Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

RCS

I started as a guest director at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in 2004.  In 2005 I became a part-time lecturer, a role that became full-time in 2006.  In 2008 I was promoted to Associate Head of Performance with responsibility for BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice (CPP).

It was a privilege to work with such dynamic and inspirational colleagues and students at RCS.  This page documents some of the achievements from my time there.

During my tenure the BA Contemporary Performance Practice was a four-year intensive, studio-based, conservatoire degree with honours specialisations in performance, directing, solo performance and education/applied performance.  With a cohort of 16 per year, the programme allowed students to develop their capabilities as a performer whilst discovering their own agency as an originator and actuator of new ideas and arts practice.

At the end of my first year of leading the programme External Examiner Richard Layzell commented in his annual report that,

“The BA Contemporary Performance Practice is of national and international significance. I cannot think of a comparable learning situation across the UK where a student will fully develop in so many areas creatively, socially, collectively and intellectually.”

Direction

I directed five major original productions with Honours year students:

• Hugger-Mugger 2004
• Glee 2005
• Tarantula! 2006
• 5 2008
• Sing! Sing! Sing! 2010

Management/Service

• Managed the delivery of the BA CPP programme and its staff team
• School of Drama elected representative on the Research Degrees Committee
• Participated in programme revalidation events and was leading the Curriculum Reform team for CPP at the time of leaving
• Member of School Management Team
• Many other committees and working groups including representing CPP at the Board of Examiners

Module Coordination

• Level 1: Performance Studies, The Reflective Document
• Level 2: Choreography and Digital Technology in Performance, The Contextualised Document, Performance Lab I & II
• Level 3: Text in Contemporary Performance, Collaborations II: Space, Time and Presence, Dissertation
• Level 4: Professional Portfolio, New Performance, Into The New (Degree Show)

Mentoring, Dramaturgy and Supervision

A large and pleasurable part of my job was the mentoring of students in solo and group performances.  I acted as mentor and dramaturg for students in the seven Into The New degree shows I worked on at Tramway and The Arches in Glasgow.

I also coordinated all major and minor dissertations, and directly supervised the majority of student research projects.

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