Advanced Brass: Grade 6+ (ages 15+)
Summer School for Children and Young People
Page Navigation
Overview
Spend a week learning from the very best brass performers in the country with lecturer in Brass, Mark Reynolds. Students will refine their solo, chamber and orchestral performance throughout the week.
This intensive summer school is designed for enthusiastic brass players who want to develop high level performance skills and learn in a conservatoire setting.
This course aims to develop in the individual brass player the importance of a whole mind and body approach to communicating music through their instrument.
Throughout the summer school you will be supported by RCS staff, as well as historians and teachers of brass. The summer school is distinctive in relation to the quality of coaching that will be provided by players and teachers who have reached the highest levels of performance and education in the music industry.
We are seeking a wide variety of brass players to join this specialist summer school. We hope to welcome brass instrumentalists from around the world to join us in Glasgow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
To apply for this course you should have reached a minimum playing ability of ABRSM Grade 6 or equivalent in order to fully benefit from this intensive summer school.
The course will culminate in an informal sharing of work for family and friends on the final day.
If you have any questions in advance of booking, please contact us at summerschools@rcs.ac.uk
The important details
Age:
13+
Cost:
£335
Date:
8 - 12 July 2024
Time:
Monday - Friday, 10am - 5pm
Venue:
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Course Information
- How to Apply
- Course Outline
- Entry Requirements
- Course Preparation
- Term Dates
- Indicative Schedule
- Teaching Staff
- Summer Accommodation
There is no deadline to apply, however booking is first come, first serve – so we recommend applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Please see Entry Requirements tab for further information about the supporting materials which are required for application.
Payment of the balance of the tuition fee is payable once applicants have been notified that they have been successful in their application to the course and completed their booking.
The style of engagement of this brass summer school will be intimate and informal but demanding.
The structure of the course is based around daily performance classes and masterclasses with specialist teachers.
As well as individual one-to-one lessons and masterclasses, you will have time for personal practice and ensemble rehearsal. An informal concert will take place at the end of the summer school.
During this course you will:
- achieve a greater awareness of the physical aspects of playing a brass instrument
- deepen your understanding of the communication skills needed by the player
- broaden your knowledge of the repertory available to each instrument from its origin
- enhance your experiences of ensemble playing skills
- gain greater confidence in performing for an audience
As well as concentrating on musical and physical awareness, you will explore the repertoire the various instruments inhabit and sometimes share.
The history of each instrument and the effect of that history on the development of each instrument and its repertory will also be explored.
Students are required to submit a short (3-4 minutes) recording which best demonstrates their current playing level in advance of being accepted to the summer school.
Recordings can be uploaded to your online application form as an unlisted YouTube link or mp3. This can be done using your mobile phone, tablet or any hand held recording device. No need to worry about recording quality, it is to access whether this course is best suited to your current level.
We recommend that students playing a minimum level of Grade 6 (ABRSM or equivalent) would benefit most from this summer school.
Students who would benefit from this course may be:
- a student preparing for music college entry exams
- a music education student who is planning a career in a performance setting
- a career music enthusiast wishing to enhance their musical experience by working with the Royal conservatoire of Scotland as part of a professional development experience
Please prepare one piece of solo repertoire with a piano part to work on in your lesson and masterclasses. These should be prepared as fully as possible to allow teachers to work with you on advanced technique and musicality.
For daily practice, bring loose and comfortable clothes in which you are happy that you can move freely.
This course will take place Monday, 8 July – Friday, 12 July, from 10am – 5pm.
There will be small sharing for invited family/friends on the Friday afternoon.
The following is an example schedule of the Brass summer school. Please note, some of the content may be liable to change.
- 10am — 10:30am – Instrumental warm-up session
- 10:30am — 12:30pm – Individual lessons/Masterclass
- 12:30pm — 1:30pm – Lunch
- 1:30pm — 2:30pm – Lecture
- 2:30pm — 3:30pm – Small chamber ensembles
- 4pm — 5pm – Large ensemble
Tony George has had a varied career in many different aspects of brass performing and teaching.
