Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
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Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
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Music Performance (Taught)
- AAD
- 1 Years
- Full-time
- 21/09/2026
- Postgraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
- Awarded by:
- University of St Andrews
Course summary
This one-year programme is designed to enable singers and instrumentalists to make a significant and original contribution to their chosen artistic sphere, and demonstrate outstanding public performance skills commensurate with those of a professional artist. Instrumentalists follow the performance route detailed here; an opera strand is available to students who wish to pursue that specialism.
The performance strand will offer you the time and space to develop your artistry through a largely autonomous programme of study, supported by supervision in the principal study. You will have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of School of Music activities alongside the wider artistic environment of the Conservatoire, as well as the chance to present two significant public performances. The Advanced Artist Diploma is a doctoral level award validated by the University of St Andrews at SCQF level 12, equivalent to level 8 on the FHEQ.
The AdvArtDip is available to performers in the following disciplines:
*All string, woodwind and brass instruments, solo, chamber or orchestral
*Guitar and harp
*Timpani and percussion, including marimba
*Piano solo and collaborative, harpsichord, organ, accordion
*Traditional performance
*Jazz performance
It is not available for Conducting, Composition, Piano for Dance, or Repetiteurship.
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.
This programme is subject to validation
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:
Main specialism
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
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
- Accordion (classical)
- Bassoon
- Bodhran
- Button Accordion (Traditional Music)
- Cello
- Cello (Jazz)
- Cello (Traditional Music)
- Clarinet
- Clarinet (Jazz)
- Collaborative Piano
- Cornet
- Double Bass
- Double Bass (Jazz)
- Drumkit (Jazz)
- Electric bass (jazz)
- Euphonium
- Fiddle
- Flute
- Flute (Jazz)
- Flute (Traditional Music)
- Gaelic Song
- Guitar (Classical)
- Guitar (Jazz)
- Guitar (Traditional Music)
- Harp
- Harpsichord
- Horn (French)
- Horn (Tenor)
- Mandolin (Traditional Music)
- Marimba
- Oboe
- Organ
- Percussion (Orchestral) & Timpani
- Piano
- Piano (Jazz)
- Piano (Traditional Music)
- Piano Accordion (Traditional Music)
- Pipe Band Snare Drum
- Saxophone (Alto)
- Saxophone (Jazz)
- Scots Song
- Scottish Harp
- Trombone (Alto)
- Trombone (Bass)
- Trombone (Jazz)
- Trombone (Tenor)
- Trumpet
- Trumpet (Jazz)
- Tuba
- Vibraphone (Jazz)
- Viola
- Violin
- Violin (Jazz)
- Voice (Alto)
- Voice (Baritone)
- Voice (Bass)
- Voice (Bass-Baritone)
- Voice (Contralto)
- Voice (Counter-Tenor)
- Voice (Jazz)
- Voice (Mezzo-Soprano)
- Voice (Soprano)
- Voice (Tenor)
- Whistle
Modules
Please see our website for more details about the programme
Assessment method
Please see our website for more details about the programme
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
2 October
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:
- 446F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 50 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire.
Entry requirements
Candidates for the Advanced Artist Diploma (Performance) are normally expected to hold an existing Masters degree in a subject area relevant to the demands of the programme, or its overseas equivalent.
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- Interview
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 |
More information about our language requirements can be found at the weblink. https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
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/
All new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
Please note, all tuition fees per year are subject to an annual review.
Sponsorship information
Please note, this programme is not eligible for government funding, so must be self-funded by the applicant. Internal scholarship opportunities may be possible, but it is rare and will be based on case-by-case circumstances.
More information can be found at: www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/scholarships/
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