Bookings are now open for 2024/25.
GSA Junior Conservatoire, launched in September 2019, offers associate training for young students who show talent and potential in either Musical Theatre (age 11+) or Acting (age 14+).
The Junior Conservatoire, which runs alongside the popular GSA Saturday School, is a pre-vocational training. This specialised and focused programme is designed for students who are considering higher education, or a career, in the performing arts. Both the Musical Theatre and Acting programmes are split by age group and ability.
This is an intensive programme, with limited places and designed for the young student of exceptional talent who has some experience and a high level of commitment and passion for the performing arts. The course runs from September to July and students are able to reapply each year.
Professional teachers, including GSA Conservatoire faculty,
offer specialised training and a taste of conservatoire life.
The curriculum is inclusive and multicultural, offering access to a broad spectrum of insights.
We have been so excited to see how our daughter has flourished since joining GSA!
Victoria Hepburn, parent of JC student 2022
We have two pathways that students can audition for - Acting and Musical Theatre
Our 4-hour training programme on Saturday afternoons prepares students age 11+ for a career in the Musical Theatre industry. Our classes are in Musical Theatre, Singing, Jazz and Ballet. The programme consists of two terms of technical training and the third term focuses on performance training, culminating in a performance in the Bellairs Theatre on campus. The programme is designed to complement additional training and students will be able to refine their technical and performance skills. The programme will be led by professional tutors with conservatoire teaching experience. Entry to this training programme is based on an audition and interview. You must be starting year 7 (or above) in September 2024 to be eligible for this course.
We run a three-hour acting programme on Saturday morning working on acting technique, voice and movement. This programme is for students age 14+ who are highly committed and would like to enrol on the pre-vocational training course. All our tutors are highly qualified and have had excellent experience in performing and teaching. We are offering a unique programme offering intensive conservatoire-style training on a weekly basis. There will be opportunities to work on plays and to perform, as well as technical training which will give students a taste of full-time vocational training. Entry to this training programme is based on an audition and interview. You must be starting year 10 (or above) in September 2023 to be eligible for this course.
Auditions fill quickly so please apply early when applications open to avoid disappointment.
Entry is by audition only and more information will be given when you apply. The audition fee is £15.
Musical Theatre Audition
Students will be required to sing a verse and chorus from a song of their choice (we recommend something age appropriate). Please bring sheet music for accompaniment. They will take part in a short jazz class where warm-up, technical exercises and a short routine will be learnt. A short monologue will be given to them on the day and they will be given some time to read through and prepare before they perform the monologue.
Acting Audition
Students will be required to prepare two monologues, one Shakespeare and one of their choice. Guidance and direction will be given to one of these monologues to see if the auditionees can take guidance and correction.
The Junior Conservatoire is a year-long course which runs from September to July (three terms).
Actors Course 3 Hours per week: £945 (£315.00 per term)
Musical Theatre Course 4 Hours per week: £1,260 (£420.00 per term)
Term dates
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13 January - 23 March 2024
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Half term: 17 February
- 27 April - 6 July 2024
- Half term: 1 June
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21 September - 30 November 2024
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Half term 2 November
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11 January - 22 March 2025
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Half term - 15 February
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26 April - 5 July 2025
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Half term - 31 May
Download the GSA Junior Conservatoire terms and conditions here
View the GSA Junior Conservatoire privacy policy here.
If you have any complaints, in the first instance, please send them to gsajuniorconservatoire@gsa.surrey.ac.uk and they will be dealt with in line with our complaints procedure.
GSA's safeguarding lead for under-18s is Alison Avis.
Tutors
Alison Avis FISTD Examiner
Alison is Head of Enterprises at GSA and one of her roles is to Manage both GSA Saturday School and Junior Conservatoire. Alison started dancing at the age of 4 and knew that this was a career path she wanted to follow. Once graduating from college with her ISTD teaching exams in Ballet, Modern and Tap Alison set off travelling the World as a Jazz dancer. Alison was part of a stadium tour of China and worked on a variety of Cruise ships including Costa and Celebrity as well as being Dance Captain for a Guildford Pantomime of Mother Goose. After retiring from professional dancing Alison then started teaching as a full-time career, she has taught at many full-time vocational colleges offering musical theatre diplomas and degrees, including GSA, Italia Conti Arts Centre, Italia Conti Academy and Redroofs. She has entered numerous students at the Imperial Classical Ballet awards where there have been many placings. Before joining GSA in a full-time permanent role in 2018 Alison was Head of Ballet at Italia Conti Arts Centre. In 2015 Alison qualified as an Imperial Classical Ballet examiner and Intermediate. In 2023 Alison was upgraded to Advanced 1 and 2. Alison has taught and adjudicated at The Imperial Classical Ballet Awards and is part of the lecturing team.