Tony has performed and recorded with Modern Orchestras such as the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the London Mozart Players as well as many period instrument orchestras throughout Europe, most notably the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestra of the 18th Century and the Gabrieli Ensemble. Tony is also a member of the Wallace Collection and has taught and devised courses at the RCM, GSMD, RAM and the RCS as well as giving masterclasses at the RWCMD and RNCM.
As well as being a performer, Tony is actively involved in research, publications of authentic editions of music and has also become involved in the development of brass instruments and innovative mutes for both tenor and bass tubas.
Mark Reynolds studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and it was during this time that he was chosen to play with the Jeunesses Musicales World Youth Orchestra and became a founding member of the World Brass Ensemble.
He then moved to Munich to pursue his postgraduate studies at the Richard Strauss Konservatorium. Whilst there he performed with, amongst others, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Bavarian State Radio Orchestra, Bavarian State Opera, German Chamber Orchestra Bremen and Ensemble Modern, culminating in 1999 when he was the first tuba player to be offered a position in the prestigious Munich Philharmonic Orchestra Academy. In 2001, he was appointed principal Tuba of the Royal Philharmonic of Flanders, Antwerp. He has frequently performed as a soloist, including numerous performances of the Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto with various ensembles. February 2009 saw him move with his family back to his beloved Highlands of Scotland, where he teaches and conducts in Fort William for High Life Highland.
In 2017 he received the International Travelling Scholarship to The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, awarded by the Scottish Concert Band Festival. Mark continues to perform regularly with orchestras and ensembles both in Scotland and in Europe and in 2023 he started in his new role as Lecturer in Brass at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He is also a member of the International Tuba and Euphonium Professional Educators Committee which advises the international low brass community on a wide range of pedagogical matters.
Summer Accommodation
We are pleased to welcome students from across the world to our Summer Schools. Our course fees do not include accommodation or food, and these should be organised by the student. Our campus is located in Glasgow city centre, and you can find the addresses below.
We recommend Base Glasgow, as purpose-built accommodation for Conservatoire students, with Rehearsal Rooms, Practice spaces and Dance Studios. Base Glasgow is perfectly suited for our summer school students; both safe and secure, with 24/7 staff presence and only 3 mins walk from our main Renfrew Street building, keeping travel costs to a minimum.
Classic En-Suite rooms come with a 3/4 bed, en-suite bathroom, ample storage, mirror, study desk and chair. The shared area includes a spacious lounge and kitchen area.
Please note that Short Courses staff are not affiliated with BASE or on site outwith the summer school teaching hours, and therefore cannot take responsibility for students outside of these hours.
For more information about booking accommodation at BASE Glasgow you can contact them directly via website BASE – Student Accommodation in Glasgow or email baseglasgow@herestudents.com.
Alternatively, there are plenty of hotels, hostels, and b’n’b options available. We are located close to transport links should you wish to stay outside the city centre. If you are travelling to Glasgow for a course, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers course fees, travel, accommodation, and cancellations due to COVID-19 – as RCS will not refund in this circumstance. You can view the Cancellations and Refund policy for full information.
For students under 18 years old, we strongly advise travelling with a responsible adult should any emergency situations arise during class. Students are only monitored by staff during class times.
Renfrew Street Campus: 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Wallace Studios Campus: 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow, G4 9RR
Further Information
We want to ensure as many children, young people and adult learners as possible can access the performing and production arts education that is offered through Short Courses at RCS. Financial support options available for Short Courses include:
Agnes Allan Bursary
Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.
The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.
Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.
James McAvoy Drama Scholarships
BAFTA-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.
James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.
The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.
You can find more information about these funds on our Financial Support page.
We run various promotional offers for our Short Courses and Summer Schools. You can view our current offers on our Promotional Offers page.
You should contact us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk to request your discount code before booking a course.
Please note, only one promotional offer can be applied per course and should be used at the time of booking as we are unable to apply a discounts retrospectively.
Please see our Short Course FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course.
Please see our Short Courses – Terms and Conditions for more information about your contract with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Cancellation and Refund policies.
Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates of courses, offers and news from Short Courses. You can do this by completing this short online form found here.
Short Courses
shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk
Summer Schools
summerschools@rcs.ac.uk
Credit-Rated
credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk
Bursary and Scholarship
bursaryscholarship@rcs.ac.uk