Keyboard Department (Undergraduate)

“Formidably equipped” – Gramophone

“Flabbergasted” – The Herald

“Phenomenal” – The Classical Reviewer

South Korean-born pianist Sinae Lee leads a busy life as a soloist, chamber musician and lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow, UK. Since her UK début with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), playing Brahms Piano Concerto No.1, she has also played with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, St. James Orchestra, Glasgow Orchestral Society as well as RCS Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. She has frequently appeared in concerts in New York, St. Petersburg, Riga, London, Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as cities in her native Korea such as Seoul, Suwon and Busan.

Pianist Petras Geniusas is one of the most prominent, versatile and adventurous Lithuanian performers. Having mastered an extensive repertoire of classical, romantic and contemporary works, he frequently appears in recitals and concerts with Lithuanian symphony orchestras, and various chamber ensembles and musicians.

Graeme McNaught studied in Glasgow, Munich and Salzburg before completing his studies with the renowned Italian pianist and teacher Maria Curcio in London.

Norman Beedie studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before gaining a Sir James Caird Scholarship enabling him to continue studies with Guido Agosti and Carlo Zecchi. As well as studying with Nadia Boulanger, he was greatly influenced by the soprano, Irène Joachim, granddaughter of violinist Joseph Joachim, friend and colleague of Brahms, and by the late, James Gibb in London. He has pursued an international career of great variety as a conductor, pianist and teacher.

Coombs has a lifelong commitment to music education. He has taught at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He was an External Assessor at the Royal College of Music, from 2004-2012, and is presently an External Assessor for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since 2018, he has taught at the Purcell School and is currently a Lecturer in Piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Nicholas is currently a Principal Study Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Conservatoire Juniors. He is also an External Examiner for Ph.D/doctoral candidates at RCS for practice as research in piano performance.  He has acted as an Examiner for PhD in the areas of therapeutic applications of voice training (Edinburgh Napier) and vocal performance from a feminist perspective (Salford).

Nicholas also teaches students at the University of Edinburgh. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy/Advance HE (2018) and was a Teaching Fellow at Edinburgh Napier from 2018-20.

Saša has been part of the RCS keyboard staff since 2014 and is a great admirer of Richard P. Feynman’s work and his way of teaching and learning. 

In 2006, Aaron Shorr was appointed Head of Keyboard at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2013, he was awarded a Professorship from the RCS and in 2013-2015, also served as Acting Director of Music at the RCS.

“Nothing scares the brilliant Morta Grigaliūnaitė.” – Diapason Magazine

Ugnius is an acclaimed musician and award-winning pianist, teacher and performance art curator showcasing diverse musical talents across various genres.

Claire comes from Glasgow, where she studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now RCS) with Jean Hutchison. There, she won prizes for Solo and Chamber music, including the Peter Morrison Prize for All Round Excellence, and represented the Academy in recital tours of Iceland and Russia. She then completed the Advanced Solo Studies course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Paul Roberts.

Claire is active both as an instrumental and song accompanist, playing chamber music recitals for music societies throughout Scotland, performing regularly as a member of Trio Ecossaise and the Kilnaish Duo, as well as collaborating in a duo with baritone Phil Gault.

Claire has been a staff repetiteur at Scottish Opera, a Vocal Coach on the ‘Vocal Inspiration’ and ‘Art of Song’ courses, is a staff accompanist & coach for the Scottish International Flute Summer School, and accompanies for NYCoS residential courses and concerts.

Anna was born in St Petersburg, Russia, where she studied in Music School, The Rimsky-Korsakov Music College, and then in The St Petersburg (Leningrad) State Conservatoire. Anna graduated from Conservatoire with Honours diploma, qualifying as concert pianist, chamber ensemble player, piano accompanist and piano teacher. Currently, Anna teaches piano for BEd pupils (first and second study piano, piano accompaniment). She continues to accompany conducting classes at RCS and teaches piano at RCS Junior Conservatoire. She also continues teaching piano at Music School of Douglas Academy and The Glasgow Academy.

Edward Cohen has established himself as one of the most versatile and in-demand pianists in Scotland. Equally at home as a concerto soloist, recitalist, or chamber musician, he regularly collaborates with leading musicians in major performance venues and festivals in his home country and beyond.

Clare Sutherland presently teaches Piano and Accompaniment on the BEd course at the Conservatoire. She enjoys helping students improve their Piano skills and widening their general repertoire.

Yoon-Kyung has built a long and distinguished career dedicated to nurturing musical talent since the 1990s. Her experience spans teaching musical theory and providing instruction in both group settings and one-on-one lessons, catering to the diverse needs and learning styles of her students. Her comprehensive approach to music education ensures students not only achieve technical proficiency, but also develop a deep understanding of musical theory, enhancing their overall musicianship.

As a seasoned teacher and accompanist, she possesses the expertise to guide students at various stages of their musical journey, including preparing them for professional qualifications such as those offered by the ABRSM. Additionally, she has been instrumental in helping students with ABRSM grade exams as an accompanist and teacher and in securing music scholarships.

From exhilarating concertos to delicate chamber works, from mainstream Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms to the rarefied worlds of Messiaen, Tippett and Britten, Steven Osborne is at home with the widest range of styles and his carefully crafted recital programmes and idiomatic approach to contrasting works are both publicly and critically acclaimed.

Malcolm was given an honorary doctorate at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2004 and appointed International Fellow of Accompaniment in 2009. Malcolm was the Artistic Director of the 2011 Leeds Lieder+ Festival.

International Visiting Professor in Contemporary Improvisation

Anto Pett graduated from the Conservatoire of Tallinn (now renamed Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre) as a pianist and composer. Since 1987 he has been teaching harmony and improvisation at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.

William’s international career was launched in 1984 when he won the first prize, gold medal and Rosa Sabater prize at the Concurso Internacional de Piano in Jaén, Spain. His concerto début at St. John’s Smith Square with the Philharmonia Orchestra followed soon after. He subsequently added successes in the Busoni, Cleveland, Iturbi, and Scottish International Competitions.

Djordje Gajic began his musical studies in Serbia at the age of six, finally graduating from the Russian Academy of Music in 1993 with a Master of Music degree and the Honorary Title of Solo Performer. He continued his post-graduate studies at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music and was appointed Assistant to Professor Yuri Dranga.

David has performed throughout Europe and in North America, Russia and China, and is a Guest Professor at Shanghai Conservatory.

Jan Waterfield read music at Girton College, Cambridge, where she was also a choral scholar. This was followed by postgraduate studies in harpsichord and piano with John Toll and David Willison at the RAM in London, where she won prizes for both Lieder Accompaniment and Continued Playing.

At the RCS, Jan teaches the wealth of keyboard music before 1750, takes sideways leaps into the Opera School (for baroque ‘style’) and to the Fair Access/Education departments for Coaching. She is also very interested in coaching as an aid to teaching; the questions we ask ourselves are vital for a musician’s progress. As a life-long meditator, Jan is also curious as to mental-emotional state when playing & how that can be developed best for each individual.