Primary instrument/specialism
- Bodhran
- Button Accordion (Traditional Music)
- Cello (Traditional Music)
- Fiddle
- Flute (Traditional Music)
- Gaelic Song
This is the UK’s only Bachelor of Music degree dedicated to Scottish traditional and folk music. Aspiring performers on this course explore Scotland’s unique and dynamic musical traditions as a conceptual, critical and creative framework within which to achieve a distinctively personal voice as an artist. This is interwoven with a solid basis in contemporary and eclectic performance practice. You will work closely with some of the world’s top solo and collaborative teachers and performers to consolidate your performance technique, repertoire and personal style as a traditional musician, interwoven with development as a critical, creative, entrepreneurial and/or teaching artist. This includes exploring both the established parameters of folk and traditional music and the shared technical vocabulary that links folk to classical and jazz worlds. External learning opportunities include an Isle of Skye residency, touring, teaching placements and work placements in Scotland and overseas, as well as appearances at high-profile events, including Glasgow’s renowned Celtic Connections festival, Piping Live, international occasions of state and a range of UK, European and North American festivals. The BMus with Honours (Traditional Music) places emphasis on the creative development of the individual and allows the curriculum to be relevant to aspiring musicians from anywhere in the world. We have welcomed students from as far afield as Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Please note, the international deadline for this programme is the 1st December 2023, but we would encourage applicants to apply by the 2nd October 2023 to be guaranteed consideration for the first round of scholarship
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:
Only one instrument is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument formatively, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
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.
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-traditional-music/
*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.
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.
The following entry points are available for this course:
Applications for direct entry beyond Year 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Royal Conservatoire’s Recognition of Prior (Experiential) Learning policy. Please email [email protected] for more information.
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.
Audition
Please refer to our Guide for Applicants for what to prepare for audition -Please refer to our Guide for Applicants for what to prepare for audition - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/how-to-apply/dramaanddance/
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 6 | Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.0 in each component (with no component below 5.5) is required. |
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.
Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
---|---|---|
Recording | £65 | £65 |
RCS | £65 | £65 |
Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
---|---|---|
Recording | Not available at this location | |
RCS | Not available at this location |
We will continue to offer recording submissions 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 the audition, please see our website - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-with-honours/traditional-music/.
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Channel Islands | £9250* | Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
England | £9250* | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
Wales | £9250* | Year 1 |
Scotland | £1820* | Year 1 |
EU | £27968* | Year 1 |
International | £27968* | Year 1 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
The Royal Conservatoire is able to offer a number of entrance scholarships which are awarded as part of the audition/selection process on the basis of merit and financial need. Please see our website for more information - https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/finance/scholarships/.
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
Please select a course option to view the information for the course