Why study Music at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire?

With limitless collaboration opportunities for staff and students, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, is a stimulating environment with an international reputation which celebrates diversity. Here are just some of the reasons you should study music with us.

Historic and prestigious

Should you choose to study one of our Royal Birmingham Conservatoire based courses, you will be situated within an institution whose history dates back to the 1800s and has been part of Birmingham City University since 1989.

The Conservatoire gained its "Royal" title in 2017 from Queen Elizabeth II via their royal patronage by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. It has produced famous musical alumni including soul singer-songwriter Laura Mvula, baritone Rhydian Roberts and conductor Michael Seal.

Unique facilities

Located on our City Centre Campus, the Conservatoire is housed within a purpose-built and award-winning £57 million building that features state of the art facilities to cater for a plethora of musical specialties.

The star of the show is The Bradshaw Hall, a 500-capacity performance space that has hosted a wealth of classical, jazz and popular music artists; and where students routinely have the opportunity to rehearse and perform.

Eastside Jazz Club is a vibrant 100-capacity performance space that emulates the jazz clubs of the 1920s, but with twenty first century technology. Alongside this, there is a 146-seater Recital Hall, Organ Studio and experimental black box performance venue, The Lab.

More into music production? RBC has seven recording studios and a mastering suite decked out with the finest recording technology to ensure fully professional quality recording sessions.

Academics, Tutors and expertise

Staff at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire have a wealth of knowledge and expertise across the instruments, subjects and disciplines they teach. Many are members of orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra.

This means you will be taught by professionals working and performing at the highest level in industry, and alongside this, are dedicated to ensuring students become successful and employable in their own right.

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire have teamed up with Professors in BCU to pilot improving the health and wellbeing of musical performers. (2021 report)

Opportunities 

As a musician, you’re probably looking to get involved in as many performance opportunities as possible. Experience of playing in orchestras, other large ensembles, as well as chamber groups and crossover ensembles, represents an important aspect of your training, helping you to meet the expectations of the modern portfolio musician.

Orchestras and ensembles include brass band, chamber orchestra, opera, string orchestra, wind orchestra and Folk Ensemble.

Student performances, and professional concerts form the heart of our events schedule, and RBC stages over 300 public-facing events every year. Conservatoire students are also able to earn while they learn, doing something they love: performing. The Hire a Musician scheme gives students a chance to be hired for concerts, weddings and other events and earn money whilst doing so.