Alison absolutely loves teaching Ballet to the Junior Conservatoire students.
Alison is also GSA's safeguarding lead for under-18s.
Adam is an actor and tutor from Salford, Greater Manchester and started his training at Pendleton College in Manchester. Adam then moved on to train at The Guildford School of Acting on their BA Acting course, graduating with a First in 2017.
Acting Credits include: Les Misérables UK & International Tour 2019 - 2023, Julius Caesar UK Tour (Royal Shakespeare Company), The First Team (BBC2/Fudge Park), A Midsummer Night’s Dream & Much Ado About Nothing (Berkeley Castle/Blenheim Palace/Verona). Commercials for brands including Google & Tesco. Adam has recently finished shooting ‘Not Going Out’ Starring Lee Mack for BBC2/Avalon Productions.
Adam has taught for establishments including The Guildford School of Acting, The National Film and Television School, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Birmingham School of Acting, East 15, BFI, The Royal Shakespeare Company and also The Actors Centre.
Charlotte Mansell-Rogers
Charlotte trained at Millennium Performing Arts, London and graduated in 2016.
She is a professional performer who has just recently returned from her contract as Head Dancer/Production Manager on board MSC Meraviglia.
Her credits recently include dancing with MSC Cruises on board their vessels Meraviglia (4 contracts), Poesia and Magnifica.
During these contracts, Charlotte had the opportunity to perform for the French president and Sophia Loren whilst dancing the Can-Can at the inauguration christening of MSC Meraviglia, was a crew/cast member in the first World Cruise for MSC Cruises and has been Dance Captain, a Swing and Production Manager during her contracts.
Peter has spent the last 35 years as Resident Musical Director and vocal coach at the Guildford School of Acting and has led the GSA Singers for 26 years. He has taught at all the major Drama Schools in the UK and has been a regular guest teacher in places such as Los Angeles, Moscow and Geneva. Peter trained as a countertenor with Lysette Brookes at the English Opera Group specialising in the works of Britten and Purcell and worked as an accompanist with the Royal Ballet, the Festival Ballet and the Robert Stigwood Organisation as repetiteur and vocal coach. MD credits include national tours of ‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘Joseph’ and on radio ‘Friday Night is Music Night’ and ‘Around Midnight’. TV credits include ‘The Friday Night Project’ ‘Star Lives’ and GMTV and his musical arrangements have been heard at the Barbican, the Palladium and Carnegie Hall.
Sabi trained at RADA with a BA(Hons) in Acting.
Sabi's film credits include Maria in Kenneth Branagh's All is True, theatre credits include Othello (National Theatre), Prospero, The Tempest (Orange Tree), and Olwen Peel, Dangerous Corner (UK tour) as well as work in tv and audio.
In addition to her acting career, Sabi teaches at RADA on the BA Acting and Short Courses, as well as at The BRIT School and internationally.
Sabi is also a one-to-one coach and facilitator who uses acting tools alongside shamanic practices to help her clients achieve a sense of presence, embodiment, and wholeness.
To learn more about Sabi's work, please visit her website at www.sabiandsol.co.uk and follow her on Instagram, @sabiandsol.
Ginny Angus studied an MA in voice at the Central School of Speech and Drama, she also has a PGCE. Ginny originally trained as a dancer and actor but now works full-time as a voice and dialect coach. She currently teaches the full-time course at PPA and Boden’s Performing Arts having previously taught voice and acting at Italia Conti Arts Centre, Italia Conti Academy, Laines Theatre Arts, and Bird College. She is delighted to be part of the GSA Junior Conservatoire teachers.