Saxophone (ages 12-18)

Participants will gain invaluable experience of ensemble playing and chamber music in addition to honing their performance skills through lessons and masterclass opportunities. Joe Pacewicz will give a masterclass and RCS Head of Woodwind, Heather Nicoll will give an introduction to performance wellbeing practice.

The course will culminate in an informal sharing at the end of the week giving participants the opportunity to showcase their learning to friends and family.

The course will include a comprehensive curriculum of technique, solo and ensemble performances skills including informal performances by the tutors alongside our course accompanist.  There will be opportunities for participants to gain playing experience on different SATB saxophones in addition to experiencing high-quality complimentary studies.

This summer school is for young saxophonists (12 – 18 years of age) who enjoy music making and have reached a minimum playing level of Grade 4 (ABRSM or equivalent). 

Participants will be asked to submit a short recording of themselves along with their application to demonstrate their current playing level.

The recording should be no longer than 3-4 minutes. No need to worry about recording quality – you can use your mobile phone/tablet/computer.

You can submit your recording in two ways:

1. Upload to a video platform, such as YouTube, as an unlisted file and enter the URL on the last page of the online booking form.
2. Upload the file itself direct to the last page of the online booking form.

Please remember to title your file or video as: Your Name – Course Name

Please bring along any pieces that you are currently working on or would like to develop during the course. Participants are encouraged to consider repertoire for lessons along with any pieces they might play in a performance/masterclass scenario.

Please also bring any/all saxophones and mouthpieces you own and/or regularly play.

Please wear loose comfortable clothing and bring along suitable reeds, a notebook and pencil.

Details of Ensemble/Chamber Repertoire will be made available in advance along with information about preparation.

Please note this is an indication of the schedule for the week and subject to change.

Day 1

• 9:45am: Welcome Meeting with Summer Schools
• 10am: Meet and Greet, Welcome and Tutor Concert
• 11am: Technique Class
• 12:30pm: Lunch
• 1:30pm: Performance Class
• 2:30pm: Break
• 3pm: Wildcard Class
• 4pm: Ensemble
• 5pm: Finish

Day 2

• 10am: Technique Class
• 11am: Lessons/Chamber/Practice
• 12:30pm: Lunch
• 1:30pm: Performance Class
• 2:30pm: Break
• 3pm: Wildcard Class
• 4pm: Ensemble
• 5pm: Finish

Day 3

• 10am: Technique Class
• 11am: Lessons/Chamber/Practice
• 12:30pm: Lunch
• 1:30pm: Performance Class
• 2:30pm: Break
• 3pm: Wildcard Class
• 4pm: Ensemble
• 5pm: Finish

Day 4

• 10am: Technique Class
• 11am: Lessons/Chamber/Practice
• 12:30pm: Lunch
• 1:30pm: Performance Class
• 2:30pm: Break
• 3pm: Wildcard Class
• 4pm: Ensemble
• 5pm: Finish

Day 5

• 10am: Technique Class
• 11am: Ensemble
• 12:30pm: Lunch
• 1:30pm: Performance Class
• 2:30pm: Break
• 3pm: Ensemble
• 4pm: Sharing Concert
• 5pm: Finish

Andrew Somerville pursues a varied career as a saxophonist, teacher, and researcher. His extensive performance experience includes recital, concerto and chamber engagements at Cadogan Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Southbank Center, Wigmore Hall, and music clubs throughout Scotland. Committed to new music, he has premiered new works for saxophone quartet by Charlotte Bray, Tansy Davies, and Edward McGuire. He has also worked with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Andrew’s musicological research generates traditional written outputs and research-led artistic practice, and he is pursuing an additional interest in learning and teaching for music higher education through further postgraduate work at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS).

Andrew is saxophone lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and has recently presented masterclasses at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, St Mary’s Music School, and university music schools across the USA. He previously taught at the University of St Andrews and RCS Junior Conservatoire, and held teaching assistantships while pursuing postgraduate studies at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois. He is also a graduate of the Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and the University of Glasgow, where his studies were generously funded by the Caird Trust, Help Musicians, and the Wingate Foundation. Andrew’s saxophone teachers were Debra Richtmeyer, Frederick Hemke, Kyle Horch, Martin Robertson, and Josef Pacewicz.

Lewis Banks is a Scottish saxophonist praised by the Herald for his ‘virtuosity and blinding characterisation’. No stranger to diverse and adventurous concert programming, Lewis is rapidly developing a reputation as an exciting soloist who thrives on traversing genre borders.

Winner of the Sussex Prize at the Royal Overseas League Music Competition, Lewis made his London recital debut at the Purcell Room in 2019, and regularly appears as a soloist across the U.K, including recent performances on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Scotland.

