Overview of Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow
©2010 Gazetteer for Scotland

Located in purpose-built accommodation on Glasgow's Renfrew Street, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) is Scotland's only Conservatoire, dedicated to education of musicians, actors and associated professions to the highest international standards. The Academy comprises a School of Music, a School of Drama, formed in 1951, and the Alexander Gibson Opera School, opened in 1998.

The Academy was founded in 1847 as the Glasgow Athenaeum, with a role to provide further education in commerce, science and the arts. In 1928 the School of Music was renamed the Scottish National Academy of Music and its Royal status was granted in 1944 by King George VI. In 1968, the name was changed to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to reflect the increasing importance of drama. The Academy was given degree-awarding powers by the Privy Council in 1994. The Academy is funded as a 'central institution' by the Scottish Executive, through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) and is attended by approximately 650 students.

The current building was opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (1900 - 2002). The building has performance auditoria, as well as numerous practice rooms, rehearsal rooms and dressing rooms. The Alexander Gibson Opera School includes an opera studio, several rehearsal rooms and a conference suite.

Former students include Robert Carlyle (b. 1961), Tom Conti (b. 1941), Bill Paterson (b. 1945), Ian Richardson (b. 1934) and Ruby Wax.