Timpani and Percussion Department (Undergraduate)
Timpani & Percussion is a vibrant department where you can develop your style as a percussionist, collaborate with experienced teachers, and gain the experience you need for your future career.
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Overview
The Timpani and Percussion department is a close-knit and supportive environment where collaboration with your teachers and visiting professionals is prioritised. We offer a wide range of performing opportunities that are key in preparing you for a career in professional music.
Our teaching staff are all top-level performers with considerable experience performing in the UK, Europe and further afield. You will receive weekly lessons split between timpani and percussion. We have weekly orchestral repertoire classes, and everyone receives regular tuition in drum kit and Latin percussion with visiting lecturer Dave Hassell and in marimba playing with international marimba consultant Eric Sammut.
The recent appointment of international percussion soloist Colin Currie as RCS Associate Artist has given our percussion students a fantastic opportunity to learn from Colin’s vast experience during his RCS ensemble projects and receive one-to-one percussion coaching with him.
There are regular performing opportunities in RCS orchestras and ensembles, encompassing symphonic, opera, chamber orchestra and contemporary repertoire. Collaboration is encouraged. You can work directly with composers to create new music or play in musical theatre productions. There are excellent side-by-side schemes with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, with whom you can experience playing with and learning from world-class players and conductors.
The RCS has a large and growing collection of percussion and timpani available for all your study, tuition and performances in the RCS. We are now anticipating the arrival of two new sets of Lefima pedal timpani, equipped with calf heads and Berlin-style pedals. This will enhance the conservatoire’s collection of baroque, classical and plastic-headed timpani to make sure our students have the best opportunity to prepare for the wide range of timpani encountered in orchestras and auditions worldwide.
We will enable each student to find their playing style and prepare them for a musical career in which versatile performance skills are combined with the ability to collaborate confidently.
The important details
UK Applicant Deadline:
2 October 2025
International Applicant Deadline:
1 December 2025
Course Start Date:
21 September 2026
Institution Code:
R58
Programme Code:
Performance - 300F OR Joint Principal Study - 301F
Audition Fee:
£65
Application Fee:
£28.95
Why Study Timpani & Percussion With Us?
Dedicated Staff & Small Class Sizes
You will learn from teaching staff who play at the highest level and toured internationally as members of orchestras. Our small class sizes offer you maximal access to practice facilities and ensembles.
Focused Learning Experiences
You will receive 40.5 hours of principal study tuition and supporting studies classes each academic year. These lessons are split between percussion and timpani. Throughout your studies, staff will provide you with bespoke feedback. In addition, weekly orchestral repertoire classes and regular performance classes prepare you to collaborate and learn from your peers.
Collaborative Performances
The programme offers collaborative activities such as performing in the RCS Plug Festival. You will work directly with musicians and composers across the RCS community to create new solo music and play in musical theatre productions, ensembles, symphonic, chamber, opera, wind orchestra and brass groups.
Professional Connections & Practice Spaces
International percussion artists will deliver masterclasses to you and throughout your studies. You will connect with professionals in a supportive environment through our side-by-side schemes with Scotland’s leading orchestras. Further, our three dedicated timpani and percussion studios and collection of high-quality instruments provide you with the space and tools to hone your craft.
Meet the Staff
Additional Teaching Staff by Instrument
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Timpani
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Percussion
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Special Consultants
Masterclasses
As part of our Timpani and Percussion course you will take part in different clinics, workshops, and masterclasses with visiting lecturers we welcome from around the world.
Some of these Masterclasses include:
- Colin Currie – International Percussion Soloist and Clinician
- Sam Walton – Eminent Percussionist
- Birger Sulsbrück – Internationally Renowned Cuban Percussion Expert
- Leigh Howard Stevens – Internationally Famous Marimbist and Clinician
- Yasmin Kolberg – Internationally celebrated Marimbist and Clinician
- Kroumata – long established Swedish percussion ensemble
- Dame Evelyn Glennie – International Percussion Soloist
- Joe Locke – World -renowned Jazz Vibraphonist
- David Searcy – Principal Timpanist La Scala Milan and International Clinician
- Simon Carrington – Principal Timpanist The London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Keith Aleo – Avedis Zildjian Company
- Neil Grover – Boston Symphony orchestra
- Neil Percy – Principal Percussion London Symphony Orchestra
- Louise Goodwin – Principal Timpanist Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Facilities
The timpani and percussion department comprises three large studios for exclusive use by timpani and percussion students, equipped with a huge collection of timpani and percussion instruments. We can accommodate the practice of all percussion disciplines with ease within these rooms, from snare drum solos to complex multi-percussion setups. The imminent arrival of two sets of Lefima pedal timpani with calf skins will add to our collection of baroque, classical and modern timpani, matching the wide range of instruments encountered in professional orchestras in Scotland and beyond – this is also increasingly important when preparing for timpani auditions worldwide.
RCS has excellent performance spaces, where you will gain experience performing with RCS’s orchestras and ensembles in addition to solo and chamber music performances in percussion concerts and recital examinations. RCS has excellent recording facilities and a superb music library.
Graduate Destinations
The Timpani and Percussion department has a long-established tradition of producing graduates who hold prominent positions both in the UK and abroad.
