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Advanced Artist Diploma in Music Performance

Overview

The one-year Advanced Artist Diploma 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.

There are two strands to the programme. Instrumentalists follow the performance route detailed here; an opera strand is available to students who wish to pursue that specialism. Both strands offer the opportunity to present two significant public performances.

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.

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.

An opera strand is available to principal study singers.

The important details

UK Applicant Deadline:
2 October 2025

International (including EU) Applicant Deadline:
1 December 2025

Institution Code:
R58

Programme Code:
446F

Audition Fee:
£65

Application Fee:
£28.50

Please note
This course is subject to revalidation


Why Study the Artist Diploma at RCS?

This programme encourages the development of a distinctive musical personality, through:

A violin teacher smiles as they watch a student perform. The photo is black and white.

Rich Learning Environment


Offering a rich learning environment that nurtures the individual artist in relation to the wider context of their practice

A student reads sheet music while sitting at a piano.

Performance Opportunities


Providing opportunities for performance and supporting students in creating their own opportunities

A person is playing double bass and smiling

Professional Autonomy


Promoting professional autonomy and resilience through a confident, reflective and critical approach to students’ musicianship

Self-Reflection


Supporting students in articulating clearly the questions and insights that form the basis of their artistic practice.


How to Apply

Apply via UCAS Conservatoires

Applications are made through UCAS Conservatoires website. The UCAS Conservatoires application system is separate from the main UCAS undergraduate application system. If you wish to apply to conservatoires and universities within UCAS, you will need to register for both services.

You can read our guidance about using UCAS Conservatoires on our dedicated How to Apply page.

We do not offer deferred entry. If you wish to commence in 2027, you must apply next year.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland institution code is R58. You will also require the following programmes codes to apply: Artist Diploma – 446F

The closing date for on-time AdvArtDip applications for UK students is 2 October 2025 and for International students is 1 December 2025.  If you submit your application after this date, we cannot guarantee that your application will be reviewed by the audition panel. If you do want to submit a late application, you must contact admissions@rcs.ac.uk in the first instance to check we are accepting late applications

Application/Audition fees

There is a UCAS Conservatoires application fee of £28.50. In addition to the application fee, each conservatoire charges an audition assessment administration fee. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland charges an audition assessment administration fee of £65 for this programme.

We recognise that auditioning and interviewing for conservatoires, drama and ballet schools can be costly. The audition assessment administration fee charge allows us to offer a thorough and positive experience to all applicants and we encourage you to get in touch to ask the panel questions and find out more about the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to see if it is the best place for you.

Selection process

Applicants are selected first and foremost on the basis of merit and potential. However, due attention is also paid to the range of Principal Studies accepted in order to ensure the optimum experience for each student and to sustain the critical mass required for curricular activities, such as the symphony orchestra and choral activities.

Please note that the Conservatoire is obliged to offer one audition date per application. If you are unable to submit your application/audition recording by the deadline date above, you must email us immediately stating the reason. We have a specific period allocation to audition and all on time applications will receive a decision before Christmas. If your audition recording is delayed, there is a risk that places will already have been taken and your application may not be considered in the first round of scholarship allocation.

Audition Information

In-person auditions are planned to take place at various locations across the world. Should you apply on time, an invitation to book an audition time slot will be sent to you via Acceptd. You must create an Acceptd account regardless of your audition location to be able to select your audition time.

An interview will form part of your audition, this is a chance for the panel to find out more about you, as well having an opportunity for you to ask que zstions about the programme.

The RCS audition panel will consist of a relevant departmental staff member and the Head of Department. Our international auditions will consist of one panel member and will also be recorded for review by the relevant department.

All in-person auditions will be given a twenty-minute warm up slot prior to their audition.

Through audition, applicants will be required to demonstrate:

  • a high degree of technical competency on the instrument or voice in the service of specific repertoire
  • an ability to demonstrate a considerable degree of understanding of the repertoire performed
  • an ability to perform specific repertoire convincingly
  • a considerable degree of self-confidence and creativity with respect to the repertoire performed
  • a degree of self-sufficiency, initiative and independence in selecting, preparing and performing a particular programme
  • a developing musical personality

Successful candidates will show potential to develop their beliefs and skills through the programme.

Recorded Auditions

International applicants are welcome to submit a recorded submission via Acceptd. More information about this, including recording guidelines, can be found on our Music Recorded Auditions page.

Audition Repertoire

Details of required audition repertoire can be found in the tabs below, broken down by department.

Horn: Mozart Concerto No. 2 in E flat, K.417 or Mozart Concerto No. 4 in E flat, K495, and a piece of your own choice

Trumpet: Haydn Concerto in E flat or Hummel Concerto E flat or E, and a piece of your own choice

Cornet: Haydn Concerto in E flat or Hummel Concerto E flat or E, and a piece of your own choice

Tenor Trombone: F David Concerto for Trombone or L Grondahl Concerto for Trombone, and a piece of your own choice.

