Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Encyclopedia
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (Welsh
: Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru) is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan
Group located in Cardiff
, Wales
.
The College was established in 1949 as Cardiff College of Music at Cardiff Castle
, but has since moved to purpose-built accommodation within the castle grounds of Bute Park
near Cardiff University
. It later changed its name to the Welsh College of Music & Drama before being awarded its Royal title in The Queen's
Golden Jubilee
in 2002, making it the fifth conservatoire to be awarded this title.
From its opening, the College's degree
s were awarded by the University of Wales
and in 2004 the College became part of the federal university. In 2007, however, it left the university and became a limited company under the Glamorgan Group, with its degrees now awarded by the University of Glamorgan
http://profile.glam.ac.uk/glamgroup/colleges/.
The college provides education and training in the performing arts, with approximately two-thirds of its 550 students studying music
-related courses and the rest studying drama
-related courses. It was the first and is only one of two All-Steinway conservatoires in the UK, along with Leeds College of Music.
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
: Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru) is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
Group located in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
The College was established in 1949 as Cardiff College of Music at Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.-The Roman fort:...
, but has since moved to purpose-built accommodation within the castle grounds of Bute Park
Bute Park
Bute Park in Cardiff, Wales, is an extensive area of mature parkland easily accessible from the city centre. Flanked by the River Taff, Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna Fields and Cardiff Castle, Bute Park is a very popular 'green lung' full of historic and wildlife interest. Few cities have such a...
near Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. It later changed its name to the Welsh College of Music & Drama before being awarded its Royal title in The Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
in 2002, making it the fifth conservatoire to be awarded this title.
From its opening, the College's degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s were awarded by the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
and in 2004 the College became part of the federal university. In 2007, however, it left the university and became a limited company under the Glamorgan Group, with its degrees now awarded by the University of Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
http://profile.glam.ac.uk/glamgroup/colleges/.
The college provides education and training in the performing arts, with approximately two-thirds of its 550 students studying music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
-related courses and the rest studying drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
-related courses. It was the first and is only one of two All-Steinway conservatoires in the UK, along with Leeds College of Music.
Undergraduate degrees
The College offers undergraduate degrees in the following areas:- BMus Hons Music
- BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Hons Acting - BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Hons Stage Management - BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Hons Theatre Design
Postgraduate degrees
The College also offers postgraduate degrees in the following areas;- MA Musical Theatre
- MA Event Production
- MMusMaster of MusicThe Master of Music is the first graduate degree in Music awarded by universities and music conservatories. The M.Mus. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy...
Music - MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
Music Performance - Ma Choral Conducting (New to 2008)
- MMus Creative Music Technology by Distance Learning
- MA Music Therapy (discontinued)
- MPhilMaster of PhilosophyThe Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
/PhDDoctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
Music (Composition/Performance) - MA Theatre Design
- MA Arts Management
- MA Stage Management
- PGDip Music
- PGradDip Stage Management/Technical Theatre
- PGradDip Theatre Design
- PGradDip Lighting Design
- PGradDip Arts Management
- PGDip Acting
Alumni
- For full list, see :Category:Alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
- Rob BrydonRob BrydonRob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
- Sir Anthony Hopkins
- Ruth JonesRuth JonesRuth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
- Jo JoynerJo JoynerJoanne Mary Joyner is an English actress who is best known for her role as Tanya Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, in which she has appeared since June 2006.-Career:...
- James LoyeJames LoyeJames Loye is a British musical theatre/theatre actor best known for playing the male lead of Frodo Baggins in the Toronto and London production of Lord of the Rings the Musical....
- Eve MylesEve MylesEve Myles is an award winning Welsh actress of stage and screen. She is best known to Welsh audiences for her portrayal of Ceri Owen in the BBC Wales drama Belonging, and to audiences worldwide for her role as Gwen Cooper in the science fiction show Torchwood, a spin-off from Doctor Who.-Personal...
- Kimberley NixonKimberley NixonKimberley Nixon is a Welsh actress.-Early and personal life:Born in Bristol, Nixon and her six brothers were brought up in Pontypridd, Wales, where she attended Coedylan Comprehensive School, now known as Pontypridd High School.In October 2011 Nixon was announced by Wales Online as number one in...
- Tony MaudsleyTony MaudsleyTony Maudsley is a British film actor who was cast as Grawp in the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. His career started when he landed a role in the film A Life for a Life in 1998 where he played the part of Stefan Kiszko to much acclaim...
- Adrian Lewis MorganAdrian Lewis MorganAdrian Lewis Morgan , Is a Welsh actor, best known for playing Dr. Jimmi Clay in the BBC soap Doctors.The son of a social worker, he was born in Beddau, and has one sister...
- Rakie AyolaRakie AyolaRakie Ayola is a Welsh actress, best known for her role as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation...
- David ThaxtonDavid ThaxtonDavid Thaxton is a British musical theatre and opera performer. He recently starred in the Donmar Warehouse's Passion, for which he won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He previously appeared as Enjolras in the West End production of Les Misérables...
- Jan Anderson
- Steven MeoSteven MeoSteven James Meo is a Welsh television actor. He is known for playing Dwayne Hoffman in BBC Wales sitcom High Hopes , Grant in the BBC Three show Grownups , and Owen in the BBC Wales drama series Belonging...
- Zahra AhmadiZahra AhmadiZahra Ahmadi is a British actress of Iranian descent.She is best known for her role as Shabnam Masood in the British television series EastEnders from 2007–2008, but soon quit as she thought that her character was not given enough good storylines...
- Dougray ScottDougray Scott-Early life:The son of Elma, a nurse, and Alan Scott, an actor and salesperson, Stephen Dougray Scott was born in Glenrothes, Fife and attended Auchmuty High School...
- Lucy GaskellLucy GaskellLucy Gaskell is an English actress. She studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 1998.Gaskell is known for the roles of Ruby Ferris in the BBC1 drama series Cutting It and Kirsty Clements in Casualty...
- Anthony Stuart LloydAnthony Stuart LloydAnthony Stuart Lloyd is a baritone opera singer from Wales. He attended school at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, and then studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama...
- Victoria WicksVictoria WicksVictoria Wicks is a British actress best known for her television work playing Sally Smedley in Drop the Dead Donkey, Mrs Gideon in The Mighty Boosh, Harriet Lawes, the Head of Roundview College in Skins, and for her work with Howard Barker's theatre company, The Wrestling School...
- Richard ElisRichard ElisRichard Elis is a Welsh actor. He was brought up in the Amman Valley.He trained at the Welsh College of Music and Drama and graduated in 1996, aged 24. Days before he graduated, Elis was asked to audition for London casting agents and was subsequently cast in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as the...