As a concerto soloist, Lewis recently appeared as a soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a performance of the music of John Williams. Also in 2023, Lewis premiered ‘Inscriptions in Granite’ by composer Electra Perivolaris, with the Glasgow Barons. Previously, he gave the U.K premiere of the orchestral version of Santiago Baez’s L’Arlesienne Fantasy Concerto in 2020, and also appeared as concerto soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2016, performing Ibert’s Concertino da Camera.

As an orchestral saxophonist, Lewis is a frequent guest with ensembles such as The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Opera.

Previously, Lewis studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he won most performance prizes, was awarded the highest attainable recital marks in both his final degree recitals and graduated with The Principal’s Prize for Excellence in 2018. Future projects include a series of recital releases on Eleven Kinds Records and the premiering of a new saxophone concerto by Jay Capperauld.

Josef Pacewicz is a Saxophone and E flat ClarinetLecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

He studied clarinet and saxophone at the Royal Academy of Music in London.In 1976,whilst still a student, he formed the Myhra Saxophone Quartet with John Harle, Andy Findon andDavid Roach when they met as ushers at the World Saxophone Congress held at the Royal College ofMusic.

Josef played with the Royal Scottish NationalOrchestra (RSNO) as Associate Principal Clarinet and Principal E flat Clarinet for over thirty years before leaving in 2017 to pursue a freelance career. During this time hehas appeared in both concerts and recordings with most of the British orchestras including theLondon Symphony, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BournemouthSymphony and all of the BBC Orchestras.

He has appeared as soloist with the RSNO in Debussy’s Saxophone Rhapsodie and with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Peter Maxwell Davies’ Strathclyde Concerto No.6 for six solo wind instruments. He joined the teaching staff at the Conservatoire in 1985.

Heather Nicoll is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), and was appointed Head of Woodwind in 2007.

In a diverse performing career as a clarinettist, she has given concerts and recorded with many of Britain’s leading orchestras, and held a principal position with Scottish Ballet for several years. Heather has appeared as concerto soloist on many occasions, making her professional debut with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), and has featured regularly with various professional contemporary and chamber music ensembles.

She has played on numerous soundtracks for films, working with composers including John Williams (Harry Potter: The Philosopher’s Stone), James Horner (Enemy At The Gates), Craig Armstrong (Moulin Rouge), Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith, and recorded with a diverse range of artists such as Bryn Terfel and Joni Mitchell.

In 2002, Heather gained an MA in Psychology for Musicians (University of Sheffield). More recently, she has completed a PGDip in Performance Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, exploring the psychology of peak performance in a range of fields including music and sport. In addition, Heather is a qualified Mindfulness Now teacher, certified by the UK College of Mindfulness Meditation. She practices with RCS students and working professionals exploring the benefits of mindfulness within areas such as managing stress, aiding effective practice and performance techniques.

In addition to her work at RCS, Heather has adjudicated extensively at national, regional and international level for organisations such as the Yamaha Foundation Awards, BBC Young Musician and National Concert Band Festival. She has also examined and given masterclasses and workshops at leading Conservatoires in Britain and further afield.

Summer Accommodation

We are pleased to welcome students from across the world to our Summer Schools. Our course fees do not include accommodation or food, and these should be organised by the student. Our campus is located in Glasgow city centre, and you can find the addresses below.

We recommend Base Glasgow, as purpose-built accommodation for Conservatoire students, with Rehearsal Rooms, Practice spaces and Dance Studios. Base Glasgow is perfectly suited for our summer school students; both safe and secure, with 24/7 staff presence and only 3 mins walk from our main Renfrew Street building, keeping travel costs to a minimum.

Classic En-Suite rooms come with a 3/4 bed, en-suite bathroom, ample storage, mirror, study desk and chair. The shared area includes a spacious lounge and kitchen area.

Please note that Short Courses staff are not affiliated with BASE or on site outwith the summer school teaching hours, and therefore cannot take responsibility for students outside of these hours.

For more information about booking accommodation at BASE Glasgow you can contact them directly via website BASE – Student Accommodation in Glasgow or email baseglasgow@herestudents.com.

Alternatively, there are plenty of hotels, hostels, and b’n’b options available. We are located close to transport links should you wish to stay outside the city centre. If you are travelling to Glasgow for a course, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers course fees, travel, accommodation, and cancellations due to COVID-19 – as RCS will not refund in this circumstance. You can view the Cancellations and Refund policy for full information.

For students under 18 years old, we strongly advise travelling with a responsible adult should any emergency situations arise during class. Students are only monitored by staff during class times.

Renfrew Street Campus: 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Wallace Studios Campus: 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow, G4 9RR