Junior Academy of Music
Learn Scottish Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire
The Scottish Traditional Music Course
Within the Junior Conservatoire we offer a Scottish Traditional Music
Course. Scottish Music students have lessons, classes and group work. Recognising the
traditions of Scottish Music, much of the teaching will be delivered aurally but students will also
learn by means of notation. All Scottish Music students will have a principal study lesson of 45
minutes, a listening skills class of one hour and the option of a subsidiary study lesson of 30
minutes. The listening skills class will help to develop the skills and understanding necessary for
young traditional musicians. It will cover pitch and rhythm, sight-reading, structure, composition
and harmony, standard western notation and the instrumentation specific to traditional music in
Scotland. Theory is also provided. Students can work towards the fully accredited Scottish
Traditional Music Graded Exams offered by the Royal Conservatoire (see below) as well as
the examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Scottish Music Group Activities
There are two traditional music groups that provide the opportunity for
students to play in a group whilst developing learning by ear, arranging, harmony writing and
improvising, in addition to performance and presentation skills. These groups are open to all
Junior Conseratoire students, whether or not they are on the Scottish Music course. In addition
Scottish Music students can join the choirs and play in the orchestras. Regular opportunities are
available to perform at events both inside and outwith the Conservatoire. Frequent workshops are
held with established visiting musicians who are able to offer different ideas and approaches to
groupwork, singing and improvisation.
Scottish Traditional Music Graded Exams
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers its own validated programme of
graded exams in Scottish traditional music for learners of all ages. Our programme promotes
traditional Scottish performance skills and the best of traditional repertoire, offering syllabuses
up to Grade 5 for fiddle, accordion and Scottish harp, devised and examined by specialists in these
disciplines. The collections for harp, fiddle and accordion are out now on general release and
available from
www.scotlandsmusic.com. For more information on the
exams, go to
http://gradedexams.rcs.ac.uk.


Socialise with RSAMD