Important information
Our audition content is being updated for entry in September 2023 and will be shared soon, if you have any questions in the meantime please e-mail admissions@rcs.ac.uk.
The very complex nature of the modern Timpani and Percussion environment demands an extensive and well-balanced curriculum so that students may experience and study as much related material as possible as well as to formulate a focused approach towards appropriate progress during the 1 or 2 year course.
The RCS is fortunate to have many of the very finest professional performers and very experienced educators to deliver this curriculum whilst inviting a number of professional visiting artists to insure an open-minded approach with regard to technique, style in performance and presentation.
The listed curriculum represents knowledge and skills that the future professional player needs to acquire hence its complexity. The Post Graduate Course will engage with the study of this Curriculum in considerable depth of advanced musical understanding and artistic integrity. At the outset of each postgraduate student’s course, varying requirements may be identified. These will be taken into consideration as much as possible in order that the course may be tailored accordingly whilst not compromising its purpose and integrity
It is the RCS’s aim to provide the fullest possible exposure to all Timpani/Percussion and related study components without compromising standards in order to equip students with the skills for a varied and rewarding career as well as the skills for further development
An end of year exam is designed to perform a comprehensive test of the student’s ability on all aspects of postgraduate studies undertaken and will be conducted in as professional audition like a manner as possible.
This practice intends to familiarise students with professional audition procedure. Pieces to be auditioned will be made known to the student 4 weeks prior to the exam.
Whilst having full regard to the declared aims of the programme, both in the departmental Handbook and the MMus Program Handbook, on rare occasions a student may express the wish to desire specialisation in either Timpani or Percussion only. This will require the agreement of both principal study tutors and the endorsement of the Head of Department before the request for such a course amendment can be forwarded to the Head of Postgraduate Programmes for consideration. If approved, the credit ratings and one-to-one lesson allocation previously attached to the discipline to be voided will then be added to the specialisation discipline(s) in direct consultation with the tutors concerned leaving the overall Principal Study Credits as before. The student should also be aware that his/her “Final Recitaland Exam will need to reflect such specialisation.
When specialising in Percussion only, a student may also choose to enhance Drum Set within the (Percussion only) discipline. The credits made available from the Timpani part of the principal study course element will then be proportionally distributed to reflect this as well as the contact time.
This vocational programme attracts only the most dedicated and motivated students. Taught by a faculty of specialists, educationalists, and Principal players from professional orchestras, it offers training in the multiple disciplines of modern Timpani and Percussion.
Postgraduate students on the MMus Course may also choose available specialisms. These are:
Entrance Audition requirements will only be in the chosen Specialism. MMus students study the full MMus programme in all other respects.
The one-to-one lessons per week are given by highly reputable professional performers and are enhanced by repertoire classes, and specialized individual and class tuition in Latin American, Ethnic Percussion, and Drum-Set. International artists also come to the Conservatoire to give clinics, workshops, and masterclasses.
We also welcome our distinguished International Fellows several times a year to work with students. Recently Chris Lamb, International Fellow in Timpani and Percussion, gave a series of masterclasses via a live link from the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Now this state of the art equipment is in place we’re looking to develop similar opportunities in future years. We also work twice a year with Eric Sammut, International Fellow for Marimba, who also has charge of our annual departmental concert in April. Involving every student on the programme, he devises the repertoire, takes rehearsals, and often plays alongside the students in performance.
At the Conservatoire our ensembles provide performance experience in Symphonic, Chamber, Opera, Wind Orchestra, Brass, and Big Band repertoire and often percussion students are approached by other students to play in their final year recitals. There are also opportunities to collaborate with other programmes and recent examples include Musical Theatre and contemporary music projects. Percussion students are the most enthusiastic self-generated collaborators and there are endless possibilities for collaboration with other students.
Based in Glasgow, you’ll benefit from studying in a major city of culture with a pool of orchestral opportunities. The Conservatoire runs a professional concerts agency which offers numerous opportunities for paid work across Scotland. We also operate a number of side-by-side schemes with professional orchestras where you can experience the realities of the working world. You’ll be given feedback as to how you were perceived by other players, often resulting in further paid work. We’re delighted that five of our former graduates have been appointed to professional positions at home and abroad.
Thanks to the very generous support of the Yamaha Company, an annual Yamaha-Percussion-Scholarship of £3,000 will be awarded to one of the Department’s qualifying students. We also wish to recognize the support of the Avidas Zildjian Company with thanks.
Principal Study 1 — 80 SCQF credits
Supporting Studies 1 — 30, 20 or 10 SCQF credits
Practice Research — 10 SCQF credits
Options — 0, 10 or 20 SCQF credits
Principal Study 2 — 90 SCQF credits
Supporting Studies 2 — 30, 20 or 10 SCQF credits
Options — 0, 10 or 20 SCQF credits
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:
In preparation for your professional career, our Timpani and Percussion department provides excellent facilities for study, practice, and performance. These include three large dedicated studios with a full and plentiful range of the highest quality instruments. You’ll have one-to-one lessons per week with renowned professional performers, enhanced by repertoire classes, as well as specialized individual and class tuition in Latin American, Ethnic Percussion, and Drum Set provided by six visits per academic year for two days each. Although tuition is directed towards orchestral repertoire, we’ve developed well-established traditions of solo performance and also offer a Solo-Marimba provision.
We welcome artists from around the world to give clinics, workshops, and masterclasses, and recent visitors have included Dame Evelyn Glennie, Colin Currie, Sam Walton, Birger Sulsbrück, Leigh Howard Stevens, Eric Sammut, Simon Carrington, Keith Aleo and Neil Grover, and Neil Percy amongst many others.
The Timpani and Percussion department has a long-established tradition of producing graduates who hold prominent positions both in the UK and abroad.
As well as working with your fellow student musicians, you’ll have opportunities to collaborate across the disciplines. You may be part of a band for Musical Theatre performances, providing music for film, or joining forces with composers to create new works — the opportunities are unlimited.
You’ll gain lots of performance experience in a number of learning and professional contexts. You’ll work with our ensembles in symphonic, chamber, opera, wind orchestra, brass, and Big Band repertoire in the Conservatoire and external venues. We operate a number of side-by-side schemes with Scotland’s leading orchestras, where you can experience the realities of the working world in a supportive environment. You’ll benefit from the guidance and mentoring of professional musicians, performing in some of Scotland’s major concert halls and venues.
The department occupies 3 large studios and a lock-up facility at Concert Hall Stage Level where a set of 4 Timpani and chair, 1 Bass Drum and a set of Tubular Bells are housed for use and easy access to the Concert Hall stage.
Each studio is fully equipped with 1 set of 4 Timpani + piccolo and Timpani Chair, one 5 oct. Marimba, one 4oct. Xylophone, one Pedal Glockenspiel, one Vibraphone. All tuned instruments are height adjustable. One Drum set, multiple orchestral Snare Drums. Tom Toms and a large variety of very high-quality Hardware plus Bass Drums, Tam Tams etc.