What are you looking for in your students?
Design for Performance at RWCMD encompasses design for all
performance forms. There is so much variety, which is what makes it
a fascinating profession and one which I am fortunate enough to
have been involved in for over 20 years. I guess we look for
students with a natural flair for design and a desire to work
collaboratively to create performance. We also need students who
are able to cope with the intense and demanding nature of these
courses. Students will cover a huge range of classes, projects and
productions and be introduced to areas of performance design which
they may have never considered before. We need students with
imagination, curiosity, and dedication who can respond to the
challenges of the training. In return, they will receive what I
consider to be one of the finest theatre design experiences
available in the country.
How many places are available on the
course?
We look to recruit around 13 students each year.
Competition for these places is intense but those who make it are
rewarded with fantastic, vocationally based training. Students will
quickly find themselves working closely with the staff and fellow
students at RWCMD to produce work of a professional standard. The
experienced teaching staff will help to identify specific areas of
interest and areas for improvement, and to develop career focused
opportunities over the duration of the course. The small class size
enables us to manage each student relationship and ensure that each
student matures into the professional they want to be.
What makes the training available at RWCMD so
special?
Personally I think the environment here at the College is one of
our strongest attributes. We are a small, efficient conservatoire
offering superb education in a number of different but
complimentary subjects. My colleagues in Stage Management, Acting
and Music all work with some of the most promising students in
their particular fields. As a department I'm pleased to say that we
work closely with the other courses, and by working together we
have produced some fantastic performances. I think it's fair to say
that RWCMD has successfully built a reputation for producing both
traditional and dynamic, alternative performances.
The College enjoys an excellent reputation for student
retention, student satisfaction and student employment. Our
graduates continue to impress the industry and a quick look at how
our alumni are progressing makes me feel confident in the training
and preparation we are giving our students.
The course at RWCMD would appeal to me for the level of support
that is available to students, both from the tutors and from fellow
students. There is a real sense of community amongst the students,
academic staff, and our alumni.
I think Cardiff itself has so much to offer students too. The
College is set in beautiful parkland in the heart of the city
centre. There seems to be a real buzz around the city at the moment
with the likes of Doctor Who and Being Human,
the BBC Drama Village in Cardiff Bay which is home to
Causualty and Sherlock, the Dragon International
Film Studio, Pinewood Studios, the company behind
James Bond and Harry Potter, and venues
like the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC).
Ultimately though, people choose us because of the course. In my
opinion, we are able to offer such an exciting, demanding and
completely vocational training in performance design that studying
at RWCMD would definitely be my first choice.
What kind of performance-based opportunities are
there?
Every year RWCMD produces 15 productions held at venues
including the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC), the Sherman Theatre
(Cardiff), Chapter (Cardiff) and the Royal Court in London. There
are opportunities to design for theatre, opera, musical theatre,
dance and site specific performance.
In spring of 2011 the College was host to the
Society of British Theatre Designers National Exhibition of Design
for Performance. The College' facilities housed the work of
over two hundred UK based designers. In September 2013 the College
was host to the World Stage
Design. During the ten day event, Design
for Performance students will work side-by-side with leading
practitioners who are exhibiting their work.