A personal approach

When they arrive at a CUK conservatoire most students will enter a department or faculty, such as opera, drama, composition, or studio production. They will usually be assigned to a professor or tutor within the department who will oversee their progress.

In music, the student will usually meet their professor every week for an intensive lesson in their chosen specialism (often known as ‘Principal Study’). This intensive, regular one-to-one engagement with a professor is a vital part of the conservatoire experience, particularly for musicians. All students benefit not just from the technical or artistic insights of their professor, but also from their wide experience of the professional world.

Just as important are the other group-based activities the faculty provides for its students. For example, students in the stringed instruments faculty will take part in ensembles and orchestral programmes while acting students will participate in combat and movement classes together.

Students also enrol on programmes of study (degree courses from BMus to PhD). As they progress through the programme, students will be able to choose from a range of optional subjects, which they study alongside compulsory subjects, including opportunities to collaborate with students from other performance disciplines. Most CUK members offer students the chance to take part in exchange schemes with other top-ranking conservatoires around the world, as well as in collaborative professional partnership schemes with many of the UK’s leading theatres, companies and orchestras.

Centred around their principal study or discipline, the programme of study forms the basis of their personal learning plan. The student’s progress through the plan is carefully monitored as they progress through their chosen study area by the programme tutors, thus emphasising the personal approach.