The Ultimate Guide to Conservatoires
By: Nina Martin
The Ultimate Guide to Conservatoires by Nina Martin
What is a Conservatoire?
A conservatoire is a specialist and practical school for training professionals in the performing arts, primarily music and drama. They offer courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and master’s levels, with most undergraduate degrees being 4 years long. Each conservatoire is different and offer a variety of courses and have a variety of styles, different from that offered at a university. Conservatoires welcome people from all backgrounds, and as small institutions allow you to grow as an individual to develop your own identity as an artist.
The UK Conservatoires:
There are over a thousand conservatoires worldwide, 11 of them being in the UK.
- Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (Cardiff)
- Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester)
- Royal Academy of Music (London)
- Royal College of Music (London)
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London)
- Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (Birmingham)
- Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (London)
- Leeds Conservatoire (Leeds)
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Glasgow)
- London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (London)
- The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London)
What are the Differences Between Studying Music at Conservatoire or University?
- Course Duration: Undergraduate degrees at conservatoire normally last 4 years, as compared with the typical 3 years at a universityo Studies: Conservatoires are very practical whereas universities have a more academic focus
- Entry: Entry to conservatoire is audition based, whereas entry to university is grade-based
- Teaching: At a conservatoire, all teaching staff are working industry professionals, and you receive 1:1 tuition weekly, whereas this isn’t usually available at a university
- Scale: Conservatoires are small communities of creative people, whilst universities have much bigger cohorts and have people studying all subjects
- Contact hours: Contact hours are much higher at a conservatoire compared to a university, and training is more intense, preparing you for the working ways and expectations of the music industry
- Course: At a university, you study a broad overview of music, whereas at a conservatoire you can be there to study composition, or a specific instrument etc.
A Day in the Life as a Composition Student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama?
I study composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, one of the 11 UK conservatoires. As a composer, I learn both traditional composition techniques as well as creative music technology. In my day-to-day life, I have 1:1 lessons in composition and saxophone, and practical classes that cover subjects including conducting, theory, teaching, community music, harmony and more. I also have access to freelance business coaching, play in ensembles and perform in concerts. I regularly have my music performed in concerts, and any time during the day where I don’t have lessons, I spend in the library composing or in a practice room practicing my saxophone. In my free time, I spend time in our students union where we run live music events, quizzes, karaoke, crafts nights and more. I am also a member of the 5-a-side football society and tennis society, and work part time as a student ambassador and work on the students union team where I represent the voice of music students at events and meetings. I began conservatoire life at the Royal Northern College of Music where I attended the Junior Department and completed my first year ofundergraduate before coming to the RWCMD. The style of each conservatoire can vary quite a lot, and I recommend using open days to get a sense of which place is the best for you. But also, as I have experienced, it is always possible to move between institutions if you so wish. Each conservatoire offers a different experience, all valuable, with musical and artistic voice and their heart.
Want to know more?
If you are interested in going to a conservatoire instead of traditional university, I highly recommend researching each institution, to find the right place for you. Open days normally happen several times a year. You can also learn more at Conservatoires UK and find out how to apply by visiting each institutions website, or looking at UCAS Conservatoires.
Junior Conservatoire
If you are below the age of 18 but have a passion for music and would like to experience conservatoire life, you can join one of the Junior Departments. This might look like a Saturday school where you can have instrumental lessons, play in ensembles, learn how to compose or begin a secondary instrument, and make friends with like-minded young people. These are open to anybody below the age of 18, and there are many avenues for financial support. If you are interested, here are the UK conservatoires with their own junior department.
- Royal College of Music Junior Department (London)
- Royal Birmingham Junior Conservatoire (Birmingham)
- Royal Junior Conservatoire of Scotland (Glasgow)
- Leeds Junior Conservatoire (Leeds)
- Junior Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester)
- Junior Trinity Laban (London)
Summary
Overall, conservatoires offer a vibrant student life and close-knit community to all those who study there. They are a great option for people who want a career as a practicing musician or performing artist, and over “94% of UK Conservatoire graduates find employment within 6 months of gaining their degree” (CUK). It is important to find which conservatoire will fit your style, but you can be sure that whichever one you choose, you will receive top tier education from industry professionals that will prepare you for a life in the music industry.