Staff A-Z

Widely regarded as one of the most exciting and talented Guitarists in Europe Matthew has been delighting audiences worldwide with his insightful performances and effortless presentation in a concert career spanning well over a decade

Dr Karen McAulay is a musicologist & educationalist. She curated music materials at RCS from 1988- June 2024 as a Performing Arts Librarian, but since then has concentrated solely on her research activities. She was conferred with a Fellowship of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in November 2024.

Karen’s PhD is in Music, from the University of Glasgow (2009). Her first book, Our Ancient National Airs: Scottish Song Collecting from the Enlightenment to the Romantic Era, was published by Ashgate in 2013, and her second book was published by Routledge in late 2024: A Social History of Amateur Music-Making and Scottish National Identity: Scotland’s Printed Music, 1880-1951.

Nicola (She/Her) is a playwright, director, screenwriter and applied theatre maker.

Former Principal Horn, RSNO, David McClenaghan has been a member our Brass Department Staff as Horn Teacher since 1991.

Elizabeth McCormack was born in Fife, Scotland and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now RCS) and the National Opera Studio, London. She is a past winner of the Scottish Opera, John Noble Bursary, the Decca-Kathleen Ferrier Prize, the Royal Overseas League Music Competition, the Isobel Baillie Performance Award, Scotland’s representative in Cardiff Singer of the World 1993 and a recipient of the Countess of Munster and Caird Scholarships.

Alistair McCulloch hails from Ayr in Scotland and is one of the country’s best-known fiddle performers, teachers and composers with many appearances on radio and television. Past winner of many fiddle championships, Alistair is a fiddle instructor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has tutored many of the new generation of rising stars.

Kate was appointed Section Principal Clarinet of the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in 2022. Prior to this, she held the position of Co-Principal Clarinet with the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra for over eleven years.

Alison teaches baroque cello and viola at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She is also a qualified Feldenkrais Method practitioner and is combining her skills to explore how the way we move can influence the music we make.

Brian is Principal Trumpet with the Scottish Ballet Orchestra and has appeared as Guest Principal with all the Scottish orchestras, and various ensembles within and outside the UK. He has always had a passion for music education, having taught at RCS Juniors since 2014, at Aberdeen City Music School and the North East of Scotland Music School.

Principal Trumpet, Scottish Ballet

Richard is a lecturer on the BEd programme at RCS. He is best known for his research and analytical work on the music of Peter Maxwell Davies, and has written a number of major articles on the composer’s works.

Member of the Infrastructure Committee

Megumi McKillop joined the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2021. She holds an MFA in Technical Theatre Design from the University of Calgary (2021), a Certificate in Pedagogy from Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning (2021), and an Advanced Diploma in Entertainment Technology from St. Clair College (2012).