Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Royal Scottish Academy of
Music and Drama
	File:RSAMD new banner.jpg
Type	Conservatoire
Established	1993 - granted degree-awarding powers ; 1845 - Glasgow Educational Association
Principal	Professor John Wallace
Students	690
Undergraduates	575
Postgraduates	115
Location	Glasgow, Scotland
Colours
Affiliations	Conservatoires UK, Association of European Conservatoires, Conference of Drama Schools
Website	http://www.rsamd.ac.uk

The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) is a conservatoire of music, drama, and dance in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Educational Association, today it is a leading cultural institution in the United Kingdom, and the busiest performing arts venue in Scotland. The current principal is Professor John Wallace OBE, a trumpet player, the president is Sir Cameron Mackintosh, and the Patron is HRH Prince Charles

History

RSAMD has occupied its current purpose-built building on Renfrew Street in Glasgow since 1988. However, its roots lie in several different organisations. Primarily, it began with the establishment of the Glasgow Educational Association in 1845, which formed to provide courses in competition with the University of Glasgow. The Association later became the Glasgow Commercial College, and this in turn became part of the Glasgow Athenaeum in 1847. The Glasgow Athenaeum provided training in commercial skills, literature, languages, sciences, mathematics and music. Charles Dickens gave its inaugural speech, in which he stated that he regarded the Glasgow Athenaeum as "...an educational example and encouragement to the rest of Scotland".

In 1888, the commercial teaching of the Glasgow Athenaeum separated to form the Athenaeum Commercial College, which, after several rebrandings and a merger, became the University of Strathclyde in 1964. In 1890 the non-commercial teaching side of the Glasgow Athenaeum became the Glasgow Athenaeum School of Music, which in turn became the Scottish National Academy of Music in 1929, which, in 1944, became the Royal Scottish Academy of Music.

In 1950 the Royal Scottish Academy of Music established a drama department called the Glasgow College of Dramatic Art. It became the first UK drama school to contain a full, broadcast-specification television studio in 1962. In 1968 the Royal Scottish Academy of Music changed its name to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and introduced its first degree courses, which were validated by the University of Glasgow. In 1993 RSAMD became the first conservatoire in the United Kingdom to be granted its own degree-awarding powers.

Research degrees undertaken at RSAMD are validated and awarded by the University of St Andrews in Fife. RSAMD is a member of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Facilities

RSAMD has a range of facilities, including several performance spaces: the Guinness Room, the Academy Concert Hall, the Chandler Studio Theatre, the New Athenaeum Theatre, and the Alexander Gibson Opera Studio (built in 1998). The Academy also houses a professional recording studio.

In 2008 the RSAMD fitted part of its main performing space, the New Athenaeum Theatre, with a Stage Technologies automated flying system. RSAMD became the first educational establishment in the UK to offer Stage Automation Training as part of the curriculum.

Schools

School of Music

Keyboard
Vocal Studies
Opera
Strings
Woodwind
Brass
Timpani and Percussion
Scottish Music
Composition
Academic Studies
Conducting
Jazz

School of Drama

Acting
Classical and Contemporary Text (Masters)
Contemporary Performance Practice
Digital Film and Television
Technical and Production Arts
Musical Theatre
Directing

School of Dance

Modern Ballet

Junior Academy

Junior School of Music
Drama Works

Alumni

John Carlin

References

External links

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama website

v t e Conservatoire for Dance and Drama
Members	Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Central School of Ballet London Contemporary Dance School National Centre for Circus Arts Northern School of Contemporary Dance Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Affiliates	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

v t e Music schools in the United Kingdom
Music school
Secondary	Chetham's School of Music City of Edinburgh Music School Kimichi School North East of Scotland Music School Purcell School for Young Musicians St Mary's Music School Wells Cathedral School Yehudi Menuhin School
Tertiary	Academy of Contemporary Music BIMM University Cardiff University School of Music Guildhall School of Music and Drama Ian Tomlin School of Music The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance Leeds Conservatoire Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts London College of Creative Media London School of Musical Theatre National Opera Studio Point Blank Music School Royal Academy of Music Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Royal College of Music Royal College of Organists Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Royal Northern College of Music Royal School of Church Music Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama School of Sound Recording Tech Music School Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Wales International Academy of Voice
Military	Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming Royal Military School of Music
Associated organisations	Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Conservatoires UK European Association of Conservatoires
Category