The RSNO is proud to work with colleagues from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to deliver the RSNO & RCS Apprenticeship Scheme and Side by Side.

Apprenticeship Scheme

The RSNO and RCS Apprenticeship scheme bridges the transition between conservatoire student performance and professional experience, for young musicians showing promise as orchestral musicians.

Each year students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are invited to audition for the apprenticeship scheme in the same way that the RSNO would execute auditions for real vacancies within the Orchestra, with candidates being set challenging solo and orchestral repertoire as well as being presented with sight-reading in the audition.

All candidates are provided with panel reports regarding their audition with suggestions of ways to improve audition technique and etiquette. Successful students are then invited to rehearse with the RSNO for three different and exciting projects throughout the Season, as well as receiving advice and mentoring from RSNO musicians.

The Apprenticeship Scheme is open to students on the BMus Hons and MMus courses. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, please speak to your course tutor or click here to email Gemma Carlin at the RCS.

Side by Side

The RSNO and RCS run an annual Side by Side day in which each RSNO musician sits alongside a player from the RCS Symphony Orchestra to perform major works from the orchestral repertoire, directed by an RSNO conductor. The Orchestra also has a long-standing partnership with the RCS conducting department, and each year a day is dedicated to offering the Masters students and Conducting Fellows the chance to conduct the full RSNO.