Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Highly ranked as a higher education institution, the Guildhall also provides lifelong learning in the performing arts. Susan Elkin chats to Professor Sean Gregory to discover more.

The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, owned, funded and administered by City of London is one of several UK Conservatoires with the potential for collaboration between music, drama and production arts. But – with its home in the Barbican – it is the only one in the heart of London. And the range of activities is huge. Of course, the Guildhall’s core business is Higher Education, but it’s a complex organisation and there’s a huge amount going on.

Professor Sean Gregory has responsibility for Innovation and Engagement and is one of four vice principals. “It really is an environment where we collaborate across departments and then, as part of the training, send students out to practise across all disciplines” he says. “We have a very strong doctoral programme too. And these days practice-based research is the norm.”

Originally a musician with a lifelong interest in the role the arts can play in changing society, Sean sees his job as building connections and pathways. “We run a young artists’ programme in music which has recently come to also include acting options and we run two Centres for Young Musicians at Morley College and Kings Cross. The Guildhall has outreach music centres in Taunton and Norwich and soon drama will be available there too. And we co-lead Music Education in Islington, because it’s on our doorstep.”

I wonder whether these initiatives lead to applications for the Guildhall’s full-time HE courses? “Yes” says Sean. “There’s a steady stream of students coming through these routes. It’s part of our whole diversity programme too and we can support such students through the application process, including help with audition fees if they need it.”

The Open Programmes – evening classes for adults along with daytime Easter and Summer courses – are taught by the same teachers who work on the term time degree programmes, so that can be a way in too. Sean calls these “adult” programmes and then mentions 16-18 year olds, so I ask him whether there is also “mature” participation. “Oh yes!” he chuckles. “We get people right up to their eighties. Perhaps they haven’t done anything performance-related for a vey long time or have never done it but would like to have a go. Or some of them come wanting to try the academic stuff for fun. And of course, a lot of people sign up for professional development reasons – they want to add or build new skills for work purposes”.

As an example, Sean mentions the two-day music therapy course. “It acts like a taster. Then someone who finds it really interesting might go on to apply for the full-time course.”

All of this, Sean explains has to generate a certain amount of income for the organisation which effectively means that people who can, pay fees. “But it’s very much a mixed economy. We want to reach underrepresented communities and of course there is support through our access and participation programmes for those who need it.”

Meanwhile at Higher Education level the range of course options at the Guildhall has broadened enormously in recent years. “We offer music degrees, for example in classical, jazz, commercial and there’s a growing programme in, and demand for, electronically produced music” says Sean, adding that this widening has also changed the student demographic. “The acting courses are rapidly becoming more diverse too.”

The Guildhall’s main function is, obviously, to prepare people for the world of work. And that often needs to be pretty down to earth. “We have to get them to understand that, other than at the very top end, it’s very unlikely they will do the same job throughout their careers”, says Sean mentioning the usual fall-back on teaching. “Our graduates have to be flexible. They can, for instance, create work for themselves and for others. Actually, a portfolio life makes your work more interesting. Anything else you have skills in will feed into your music or acting. And we certainly find that there is still employability in production arts: there’s a big demand for people who have the creativity to, for instance, design and are good at it. It goes a long way beyond traditional roles such as stage manager or lighting technician.”

The Guildhall has been in its Barbican building since 1977. In 2013 it also acquired the purpose-built Milton Court, a three performance space over the road which also has rehearsal and teaching rooms along with office facilities. And there are about a thousand Higher Education students on role. It’s an option well worth discussing with your arts-inclined students.

It acts like a taster. Then someone who finds it really interesting might go on to apply for the full-time course