Staff A-Z

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.

Marc Silberschatz holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and an MA with Distinction in Classical and Contemporary Text (Directing).

Bekah is a Lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, following previous academic positions at the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. She holds a D.M.A. and M.Mus in music composition from the University of Toronto, and a B.Mus.Ed. and B.Mus in theory/composition from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her principal teachers during academic studies were Gary Kulesha and Andrew Staniland, alongside significant private study with Clara Iannotta and Martin Bédard.

Principal Bass Trombone, RSNO

Becca is our Coordinator here at WACI and first became interested in the widening access game when she was involved in the Highland Youth Arts Hub back when she was a student, studying Applied Music with UHI.

Ruth Slater is a professor of baroque violin and viola as well as coordinator and author of the Baroque Music and Ensemble Module at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

Eilidh Slattery works full-time at RCS on the PG Cert & MEd Learning and Teaching in the Arts programmes, working with arts educators from all educational, vocational and community settings. Eilidh’s research interests focus on dance and creative movement in primary education, and arts-based professional learning. Eilidh’s wider research interests are arts-based pedagogy, arts-based research methods, inclusive practice, and diversification of learning and teaching theory.

Born in Edinburgh, Smith began his prolific career at 14 when his quartet won Best Band, and he received Best Musician Trophy at the 1981 Edinburgh Jazz Festival. He has documented over thirty solo albums for Blue Note, Linn, ECM and his own Spartacus Record label; toured 50+ countries, composed over 300 works, and collaborated with musicians, poets, and visual artists. In 1995 he established the SNJO and ensured its progress until funding began in 1998. In 2009 Smith was appointed head of Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and became Professor in 2010.

Andrew pursues a varied career as a saxophonist, teacher, and researcher, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has been involved in commissioning and/or premiering new works by Charlotte Bray, Tansy Davies, Edward McGuire, and Ailie Robertson and has also worked with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In addition to performing and teaching, Andrew pursues related research interests in musicology and education, generating traditional written outputs, research-led artistic practice, and improved outcomes for learning and teaching.

John is a Lecturer and Folk Ensemble Mentor on the BMus Traditional Music course. He also teaches Principal Study Accordion as part of the Scottish Traditional Music degree.

Jennifer joined the Woodwind Department at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2017.

Mark Stevenson works as a lecturer in acting and directs several programmes at RCS, including the BA Performance in BSL and English programme. He is a graduate of both the University of Oxford and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RSAMD as was!). He has worked as an actor across Scotland as well as internationally.

Peter Stewart lectures at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Aberdeen City Music School and has previously taught at Aberdeen College of Music and Performing Arts.

Fraser is a lecturer on the Traditional Music course.

Martin Storey has performed in many countries around the world as a soloist and chamber musician and has served as principal cellist with many British orchestras such as the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. For over eight years he held the position of Principal Cellist with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and in 2019 he was appointed principal cellist of Scottish Opera.

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.

Tony Swainson is a senior brass lecturer and Former Principal Tuba for the  BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has seen many of his students go on to prestigious professional positions around the world. He is a graduate of the Royal Manchester College of Music, now the RNCM, where he studied tuba with the renowned tuba player, Stuart Roebuck, as well as piano and composition.

Iseabail is a lecturer on the Traditional Music course.