Staff A-Z

Nadja works to empower the next generation of musicians, teaching Music Business on the Jazz course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

After graduating with distinction from Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh he has worked as a Lighting Designer on productions in many genres, including devised theatre, stand-up, cabaret, corporate events, car and product launches and fashion shows.

Abbie has been the Fair Access Manager since September 2024. She works across all strands of the programme, supporting colleagues, developing new process and projects, and always looking for new ways to keep things running smoothly.

After reading Music at Kings College, Cambridge, and Composition at the Royal Academy of Music, John held a variety of Trumpet positions in London Orchestras, and enjoyed a wide-ranging and successful solo career. In 2002, John returned to Scotland and became Principal of the RSAMD (now RCS) a position which he held until he retired in 2014 after a period of huge influence on the institution. John was an Emeritus Professor of Brass at RCS.

Scottish Opera

Jan Waterfield read music at Girton College, Cambridge, where she was also a choral scholar. This was followed by postgraduate studies in harpsichord and piano with John Toll and David Willison at the RAM in London, where she won prizes for both Lieder Accompaniment and Continued Playing.

At the RCS, Jan teaches the wealth of keyboard music before 1750, takes sideways leaps into the Opera School (for baroque ‘style’) and to the Fair Access/Education departments for Coaching. She is also very interested in coaching as an aid to teaching; the questions we ask ourselves are vital for a musician’s progress. As a life-long meditator, Jan is also curious as to mental-emotional state when playing & how that can be developed best for each individual.

Member of the Nominations and Governance Committee

Ms Wells is an advocate for increasing access to musical training. She was involved with several inner city initiatives in Baltimore and served as Chair of the Board of TUBA: The Uganda-Baltimore Alliance, providing mentorship to a brass band project in rural Uganda.

Innes White teaches acoustic guitar and mandolin on the BMus Traditional Music Course.

Rebecca Whitener is a professional clarinettist, teacher, chamber music coach, mentor, music educator and conductor based in Scotland. She regularly performs with world class ensembles and is a founding member of Arctic Winds Wind Quintet, Sound Collective Scotland and Cameo Clarinet Quartet. Rebecca is an experienced teacher and mentor, having taught Clarinet and Chamber Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Junior department since 2009. She has also guest tutored for the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Scottish Schools Orchestra Trust, and the Faroese National Concert Band Festival.

Bethany’s research focuses on the cultural and social analysis of participatory dance and dance organisations, often through ethnographic means. Since 2015, research activity has been closely tied to the Engagement work of Scottish Ballet, focused in two areas: a) Dance for Health, working with dancers with dementia, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s, and b) education opportunities for professional ballet and contemporary company dancers in the UK.

Carol has been a part of Fair Access team since it started at RCS and she has been able to watch what we offer grow and develop, learning from all of our students along the way.

Carole is a graduate of the Conservatoire where she studied Contemporary Theatre Practice followed by a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Arts Education. She studied at RCS as a mature student where she was able to turn a lifelong passion for theatre and performance into a career. She considers herself to be a lifelong learner taking every opportunity to develop new skills.

Duncan has had a relationship with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for the last 20 years as both a teacher and visiting coach and has now taken up the post of full-time coach in the Opera Department.

Lisa holds Impact Clinics from 10am – 2pm on the last Wednesday of each month. This is an opportunity for staff who are active in research and engagement to discuss ideas and receive support on all aspects of impact (including planning, development, and Athenaeum Award applications).

Impact Clinics take place online, offering 1:1 slots of up to 30 minutes. If you would like to attend, please email l.williams@rcs.ac.uk

Upcoming Impact Clinic Dates:

• 30th September 2026
• 28th October 2026
• 25th November 2026
• 16th December 2026
• 27th January 2027
• 24th February 2027
• 31st March 2027
• 28th April 2027
• 26th May 2027

Marion is currently Associate Principal 2nd Violin with the RSNO. She has taught at the RCS Junior Conservatoire since the early 2000s, has coached on NYOS Symphony Orchestra courses for approximately 10 years, and has taught numerous pupils privately.

Tom was born in Manchester in 1957. In the 1970s, he studied composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Andrew Downs. In the 1980s, as a student at Goldsmiths University of London, he spent five years studying composition with Melanie Dakin and Edward Gregson. For ten years he was Head of Woodwind and Tutor for Academic Music at Uppingham School in Rutland. Since 1989, Tom has lived in Glasgow and Musselburgh, where he teaches composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh.

Molly helps connect students, staff, and graduates with funding and support for exciting ideas and projects, and comes into classes to talk to students about all the amazing opportunities CEDO provides. Molly also trained at RCS on the MFA Acting course 2025-2026. From here, she went on to debut her one-woman show Rockpools at the CCA and at the Fringe 2026.

Fiona studied at the Juilliard School in New York, going on to become Principal Violist of the Royal Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras. As a chamber musician Fiona has appeared at halls and festivals all over the world, such as Carnegie Hall, Bargemusic, Lincoln Centre, New York, Festival da Camera, Lima, the Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh International Festival, Singapore Esplanade Hall and the Banff Centre.