In each year of the undergraduate course, students will have regular opportunities to play in weekly performance classes, participate in masterclasses, showcase concerts and festival events, including Guitar Digifest, Big Guitar Weekend and RCS’s contemporary Plug Festival.

Classes in technique, performance practice, repertoire and, of course, chamber music run throughout the year enhancing learning and developing the performer.

There are many opportunities to perform either as a soloist or as a chamber musician. We also encourage students to take part in competitions and play in student ensembles, both within RCS and externally. You will also have the chance to collaborate with other artists across RCS including actors, musical theatre performers and dancers. Our contemporary music festival, Plug, provides the perfect opportunity to work with emerging composers.

The Guitar and Harp department also offer prestigious concerto opportunities to students to perform with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC SSO as well as the RCS Symphony Orchestra. We enjoy close collaborations with distinguished teaching artists from around the world, including our Associate artist in guitar – Paul Galbraith and harpists Ruth Potter and Karen Vaughan, amongst many others.