Audition and Interview Prep Workshops

WACI are delighted to offer a range of workshops in November and December for those who are thinking about applying to study at college, university or conservatoire:

Person singing words saying 'Singing Audition Prep'

Two people holding paper, smiling. Words saying 'Filmmaking Interview Prep'

You’re eligible if you live in the West of Scotland are one of the following:

  • attending a FOCUS West School
  • living in an SiMD1 postcode
  • are Care Experienced or Estranged

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Bookings are now closed

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#GetReady #FocusOnFutures

Watch Our Fair Access Expo Live Sessions!

The Fair Access Team would like to extend a warm thanks to everyone who virtually attended our recent Fair Access Expo.

It was a bit different this year –  however, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We’re glad so many of you found it useful. For those who couldn’t make it along on the day, our microsite contains a recording of the live sessions ready to watch back. 

Image of a website in various device screens.

Have you ever wanted to know more about Fair Access at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, including information on the Transitions and WACI Programmes? Are looking for advice in studying or working in the performing arts?

Why not head over to our microsite now to watch back our live sessions:

  • Meet The Teams, Transitions and WACI
  • Industry Interview, with Laura Waddell and Graeme Smilie
  • Student Life, a showcase and Q&A (Content Warning! Swearing)

You can also: 

  • watch pre-recorded videos from students and professionals 
  • hear from the Assistant Principal and Fair Access Manager at RCS
  • watch our Fair Access Virtual Band perform
  • find links to information on UCAS and UCAS Conservatoires, 
  • links to funding information from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
  • direct links to our programme websites

Again, thanks to everyone from all the team!

Visit the Fair Access Expo microsite here:

🌐 rcs.ac.uk/fair-access-expo

Bookings Now Open: Fair Access Expo Online

WHEN: Sun 25 October 11am – 3:30pm

WHERE: Online via Zoom (Participants will be sent information via email)

We know how daunting it can be pursuing a career in the creative industries, especially when no one you know has done it before. The Fair Access Expo offers an opportunity for you and your family or carers to receive support and advice about the educational and professional journey you are about to embark on.

  •   Meet the WACI and Transitions teams 
  •   Hear from those in the Creative Industries
  •   Hear from our current students
  •   Get involved in our interactive workshop

If you are a Transitions students or WACI pupil, you with your family, friends or carers are warmly invited to our Fair Access Expo. All members of your household are encouraged to join in!

This is event is free to attend but booking is essential.

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Booking Now Closed

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Booking Deadline: Fri 23 October

If you have any question please feel free to contact us by emailing: WACI@rcs.ac.uk

Bookings Now Open: Focus on Applications

WACI are thrilled to announce the first round of Focus on Applications Workshops for 2020/21 are now open for bookings.

If you’re thinking about applying to study one of the following types of courses:

at college, university or conservative, this workshop is for you!

Join us for our workshops that will help you in:  

  • Choosing the right course for you 
  • Application tips 
  • Starting your personal statement 

These sessions are for S5 & S6 pupils with a focus on applying via UCAS Conservatoires, as well as other creative courses at college and/or university.   

When: Tues 31 Aug + Tues 7 Sep 
Location: Online  

Booking Deadline: Thu 27 Aug

Booking Now Closed

Book Now: The Storyteller by Harry Josephine Giles

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Fair Access Team are delighted to announce the launch of The Storyteller by Harry Josephine Giles.

Photo by Rich Dyson Anatomy XIII Company

The Storyteller is an interactive story about telling stories. 

When you play The Storyteller, you’ll make choices that change the story, and then start telling stories of your own.

Want to try it? Click here to visit The Storyteller.

Reading and telling the story will take 20 – 30 minutes.

The Storyteller was developed as part of the Limitless project, a partnership between the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the National Theatre of Scotland and National Autistic Society ScotlandThe three organisations are currently working in collaboration with autistic artists to develop a framework for the engagement of autistic people in creative activity as artists, audiences and participants.

Workshop

On Wed 22 July from 6pm, Harry Josephine Giles will lead an interactive online workshop for autistic storytellers and potential storytellers. This is for anyone on the autistic spectrum, including people with earlier diagnoses such as PDD and Asperger’s, and including people who don’t have a formal diagnosis. Participants will make their way through The Storyteller, then take part in a discussion on the stories they came up with.

The workshop will be delivered via Microsoft Teams, and participants will be able to interact with the discussion via webcam, microphone or text.

Want to be part of the workshops?

Booking Now Closed

You will be sent an invite to the workshop on Microsoft Teams, and will be able to access via your browser. 

The workshop will be subtitled.

