Woodwind

The Academy is a hub of musical activity and playing with the Academy Orchestras when conductors such as Ilan Volkov and Stéphane Deneuve are at the helm is always exciting – a real highlight for the orchestral musicians! Another amazing thing at the Academy is the chance to work with professional accompanists – at no cost to yourself – it’s a fantastic chance to play through repertoire when it’s still a work in progress! It also means when you play to visiting musicians in the many masterclasses, competitions and performance classes you’re really prepared having worked with the same pianist all year round. Forming chamber music groups is an excellent way to earn some cash – and professional coaching is offered as part of your course.

The RSAMD Woodwind Department is ‘simply the best’. From the word go opportunities are abound for the aspiring woodwind player - and I have been given many, which I strongly believe would never have been offered to me elsewhere. The woodwind staff are extremely friendly and supportive in helping you to become the musician you want to be.

The early years in the department are a great opportunity to build on existing technique and understand your instrument more, particularly as we are offered a generous weekly 90 minute lesson on our principal study and a further 30minutes on our related instrument (Eb, Piccolo, Bass, Contra etc.). It prepares you well for the growing performance opportunities, and initial appearances in the RSAMD Symphony and Wind Orchestra’s helped me to build my understanding of orchestral technique early on – a valuable skill.

As a bassoonist, I was also able to do lots of work on reed-making before it ‘ really mattered’. All double reed players know that making your own reeds is very important and at the RSAMD the Woodwind Department has some of the best provisions for this in the UK. We have a double reed room which is for the exclusive use of double reed students for personal practice and lessons. It also houses the Academy’s reed-making equipment and is the venue for regular reed-making classes.

As you develop through the course more opportunities arise in the form of competitions, concerto performances, large scale symphonic orchestral programmes with internationally renowned conductors, three professional orchestral training schemes, larger scale chamber music, opera orchestra, contemporary ensembles…the list is endless. Everything, I believe, is here for the aspiring woodwind player – great opportunities in a friendly and welcoming environment.

I chose to study at the RSAMD because the quality of the woodwind faculty is amongst the best anywhere. The woodwind staff are top players from Scotland’s professional orchestras and with the orchestral scene buzzing in Glasgow, there are so many chances to see your teachers perform. Already, I have had some fantastic opportunities, which I may not have experienced, had I decided to study elsewhere.  

The RSAMD operates three apprenticeships in conjunction with the RSNO, BBC SSO and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. This has given me the chance to appreciate the subtleties of the profession first hand. Those valuable opportunities include experiencing playing 2nd clarinet in a professional orchestra, taking part in the complete run of a full opera production as part of the Scottish Opera collaboration.  

There are also many performance opportunities within the academy itself. The orchestral programme is diverse and highly developed and there are many other specialist chamber ensembles such as the new RSA Stevenson Wind Ensemble which brings in leading artists to direct. There are also regular performance classes and masterclasses given by visiting artists within the academy, which heighten your development as a musician.