course page main image

Conducting - PgDip / MMus

Currently viewing course to start in 2026/27 Entry.

The principal aim of our Master of Music (MMus) course is to provide you with knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in your chosen branch(es) of the music profession, giving you a head-start in addressing the challenges involved in becoming a professional musician....

  • Level Postgraduate Taught
  • Study mode Full Time/Part Time

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

The principal aim of our Master of Music (MMus) course is to provide you with knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in your chosen branch(es) of the music profession, giving you a head-start in addressing the challenges involved in becoming a professional musician.

The course is suitable for both recent graduates and suitably qualified mature students, with a range of support to ensure that you leave Royal Birmingham Conservatoire ready to pursue a musical career.

A distinctive feature of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s postgraduate provision is that it will give you the opportunity to make choices within your course directly relevant to your future career aspirations, both within your Principal Study area and in your supporting studies. All MMus and PgDip routes include a core Career Development module designed to get you thinking about your future professional plans, and a broad menu of optional Professional Development modules designed to help you work towards achieving your personal career aspirations. You will also take a core module designed to develop your skills as a researcher or informed practitioner.

You will have the opportunity to study in one of several Principal Study areas, most of which are also offered at PgDip or PgCert level.

We also offer the opportunity to study for an MMus via our 12-month route. To be eligible for this route, applicants must be able to show evidence of an extremely high level of achievement in the Principal Study area and a strong academic record at undergraduate level (or equivalent). If you are interested in the 12-month route, please email an initial enquiry about your potential eligibility to conservatoire.admissions@bcu.ac.uk, as it is not possible to apply for this route via UCAS.

Conducting pathways

We offer the following:

All our conducting pathways offer the technical training, collaborative opportunities, and podium time necessary to help you prepare for a career as a professional conductor. You will spend considerable time developing your directing techniques in rehearsals and will also have opportunities to demonstrate your skills in performance. In addition to attending and participating in scheduled ensemble activities, you will be encouraged to explore other opportunities to engage as conductor or observer. Students across all three pathways will also attend classes/workshops of their peers studying other conducting specialisms.

What's covered in this course?

  • Regular individual tuition in your Principal Study area from leading UK and internationally renowned performers, practitioners, teachers, and researchers.
  • Bespoke support classes in musicianship and repertoire.
  • The opportunity to participate in a wide variety of creative projects, including interdisciplinary collaborations.
  • Frequent opportunities to perform, both within Departmental activities and in concerts.
  • Access to forums, seminars and masterclasses with distinguished visiting artists, composers, and performers.
  • Access to the Conservatoire’s broad range of ensemble activities, including chamber music, operatic productions, Brass Band, Wind Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, ‘Repertoire’ and ‘Pops’ Orchestras, Thallein (Contemporary Music) Ensemble, and the Folk Ensemble.
  • The opportunity to tailor your course to your individual needs through wide-ranging Professional Development modules.
  • A chance to network with leading professionals from around the world.

Studying conducting at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has proven to be an invaluable experience for me. Through the opportunities the course provided, I have been able to take my conducting career to higher levels, and the skills that I developed throughout my studies have meant that I am well equipped for anything that's thrown at me. I would not be working at my current level if it were not for the support of the conservatoire staff, as well as that of fellow students.

Tom Stoneman, Brass Band Conducting, 2019-2021

Open Day

Join us on campus where you'll be able to explore our facilities and accommodation in person, and chat to staff and students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Next Open Day: 12 June 2025

Book your place

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

UK students should normally hold an honours degree, ideally but not necessarily in Music.

Non-UK students should hold a Bachelor's degree or a similar degree-equivalent diploma, ideally but not necessarily in Music.

Applicants for most Principal Study areas will be auditioned live, but some will require you to submit a portfolio in addition to or instead of a live audition/interview. For full audition requirements and audition advice, please visit the Music Auditions section of the Conservatoire website.

Applying with international qualifications

See below for further information on applying as an international student.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Brass Band Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • £2147 per 20 credits
  • Year 1 - 60 credits
  • Year 2 - 60 credits

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

Award: MMus

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Brass Brand Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: MMus

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Choral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Choral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • £2147 per 20 credits
  • Year 1 - 60 credits
  • Year 2 - 60 credits

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

Award: MMus

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Orchestral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Orchestral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • £2147 per 20 credits
  • Year 1 - 60 credits
  • Year 2 - 60 credits

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Brass Band Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: MMus

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Brass Brand Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: MMus

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Choral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Choral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: MMus

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Orchestral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2026

Pathway: Orchestral Conducting

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

An intensive 12-month MMus route may be proposed by an audition panel for any candidates who demonstrate an exceptional level of achievement in their audition and who can provide evidence of a consistently strong previous academic record. It is not possible to apply for direct entry to this intensive programme.

Completing your application

Further information on writing your personal statement can be found on the UCAS Conservatoires website.

Course in Depth

PG Dip

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete TWO CORE modules (totalling 80 credits):

  • The Career Development module (20 credits), and
  • Principal Study 1 module (60 credits, chosen according to the specialism – see below).

You must complete one of the Principal Study modules below (Principal Study areas chosen will be dependent upon the specialist pathway chosen by the student):

In order to complete this course you must also successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules.