Harry Josephine Giles

Harry Josephine Giles is a writer and performer from Orkney, living in Leith. Their collection Tonguit (2015) was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and The Games (2018) for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award and Saltire Prize for Best Collection. They were the 2009 BBC Scotland slam champion, founded Inky Fingers Spoken Word, and co-direct the performance platform Anatomy. Their theatre has toured globally, including Forest Fringe (UK), NTI (Latvia), Verb Festival (Aotearoa) and Teszt (Romania). Their performance What We Owe was picked by the Guardian’s best-of-the-Fringe 2013 roundup – in the “But Is It Art?” category. www.harryjosephine.com

Han Deacon

Han Deacon is an Irish queer creative living in Edinburgh. They make pictures and performances and like telling stories. Their work often focuses on queer and trans experiences, mental health, masculinity, and beauty.

www.handeacon.com

WACI Lockdown Picks 8

Welcome to the final week of WACI‘s favourite Lockdown Picks. Each week we’ve taken you through some of the best online resources in dance, drama, music, film and production. We hope you have found these helpful and enjoyable. 

Dance

A Visual History of Social Dance in 25 Moves

Why do we dance? African-American social dances started as a way for enslaved Africans to keep cultural traditions alive and retain a sense of inner freedom. They remain an affirmation of identity and independence. In this electric demonstration, packed with live performances, choreographer, educator and TED Fellow Camille A. Brown explores what happens when communities let loose and express themselves by dancing together.

Production

Punished Props

Punished props has over 600 tutorials on prop and costume making to explore and try out.

Music

Soundfly

Soundfly offers a range of both free and paid courses for a variety of contemporary musical topics for curious musicians. The topics are wide-ranging and key skills for today’s music maker.

Film

Let’s Make Films: Filmmaking on Mobile Devices

Have you ever wanted to make a short film but didn’t know where to start or think that you would have to buy expensive equipment to produce great video content? WACI‘s exciting online resource is a great place to learn how to create professional-quality videos with your mobile devices. We show you how to plan, create, edit and upload your videos.

Drama

Communities Task by Scottish Youth Theatre

Every Saturday, Scottish Youth Theatre share creative tasks that can be done in your own home on your own or with friends and family members digitally. These simple weekly tasks will run for the duration of isolation and quarantine with the aim to keep your devising and theatre-making skills flourishing.

That’s it for now as we start to prepare for the new school year. All our Lockdown Picks can be found in our News blog for you to search through. We’d love to hear what ones you have tried. Pop us a message or tag us on our social media profiles. Stay safe. Love Team WACI.

Drama Project: Let's Make a Scene

WACI are delighted to announce a new online drama project: Let’s Make a Scene. If you’re interested in drama, acting and making theatre and want to be part of our digital production, sign up now!
If you are a pupil that goes to one of our 37 WACI schools or are part of the Transitions programme, you’re invited to join us to take part in an exciting new collaboration project!
 
Through the wonders of technology, theatre-maker Robbie Gordon will lead weekly sessions where you’ll get to create, critique and collaborate on a brand new digital performance which will be showcased online over the summer.
 
When: Weekly from Tue 16 June – Tue 28 July, 4-6pm
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Booking Now Closed
Deadline: Monday 15 June
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What will happen next:
You will receive an invite to join the first Let’s Make a Scene session via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 16th June — you can either download the Microsoft Teams app here or join via your browser (we’ve found that Google Chrome works best)
 
If you’d like to test Microsoft Teams before the session or anticipate having trouble getting connected, please don’t hesitate to contact the WACI team for help waci@rcs.ac.uk #LetsMakeAScene
 

Launching: Let's Sing in Scots

The WACI Team are delighted to announce the launch of the third in a series of online toolkits, Learning Scots Song

If you have ever wanted to learn to sing in Scots but didn’t know where to start, this project is for you! We’ll take you through the steps in learning to sing ‘Sands o’ the Shore’ featuring video tutorials from folk singer Josie Duncan with downloadable resources to help you along the way.

Our toolkits are open for anyone to use, so whether you’re a teacher looking for new resources to share, a young person at home who is keen to learn Scots Song, we really hope you will enjoy learning with us.

If you’d like to send in photos of you practising or videos of you singing what you’ve learned, we’d love to see them! We are hoping to choose some of them to feature on our social media and Vimeo page.  Also if you are sharing any photos or videos on social media be sure to tag us @RCSWACI and use the hashtag #WACILetsSingInScots

To get started click here!

WACI Lockdown Picks 7

Welcome to another week of WACI‘s favourite Lockdown Picks. Each week we take you through some of the best online resources in dance, drama, music, film and production. 

Dance

Digital Stage

Digital Stage is a programme of full-length dance performances, films and workshops online, to keep you entertained and connected through dance while live stages are dark.

Production

The Colour Lab

The Colour Lab is a browser-based lighting lab. It is a great way to examine how colour mixes both on actors and on the floor from three directions. A great way to develop your lighting knowledge.

Music

Music Theory

Musictheory.net is a great website that offers visualised resources for musicians ranging in skill level from beginner to advanced. Some of the lesson topics cover rhythm, scales, intervals, chords, and chord progressions. A great theory resource even if you just want a refresher!

Film

Film Riot

Film Riot is a how-to, DIY website about filmmaking that acts as an on-demand film school. You can engage with Film Riot through its blog, tutorial videos or podcast!

Drama

Broadway Educators

This blog post from broadway educators is a great read for young actors. It has various tips on how to be prepared for rehearsals and auditions.

We hope you enjoy this selection and check back next week for more!