Staff A-Z

Alyn is resident drummer with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and the Jazz drum tutor for the Royal Conservatoire.

Nigel hails from St Andrews in Fife and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now RCS). He has worked as a freelance trombonist for over 30 years, principally with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of Scottish Ballet, as well as many other orchestras both in Scotland and across the UK.

Nigel has taught at RCS for many years and has nurtured numerous students on to further studies at conservatoires throughout the country.

Iain Crawford is a graduate of Julliard School New York and a Fellow The Aspen and Waterloo music festivals. He is Assistant Principal with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Member of the Academic Board and Finance and General Purposes and Nominations Committees

While teaching at RCS, Ruth has hoped to pass on her enthusiasm for different periods and styles of music to her students. She has a great interest in the practicalities of playing in a historically informed way on modern instruments-especially in Baroque & Classical music. She is also particularly interested in exploring 20th & 21st century repertoire with her students.

In summer 2018 Francis took up the post of Head of Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and continues teaching commitments at St Mary’s Music School. Francis serves on the board of the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and as a trustee of the Benedetti Foundation.

Solo and chamber percussionist, Artist in Association at London’s Southbank Centre and Co-Artistic Curator of Grafenegg Music Academy, who studied at the RCS Junior Conservatoire.

Alan (he/him) is an artist, teacher and researcher and does most of his thinking through making – he uses a lot of masking tape. His work involves activating, interrupting and retelling stories to imagine better ways of living together. He is happiest digging through archives.

John has taught clarinet at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) since 1978 and has given masterclasses and recitals throughout the country, primarily with pianist Scott Mitchell.

He was very proud to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate from RCS in July 2014 and in 2015 was the recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Salomon Prize. John is a trustee of the RSNO Foundation.

After graduating from RSAMD (now RCS) with an MMus Performance degree, Susan joined the Scottish Ballet Orchestra and was appointed Sub-Principal No.2 Cello three years later. In addition to her Scottish Ballet work, Susan has a busy freelance career, working mainly with RSNO and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera.

Teaching has always been an important part of Susan’s life, being invited to teach and coach both at local authority and regional level before graduating. In 2012, Susan joined the teaching staff of RCS Junior Conservatoire and enjoys passing her knowledge and experience onto students of all ages.

Huw Daniel was a pupil at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera, South Wales, and continued his education as an organ scholar at Robinson College, Cambridge, where he graduated with first-class honours in music in 2001. He then studied baroque violin at the Royal Academy of Music for two years with Simon Standage.

Guido De Groote was born in Cape Town, South Africa to a family of professional musicians. He studied with Jack De Wet at the University of Stellenbosch, and then with Simon Fischer on full scholarship at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He spent a number of years freelancing with British orchestras, in recording sessions and with alternative performing groups, until he became a permanent member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Mr Deacon is a lecturer of violin, viola and chamber music at the RCS. Mr Deacon also enjoys leading sectional rehearsals for the RCS Symphony Orchestra. Donnie also enjoys online teaching with students in the Middle East and North America.

Timothy Dean studied music at Reading University, and then piano and conducting at the Royal College of Music. He has been the Director of the RSNO Chorus since 2006 and is the Artistic Director of the RCS ‘Song Studio’.

Born in Glasgow, graduate of the New University of Ulster, Joyce trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), then studied at Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris.

Born in Glasgow, Scott Dickinson (viola) studied at the Music School of Douglas Academy and then in Manchester, London and Salzburg, where he won the Mozarteum Concerto Competition.

Born and raised in Alaska, Joshua arrived in Scotland in 1992 to study Scottish Gaelic at the University of Aberdeen (MA, 1996). He then undertook doctoral research in the history of the piping tradition of the southern Outer Hebrides at the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh (PhD, 2001), now published under the title When Piping Was Strong: Tradition, Change and the Bagpipe in South Uist (John Donald, 2006).