Junior Conservatoire | GSA - Guildford School of Acting

Applications are now open

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 the students can audition for - Acting and Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre (11+)

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 2023 to be eligible for this course.

Acting (14+)

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.

How to Apply

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.

Summer Term 2023 dates

22 April - 1 July 2023
Half term 3 June

Autumn Term 2023 dates

16 September - 25 November 2023
Half term: 28 October

Spring Term 2024 dates

13 January - 23 March 2024
Half term: 17 February

Summer Term 2024 dates

27 April - 6 July
Half term: 1 June

Prices

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)

Junior Conservatoire training

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

BALLET - Alison Avis

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 Ballet Examiner Grades and Intermediate. Alison has taught and adjudicated at The Imperial Classical Ballet Awards, Junior and senior.

Alison absolutely loves teaching Ballet to the Junior Conservatoire students.

Alison is also GSA's safeguarding lead for under-18s.

Acting - Adam Boardman

Adam Boardman

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.

JAZZ - Sophia McAvoy

Sophia McAvoy

Sophia trained at The Hammond School and Laine Theatre Arts. Her work in theatre includes: Swing and Cover Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing (The Dominion Theatre) Assistant Choreographer on The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre and UK & Ireland tour); Associate Choreographer to Gary Lloyd; Dancer in West End Musical Celebration (Palace Theatre); Onstage Swing in Dirty Dancing (UK tour); Ensemble in Christmas Spectacular (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Victoria the White Cat & Dance Captain on Cats (UK & international tour); Ensemble in You Won’t Succeed on Broadway, if You Don’t Have Any Jews (The Other Palace)Screen credits include: Dancer in Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) and Assistant Choreographer and Movement Director on Halifax (commercial).

SINGING - Peter Roberts

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.

ACTING - Ally Manson

Born in Guildford, Ally trained at East 15 Acting School on the BA Acting Course. Acting credits include; The Girl on the Train (West End +NO1 UK Tour) Pride and Prejudice (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre + NO1 UK Tour) The English Game (Headlong) Berenice (The Space) Black Snow (Tristan Bates Theatre). His play ‘Two Across’ premiered at the Etcetera Theatre, London in 2014. TV credits include EastEnders (BBC). RADIO credits include In Freedom's Cause (Heirloom Audio, USA). Short Film credits include Blue Vision. Credits whilst training: The Seagull, Wild Honey, All My Sons and Baal. DIRECTING credits include Bugsy Malone, Ghetto, Wendy & Peter Pan (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre). Assistant DIRECTOR credits: The Art of Success and The Taste of the Town (Rose Theatre Kingston). Ally is the Acting teacher and Director of GSA Junior Conservatoire as well as Saturday School Tutor.

VOICE - Ginny Angus

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.