Bass Trombone: E Bozza New Orleans or Lebedev Concerto in One Movement, and a piece of your own choice

Euphonium: J Horovitz — Euphonium Concerto (Novello), and a piece of your own choice

Tuba (H4): E Gregson Concerto for Tuba or Vaughan Williams Concerto for Tuba, and a piece of your own choice

Guitar:

Any one movement from:

  • Bach’s Lute Suites, Violin Sonatas or Partitas, Cello Suites or equivalent works (Scarlatti, Weiss etc)
  • and a movement from a major concerto (Rodrigo, Villa Lobos, Ponce, etc)
  • or a major performance piece from 20th or 21st Century (Walton – Bagatelles, Ginastera – Sonata, Britten – Nocturnal, Dyens Libre Sonatine)

Harp:

A movement from any substantial concerto and a major work written after 1900 and the following orchestral cadenzas:

  • Smetana: Vysehrad from Ma Vlast
  • Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake

Piano Solo: Performance of a programme from memory, comprising not less than three contrasting works (total playing time 25 minutes)

Harpsichord: Performance of a programme comprising not less than three contrasting works (total playing time 25 minutes)

Organ and Accordion: Performance of a programme comprising not less than three contrasting works (total playing time 25 minutes)

Violin:

  • First movement from a major concerto (with cadenza where applicable)
  • A contrasting work of your choice. This can be from the standard repertoire or from any genre or cultural background that reflects your interests as an artist.

Viola:

  • First movement from a major concerto (with cadenza where applicable)
  • A contrasting work of your choice. This can be from the standard repertoire or from any genre or cultural background that reflects your interests as an artist.

Cello

  • First movement from a major concerto (with cadenza where applicable)
  • A contrasting work of your choice. This can be from the standard repertoire or from any genre or cultural background that reflects your interests as an artist.

Double Bass:

  • First movement from a standard concerto (with cadenza where applicable)
  • A contrasting work

Timpani:

  • Bartók Concerto for Orchestra, the Intermezzo (available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)
  • Bartok Violin Concerto Nr.2, slow movement from upbeat to figure 12 to 3rd bar of figure 16
  • Strauss Der Rosenkavalier (‘Big Waltz’) (Available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)
  • Hindemith Sinfonische Metamorphosen (‘Turandot Scherzo’) (Available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)

Xylophone:

  • Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky (Available in the Goldenberg Book)
  • Gershwin Porgy and Bess (Available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)
  • Hindemith Kammermusik, ‘Movements 1 and 4’ (Available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)

Vibraphone:

  • Bernstein ‘Cool’, West Side Story (Available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)

Snare Drum:

  • Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, ‘Movements 3 and 4’ (Available in Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions, Schott)
  • Ravel Rhapsodie Espagnol ‘Movements 3 and 4’ (available in Hathaway Snare Drum Book)
  • Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol (available in the Goldenberg Book)
  • Suppé Pique Dame (available in the Goldenberg Book)

Candidates should prepare:

  • Four contrasting classical pieces, at least one of which should be in English and one in a foreign language
  • A short poetry or prose reading in English lasting no longer than 2 minutes

One of the items should be an aria from an oratorio or opera, preferably with the recitative; another should be a German Lied or French mélodie. Candidates will be asked to choose their first piece, and the panel will then choose a further one or two pieces.

A typical programme may include a recitative and aria from an oratorio or opera, a German Lied, a French mélodie, an English Art Song and a short poetry reading.

Flute: Mozart Concerto in G major (1st and 2nd movements)

Oboe: Mozart Concerto in C major (1st and 2nd movements)

Clarinet: Mozart Concerto in A major (1st and 2nd movements)

Bassoon: Mozart Concerto in Bb major (1st and 2nd movements)

Saxophone: Glazunov Concerto in Eb major

  1. OLEO by Sonny Rollins (Rhythm Changes)
    • Key: Bb [Vocalists choose their key]
    • Tempo: Fast
    • Melody Form: AABA (32 bars)
    • Improvisation Duration: Minimum 4 x AABA
    • Aims:
      • Introduce your performance
      • Play original improvisation interacting musically with live musicians or with an Aebersold play-a-long (Vol. 6 Track 10, Vol. 7 Track 5, Vol. 8 Track 9, Vol. 47 Track 1)
      • Drummers play melody rhythmically, comp time, and improvise over form
      • The chordal player must comp on one chorus
    • Avoid:
      • Electronic play-a-longs like iRealPro
      • Transcribed or pre-prepared solos
  1. Original Composition
    • Aims:
      • Perform a contrasting piece (Even 8th, Latin, Ballad, 3/4, Original, etc.,)
    • Avoid:
      • Rhythm Changes or Blues
  • Performance of a programme of approximately 15 minutes on your principal study
  • Applicants are asked to give brief spoken introductions to each item performed and their compositions may be included

References

It is your responsibility to ask two separate referees to write references and ensure that these are sent to RCS.

The references must be written by two different people and we will not accept references from family, other relatives or close friends. You can submit your UCAS Conservatoires application form and send your references at a later date, but they must be received prior to your audition date.

UCAS Conservatoires provides reference forms for you to download and send to your referees for completion.

Policy

We have a number of policies and pages which you should read when applying to study at the Royal Conservatoire:


Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

Candidates for the Artist Diploma are normally expected to hold a Masters degree in Music, or its overseas equivalent.

English Language Requirements

The language of study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) is English. All applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence that their English language level meets the entrance requirements.

The required IELTS level for this programme is 6.0 overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.

Full details of the English language tests and equivalencies we accept can be found on our English Language Requirements page.


Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

For academic year 2025/26:

  • Home: £7,320
  • International: £14,471

Please note these fees are subject to change.

Funding & Scholarships

Please note, this programme is not eligible for US Federal Loans.

You can find out about the funding and scholarships available for studying at RCS by visiting our dedicated page:

Funding & Scholarships

Cost of Living & Programme Costs

In addition to tuition fees, it is estimated that you will need between £11,200 and £15,300 per year to live in Glasgow, plus programme costs. Much will depend on your lifestyle and whether your course runs for three or four terms. 

Programmes within the School of Music have a range of associated costs related to the specific activities required and advised by the programme team. You can find an indication of these costs below: 

School of Music Programme Costs

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.

Why RCS

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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.