Birmingham City University

Instrumental Performance - Postgraduate Diploma

Advance your skills as a performer with a postgraduate course in Instrumental Performance at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Whether you're a recent graduate or returning to study after a break, our postgraduate courses in Instrumental Performance provide you with advanced-level training in your principal study area, preparing you for a solo, chamber or orchestral career, alongside excellent opportunities to develop other skills relevant to a future career in the music profession. 

These courses are open to students pursuing orchestral instruments, keyboard instruments and other solo instruments such as recorder, guitar, and saxophone. There is also a Chamber Music route for string ensembles.

We also offer a 'multi-instrument' specialism for woodwind players who do not wish to follow the traditional orchestral route but would prefer to pursue a career as a multi-instrumentalist in musical theatre. All principal study woodwinds instruments welcome but aimed primarily at saxophone, flute, and clarinet players, this course will train multi-instrumentalists to a professional level.  If you are interested in auditioning for this, please make direct email contact with Jenni Phillips, Head of Woodwind.

You'll receive specialist tuition from leading the UK and internationally renowned performers and teachers. In addition, you'll enjoy regular performance opportunities, both within Departments and in concerts, as well as having the chance to participate in masterclasses led by distinguished guest artists. 

You'll have full access to our superb £57 million facilities, including our Concert Hall, 150-seat Recital Hall, our black box performance space known as The Lab, and more than 70 practice rooms, ensemble rooms and workshops; all acoustically designed to provide a music-making environment that is world-class.

What's covered in the course?

• Regular individual tuition in your Principal Study area from leading UK and internationally renowned performers and teachers. 
• Regular departmental activities and access to masterclasses with distinguished visiting guest artists
• Frequent changes to perform, including solo, chamber and orchestral opportunities
• In PgDip and MMus, a core career development module designed to get you thinking about your future professional plans. 
• In PgDip and MMus, the flexibility to choose from a broad menu of Professional Development modules designed to help you work towards achieving your personal career aspirations.
• In MMus, a core module designed to develop your skills as a researcher or informed practitioner.
• In PgCert, the ability to focus wholly on the Principal Study area.
• The possibility of transferring between PgCert, PgDip and/or MMus (as appropriate) once you have begun your studies (but before completion of your original course).