Primary instrument/specialism
- Musical Direction and Coaching
Course summary
The MA Musical Directing pathway is designed to support the development of skills and creative thought for musicians with a passion for theatre. As a Masters student, you will study the musical landscape, engage in practice-based-research and explore your own potential as a contributor to the future of the art form. The programme is closely linked with the industry and this ensures that you acquire the practical skills to support a sustained and varied career. Through specialised and focused conservatoire-level training, specific attention will be paid to: Keyboard skills Conducting skills Scoring and arranging techniques Vocal technique and repertoire coaching, Programming and Sound These one-to-one classes are designed to build your skill and experience as a musical director in the varying areas relevant to the form. You will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects matched to your specific interests and goals. Projects could include: Musical Director, arranger and orchestrator of the RCS Christmas Concert Musical Director of our BA Musical Theatre filmed Industry Showcase. Musical Director on the development of new and commissioned work Assistant Musical Director across fully produced BA Musical Theatre and Actor Muso shows Musical Director of a Cabaret season Musical Directing roles on a season of work produced for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Please note, the international application deadline is the 31st March 2024, all UK applicants are the 31st January 2024.
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Single specialism
Only one instrument is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument formatively, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
How to apply
*If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
31Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 702F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 60 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire.
Entry requirements
Applicants are normally expected to hold an appropriate undergraduate degree, or its overseas equivalent, in a subject area relevant to the demands of the programme.
Additional entry requirements
Audition
Please refer to our Guide for Applicants for what to prepare for audition - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/how-to-apply/dramaanddance/
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7.5 | Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 7.5 in each component (with no component below 7.5) is required. |
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| RCS | £55 | £55 |
| Toronto | £55 | £55 |
| Online | £55 | £55 |
| Chicago | £55 | £55 |
| New York | £55 | £55 |
| City of London | £55 | £55 |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| RCS | Not available at this location | |
| Toronto | Not available at this location | |
| Online | Not available at this location | |
| Chicago | Not available at this location | |
| New York | Not available at this location | |
| City of London | Not available at this location | |
Additional information
We will continue to offer online auditions to international applicants and those who are unable to attend in-person due to exceptional circumstances. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants to attend in person. For more information on what to prepare for audition, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/postgraduate/ma-musical-theatre-musical-directing/.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Channel Islands | £19415* | Whole course |
| England | £19415* | Whole course |
| Northern Ireland | £19415* | Whole course |
| Scotland | £19415* | Whole course |
| Wales | £19415* | Whole course |
| Republic of Ireland | £19415* | Whole course |
| EU | £28038* | Whole course |
| International | £28038* | Whole course |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Additional fee information
For more information on fees and funding, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/feesandfunding
Sponsorship information
Full fee waiver applies to this course.
Provider information
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB