Junior Conservatoire of Music
For more than 50 years we have encouraged thousands of young people to fulfil their artistic potential, develop essential life skills and explore a world of possibilities within the arts and far beyond.
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Music is at the heart of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Junior Conservatoire of Music is an integral part of that offer.
Juniors Music provides an engaging and comprehensive programme of weekly lessons, classes and ensembles, taught by leading performers and teachers. A welcoming, diverse and inclusive community, Juniors Music has supported generations of young people to fulfil their musical potential, enabling them to access a host of exciting higher education possibilities.
Our Junior Conservatoire students are nurtured and empowered to be the best they can be in a vibrant, happy and encouraging environment where supporting young people is at the heart of everything we do. Our students access specialist training across the performing and production arts from world-class teachers and visiting artists who are leaders in their fields.
If you have any questions about Juniors Music please feel free to get in touch:
“I have progressed further as a musician in one year than I think I have in the past seven years. I have learnt about every aspect of music and musicianship.”
— Junior Conservatoire student
What do we offer?
We are the largest provider of specialist music education for young people in Scotland and our carefully designed curriculum mirrors the opportunities presented by RCS’s undergraduate music programmes, providing a progressive pathway for young classical, traditional, and jazz musicians to access our senior school programmes.
Each student has an individual timetable and, in addition to the core elements of the programme, they can access a number of choice electives, enabling them to pursue their own individual musical interests.
Primary Instrumental Programme: Wind, Brass, and Percussion
Our Patrons
Patrons of the Junior Conservatoire of Music, Nicola Benedetti and Patrick Doyle, are passionate advocates of the performing arts, believing in the positive impact the arts can have on young people.
Nicola Benedetti
Nicola works frequently with our undergraduate and Junior Conservatoire students, sharing her knowledge and techniques through masterclasses to help refine solo, chamber and orchestral playing skills.
Nicola began playing violin at the age of four and by eight was leading the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain. Today she is one of the world’s finest and most in-demand musicians, with a multi-album recording contract and an CBE for services to music and charity.
From the start of her performing career, Nicola has been a passionate and committed campaigner for music and arts in education. She has collaborated with RCS, as well as other organisations to develop the ‘Benedetti Sessions’, a workshop programme for children and young people of all abilities and backgrounds.
Patrick Doyle
Lanarkshire-born Patrick Doyle is one of the world’s most successful composers with a stellar 50-year career in film, television and theatre. Recently becoming Patron for the Junior Conservatoire of Music in December 2023, Patrick is passionate about giving back to the institution he says that has been instrumental in his success.
Patrick credits his Junior Conservatoire studies for opening his eyes to the wider world of music and setting him on a musical journey that led him to studying piano and singing at undergraduate level at RCS (when it was known as the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) to penning the soundtracks for more than 60 box office hits, including Pixar’s Brave, Marvel’s Thor, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Donnie Brasco, Carlito’s Way, Gosford Park and Sense and Sensibility.
Most recently he was commissioned to compose The Coronation March for The Coronation of Their Majesties, The King and The Queen, at Westminster Abbey in May, which was performed to a global audience of nearly a billion viewers.
Meet the Team
We have an outstanding staff of educators and teachers, many of whom are performers across Scotland’s national orchestras, including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBCSSO) and Scottish Opera.
Our management and administration team support our young people to access the highest quality education:
- Francis Cummings | Head of Junior Conservatoire Music
- Matthew Chinn | Associate Head of Junior Conservatoire Music
- Lauren McCormick | Junior Conservatoire Music Operations Manager | (+44) 0141 270 8247
- Chris Brown | Junior Conservatoire Administrator (Music) | (+44) 0141 270 8354
- Charlotte Jennings | Junior Conservatoire Administrator (Music Centres) | (+44) 0141 270 8316
- Laura McFarlane | Junior Conservatoire Administrator (Early Years and PIP) | (+44) 0141 270 8271
Open Days
Each year we hold open days and evenings for our Junior and Pre-Junior Conservatoire programmes. The open events are an opportunity for any young person and parents/carers to come to RCS and find out more about the programmes on offer.
The next in-person Open Day will take place on Saturday, 9 November. Due to limited capacity, registration for this event is now closed.
We will be hosting an online open day on 25 January 2025. The booking form for this event is now available here.
A year in the life at Juniors Music