Alumni include:
- Louis Abbott – Admiral Fallow
- June Binnie – Sinfonia Finlandia
- Richard Buckley – Orquestra Sinfonica Portuguesa
- Ruari Donaldson – Scottish Opera
- Alan Emslie – Baroque specialist
- James Gorman – Freelance, currently on the UK tour of Evita
- John Poulter – Royal Scottish National Orchestra
- Gordon Rigby – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- Philip Hague – Admiral Fallow
- Calum Huggan – First British student accepted onto the Advanced Solo Marimba course at the Royal College of Music
- Tom Hunter – Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
- Alasdair Kelly – Bologna Opera
- David Lyons – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- Kate Openshaw – Camerata Ireland
- Louise Paterson – Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Sevilla
- Martin Willis – Scottish Ballet
Programme Structure
The programme structure for your studies will depend on whether you choose to undertake [instrument] principal study as part of BMus (Hons) Performance or BMus (Hons) Joint Principal Study. The content and modules for each programme are available on their respective pages:
How to Apply
More information about how to apply, including entry requirements and tuition fee & funding information, is available on either our BMus (Hons) Performance page, or BMus (Hons) Joint Principal Study page, depending on which pathway you are interested in. The specific audition requirements for this principal study are detailed below:
Audition Information
In-person auditions are planned to take place at various locations across the world. Should you apply on time, an audition time slot will be sent to you via Acceptd. You must create an Acceptd account and submit an Acceptd application regardless of your audition location. An interview will form part of your audition; this is a chance for the panel to find out more about you and is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the programme.
Audition Repertoire
Undergraduate Timpani and Percussion applicants are asked to present the following at their audition:
- Tuned percussion: One piece of your own choice, minimum grade 8 standard ; 2 or 4 mallet
- Snare drum: One piece/study of your own choice, minimum grade 8 standard
- Timpani: Nick Woud, Symphonic Studies for Timpani – No. 16 or 18 or 24 or 29 (This book is available from Southern Percussion)
Glasgow Auditions
Our Glasgow auditions will take place at RCS from 3-7 November 2025.
All in-person auditions will be given a twenty-minute warm up slot prior to their audition. Please see the audition repertoire requirements above for guidance on what to perform in your audition.
Overseas Auditions
Audition Dates:
- Singapore, November 2026, Location TBC
- Qingdao, November 2025, The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao (specific audition dates to be confirmed)
- Seoul, 29 November 2025, Rene Music Hall
- Los Angeles, 24 & 25 January 2026, Location TBC
- Chicago, 27 & 28 January 2026, Location TBC
- New York, 30 & 31 January 2026, Location TBC
- Toronto, January 2026, Location TBC (specific audition dates to be confirmed)
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 pianist for overseas auditions.
Deadlines:
- Qingdao, Singapore and Seoul: UCAS Conservatoires applications and Acceptd submissions must be submitted by 2 October 2025.
- Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Toronto: UCAS Conservatoires applications and Acceptd submissions must be submitted by 1 December 2025.
Recorded Auditions
We highly recommend that you audition for us live in person in Glasgow or at one of our overseas locations, as this will give you an opportunity to meet some of the teaching staff here at RCS. However, if you are unable to attend an audition at one of our overseas locations please select the Recorded Submission option your application.
Following review of the recorded submission, applicants may be invited to a live online audition/interview at the discretion of the relevant Head of Department. You may be asked to perform additional repertoire or complete a small aural task as part of this process. If you are recalled, further details and meeting links will be sent to you.
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.
Your recorded submission must be submitted to Acceptd by the relevant application deadline. You can read our guidance and top tips for recording your audition on School of Music Recorded Audition Guidelines
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the audition process for your relevant location, you can contact us at the following:
- Glasgow & Recorded Submissions: hello@rcs.ac.uk
- Qingdao: chinaauditions@rcs.ac.uk
- Seoul: koreaauditions@rcs.ac.uk
- Singapore: singaporeauditions@rcs.ac.uk
- LA / Chicago / NYC: usaauditions@rcs.ac.uk
- Toronto: canadaauditions@rcs.ac.uk
More from the Timpani & Percussion Department
Timpani and Percussion Performance Work
Watch our Timpani and Percussion students in an edited selection of performance work.
Ambassador for Timpani and Percussion: David Kerr
Learn about our Ambassador for Timpani and Percussion: David Kerr
Book a music advice lesson
One-to-one Principal-Study lessons are at the heart of any conservatoire course. An advice lesson here at RCS gives you the chance to experience the RCS working environment and assess your suitability for conservatoire education. It can also be used as a mock/advice audition.
Why RCS?
We are the only place in Europe where you can study all of the performing arts on the one campus. There is a distinctive creative energy at RCS and you’ll be made to feel part of our inclusive and diverse environment from the very beginning of your studies.
Our graduates are resourceful, highly employable and members of a dynamic community of artists who make a significant impact across the globe.
At RCS, students develop not just their art but their power to use it.
World Top Ten
We were voted one of the world’s Top Ten destinations to study the performing arts (QS Rankings) in 2025, the ninth time we have been placed in the top ten since the ranking was established in 2016.
Perform & Collaborate
Our curriculum is built around performance and collaboration and we hold professional partnerships with all of Scotland’s National Companies. Join forces across artforms and be part of the 500+ performances we give each year.
Outstanding Alumni
Our graduates are employed across the world and we take pride in the impact they have on their art forms. We’ll equip you with the skills to thrive as a professional and join their ranks.
Learn from the Best
More than 1,000 lecturers, tutors, artists, technicians, co-ordinators and support staff work at RCS across all our art forms. Study with some of the finest educators and performing and production artists in the UK.
A Campus Built for You
Our facilities are world-class. From rehearsal rooms and recording studios to our five professional performance venues, we have a campus to showcase and develop emerging artists to the highest standards.
Timpani & Percussion Photo Gallery