MMus

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete THREE CORE modules (totalling 140 credits):

  • The Career Development module (20 credits), and
  • Both Principal Study 1 and 2 modules (each 60 credits, chosen according to the specialism – see below).

You must complete one of the Principal Study modules below (Principal Study areas chosen will be dependent upon the specialist pathway chosen by the student):

You must complete one of the Principal Study modules below (Principal Study areas chosen will be dependent upon the specialist pathway chosen by the student):

In order to complete this course, you must also successfully complete at least 100 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:

  • THREE Professional Development modules (20 credits each), and

  • ONE MMus optional module (40 credits)

Principal Study Project modules

The content of these modules varies according to the instrument. As the exit point for PgCert and PgDip, Principal Study Project 1 modules are generally more prescriptive than Principal Study Project 2 modules (MMus only); however, both allow scope for you to explore repertoire of your own choice and to develop a specialist area if you wish.

The possibilities are too numerous to list here, but, for example, pianists may elect to combine solo and collaborative piano, or to specialise in one of the other; orchestral instrumentalists have the opportunity to focus on orchestral preparation; and there are opportunities for students to concentrate on a particular repertory (e.g. contemporary). More details are available upon request.

Preparation for the Principal Study Project modules is supported by individual specialist tuition, as well as by departmental activities throughout the course.

Professional development options

These are listed above, together with brief descriptions (Note: not all may run every year). They are designed to cover a range of areas of activity, enabling students to focus on areas directly relevant to their interests and their predicted future professional needs.

Employability

At Royal Birmingham Conservatoire we provide a friendly and supportive environment in which you can pursue your postgraduate studies. This is a time when you need to think particularly carefully and strategically about the direction of your developing career as a musician. We therefore encourage you to be ambitious in pursuing your aspirations, and endeavour to provide you with the flexibility to mould your course to your individual needs, both with your Principal Study area and in complementary modules.

We work with you to develop your portfolio whilst you are studying with us and proactive students are able to gain significant experience and built contacts externally.

Recent graduates enjoy portfolio careers, working as assistant conductors, conducting youth and amateur orchestras, and leading outreach projects.

The MMus is also designed to be able to prepare students for doctoral studies.

Brass Band Conducting

The culture of brass bands in the UK is extremely vibrant and although an amateur movement, the demand for professional conductors at all levels is always required. The opportunity to work abroad is also possible with strong brass band organisations in countries such as Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

Facilities & Staff

RBC concert hall

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s £57 million music building opened in September 2017, and is located on Birmingham City University’s City Centre Campus in the Eastside ‘learning quarter’ of the city.

This state-of-the-art music facility includes five public performance venues – a 440-seat Concert Hall, 150-seat Recital Hall, Organ Studio, Eastside Jazz Club and the experimental black box performance venue known as The Lab. As well as these stunning performance venues, we have nearly 100 practice spaces, including 70 small practice rooms and larger ensemble rooms and workshops.

Our home is the first conservatoire built in the digital age, and as such it has been vital to ensure that the technical infrastructure installed is on par with any advanced commercial facility. We have seven recording studios, a mastering suite, a distance learning hub, and all of our performance venues feature high specification audio-visual equipment that enables interconnectivity and advanced functionality throughout the building.

These impressive modern facilities guarantee that we are able to excel in our unique dual purpose of providing the highest standard of music education deserved by our students, as well as meeting our role as a concert and performance venue for the people of Birmingham, taking our place in the vibrant cultural landscape of the UK’s second city.

Our staff

Dr Chris Marshall

Associate Professor in Professional Development

Dr Chris Marshall is Associate Professor in Professional Development at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, helping students plan their futures, untangling the business of music and preparing for successful portfolio careers. He has devised and taught modules on many aspects of professional development and music production at undergraduate and...

More about Chris

Daniele Rosina

Orchestral Conducting

Daniele Rosina is a UK-based conductor who has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious music festivals including the Beijing Modern Music Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival and the BBC Proms.  In the theatre he has worked as assistant conductor for San Francisco Ballet both in the United States and on tour at the Edinburgh...

More about Daniele

Mr Julian Wilkins

Director of RBC Chamber Choir and RBC Camerata, and Visiting Lecturer in Choral Conducting

Julian Wilkins is a versatile, dynamic and inspiring conductor, organist and pianist, working throughout the UK and overseas with prestigious musical organisations including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and its choruses, BBC Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Swan, Mozart Festival Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, Manchester...

More about Julian

Ian Porthouse

Director of Brass Band Studies & Cornet Tutor

Ian Porthouse began his musical career aged nine with Flimby Saxhorn Silver Band and he was a founder member of the Cumbria Youth Brass Band. Ian became principal cornet of Leyland Vehicles Band aged 17 and also led the National Youth Brass Band for three years.

More about Ian

Dr Luan Shaw

Associate Professor (Music Education), Director of Postgraduate Studies (Music), and Associate Head of Junior Conservatoire

Dr Luan Shaw is Associate Professor (Music Education) and Director of Postgraduate Studies (Music) at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she has taught since 2011.  She is also Associate Head of the Junior Department and leads Pedagogy provision across BMus 4 and postgraduate courses. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education...

More about Luan