be found on our website. Please check this prior to applying.

All international applicants and those that are submitting a recording must also include a spoken introduction recording that is separate from your instrumental performance. This must be submitted to your Acceptd application by the relevant application deadline for where you are auditioning.
All recorded submissions should contain a spoken introduction in English. Please tell us:

• Your name

• A bit about your musical background and training you’ve had till now

• Your musical ambitions

• Your reasons for applying to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

• This video should be no longer than 3 minutes long and separate to your performance video

Our overseas auditions will consist of one panel member and will also be recorded for review by the relevant department.
• Please note for live overseas auditions, we cannot guarantee that a member of our teaching staff for your specific discipline will be on the panel.
• All applicants will need to provide their own instruments (except piano).
• All applicants will need to provide their own accompanist for overseas auditions.

Course Modules

MA Stage 1

Principal Study 1 – 80 credits

• Individual lessons divided between departments as negotiated

• 4 negotiated performance assessments, normally two for each discipline

Graduate Studies 1 – 30/20/10 credits

• Negotiated departmental activities, such as performance classes, coaching, languages and masterclasses

Practice Research – 10 credits

• Research project

Options – 0/10/20 credits

• Range of optional classes drawn from School of Music, School of Stage and Screen, and School of Dance

MA Stage 2

Negotiated Study – 60 credits

• Individual composition, performance or academic project

https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/mmus-ma-joint-principal-study/#programme-structure

Please see our website for more information