Guildhall School of Music and Drama

The top-rated conservatoire in the Guardian University Guide 2019league table for Music, the Guildhall School is one of the world's leading conservatoires and drama schools, offering inspiring undergraduate and postgraduate training in the performing arts. A thriving Junior Guildhall, the recent addition of the Centre for Young Musicians, a Creative Learning outreach division and a range of summer schools and short courses further complement the outstanding opportunities available.

Since its founding in 1880, the Guildhall School has stood as a vibrant showcase of the City of London Corporation's commitment to education and the arts. Situated in the heart of the City, the School moved to its present premises in the Barbican in 1977, solidifying a unique performance and learning partnership with Europe's largest arts and conference venue, the Barbican Centre, and its resident orchestra, the world-class London Symphony Orchestra. The School has also developed partnerships with three other key organisations - the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Opera House and the Academy of Ancient Music - organisations that contribute significantly to our programmes of study and provide Guildhall students with many exciting opportunities. The reputation of the teaching and increasingly the research across all the disciplines in the School is unrivalled.

The reputation of the teaching and increasingly the research across all the disciplines in the School is unrivalled. Students experience working in a professional context to professional standards, drawing on a pool of outstanding world-renowned artists who work with us as directors, conductors, coaches and tutors. Our graduates consistently succeed at the highest levels of their chosen profession.

The School has just over 900 students on its roll call, approximately 750 of whom are Music students and 180 in Acting and Technical Theatre. We welcome applications from across the globe: in any given year, about 40% of our students are from outside the UK, typically representing over 50 nationalities. And we enrol students from all backgrounds, offering over £2 million in scholarships each year.

In autumn 2013, the most significant investment in the Guildhall School for 36 years was unveiled: the £90 million redevelopment of our neighbouring Milton Court site. This state-of-the-art building, an addition to our existing Silk Street facilities, houses three new performance spaces: a world-class concert hall (608 seats), theatre (223 seats) and studio theatre (up to 128 seats), as well as high quality teaching and administration spaces. With the opening of Milton Court, the Guildhall School’s facilities at long last match the outstanding quality of our training and the success of our graduates.

The Board of Governors for the Guildhall School contains elected members from the City of London, elected independent members drawn from relevant professions, elected members from the Guildhall School staff and the Student Union president. Responsibility for the day-to-day running of the School's affairs lies with the Principal who is assisted by the Directorate, a number of committees and a team of administrative staff.

The School's Academic Board is responsible for the quality and standards of teaching, assessment and research within the School and the School’s academic reputation. Individual programmes of study are overseen by the Music Programme Board or the Drama Programme Board. Students are represented on all three of these Boards. The School's validation arrangement with City University is overseen by a Course Board comprising members from the School and City University. The Guildhall School Trust works closely with the School and its Development & Alumni Relations Office in order to facilitate philanthropic support of the School and its students.