Please note: applications to the City of Edinburgh Music School for the school year 2023/2024 is now closed. The closing date for applications for the school year 2024/2025 is Monday 8 January 2024, with final auditions taking place in February and March.
All instruments and all styles of music are considered equally.
A preliminary audition can be arranged through the Director of The Music School between October and December. On the basis of this informal meeting advice will be given on whether or not to proceed further.
Those short-listed for a final audition, will be called in February, March or April for assessment by a panel of highly-renowned musicians from outwith the School. All instruments and all styles of music are considered equally. Over the years students have successfully secured places in The Music School with their performances on a wide variety of instruments such as voice, drum kit, electric guitar, bagpipes and recorder along with standard orchestral instruments.
The audition is a straightforward 15-minute performance of music of the candidate’s own choice (contrasting pieces if possible) plus a variety of other possibilities such as aural tests, scales, sightreading and improvising as appropriate.The whole audition normally lasts 30 minutes.
The panel is aware of the widely differing backgrounds of the applicants and is looking much more for potential ability than for present attainment. For this reason, it is not possible to prescribe a level of performance required for entry at any stage. The technical skill of a young primary student may be of little significance in the selection. On the other hand it would be unrealistic to consider seriously an S4 or S5 student who is not already well on the way to the technical accomplishment expected by one of our major colleges of music. There is no set number of places to be allocated annually. There are many musical children for whom a specialist education is not necessarily the best course.
The City of Edinburgh Council will offer places only to those children who, in the opinion of the panel, have a musical talent and personal motivation of such a degree as to justify a highly-specialised form of education. If you are unsure of suitability for application, please feel welcome to discuss this with the Music School staff at the Open Day or preliminary audition.
