Advanced Brass: Grade 6+ (ages 15+)

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