An Overview
The MMus Brass department is led by Head of Brass, John Logan. After a long playing career with many of the UK’s symphony orchestras, including a five-year tenure with Sir Simon Rattle at the CBSO, and a seventeen-year tenure as Associate Principal Horn with the RSNO, John works closely with students, sharing his extensive performance experience. John is still active in the professional performing world as a conductor and arranger especially in the area where Scottish folk and rock music collaborates alongside the symphony orchestra.
Unrivalled one-to-one tuition
Our Brass programme has a long tradition of excellence and a worldwide reputation for training leading musicians. Our team of dedicated staff includes many of Britain’s finest brass players, with international reputations as soloists, orchestral, and chamber musicians. Students receive individual tuition per week, divided between principal study (trumpet, trombone, horn, tuba, euphonium, or cornet), and either a second study or related study such as handhorn or piccolo trumpet. It is also possible to receive lesson time from our jazz department. We have regular visiting artists from all brass disciplines and have at present an International Fellow to the department, Ian Bousfield.
Performance opportunities
On this programme you’ll get a real sense of the demands of the professional world, with weekly classes in orchestral repertoire and the opportunity to set up your own ensembles and perform in our lunchtime concert series. We also enjoy professional collaborations with Scotland’s major orchestras and operate apprenticeships with the RSNO, BBC SSO and The Orchestra of Scottish Opera.
In comparison to other conservatoires we run a smaller department, large enough to tackle challenging repertoire but small enough to ensure widespread performance opportunities for every student. Our students take part in Symphony, Wind, Opera, and Chamber Orchestras, and a diverse range of ensembles including Big Band and Royal Conservatoire Brass. Our Conservatoire ensembles give concerts regularly at home and abroad including countries such as China, Malta, Germany and Brazil.
Glasgow has so many great orchestras that there are a number of excellent brass players in the city who are connected to the Conservatoire. Frequently you’ll see tutors performing in professional situations and you’ll build up professional connections during your studies.