Junior Conservatoire | GSA - Guildford School of Acting

Applications for September 2021 now open! Click here to apply.

Latest Update for Spring term 2021

Classes will resume on 16 January 2021 on Zoom until the current restrictions are lifted. The term will end on 27 March and half-term will be on 20 February

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.

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.

Acting (14+)

We run a three hour acting programme on Saturday morning working on acting technique, voice and movement. This programme is for student’s age 14+ who are highly committed and would like to enrol on 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.

How to Apply

Auditions fill quickly so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Audition Dates: Auditions dates 16^th April and 5^th June 2021

Entry is by audition only. Auditions will take place live on Zoom, more information will be given when you apply. The audition fee is £15.

Musical Theatre Audition

Students will be asked to sing a verse and chorus of a song of their own choice and to provide a backing track. They will be required to read a short monologue of their own choosing, something age appropriate, for example, something from Matilda or Oliver. They will be sent a video of a dance to learn in advance and will be asked to perform the dance at the live Zoom audition.

Acting Audition

Students will be required to read 2 prepared monologues, one Shakespeare and one their own choice.

Summer Term 2021 dates

24 April - 3 July 2021
Half term 5 June

Performance Dates: Acting 26 and 27 June, MT 3 and 4 July 2021

Autumn Term 2021 dates

18 September - 27 November 2021
Half term 30 October 2021

Spring Term 2022 dates

15 January - 26 March 2022
Half-term on 19 February

Summer Term 2022 dates

23 April - 2 July 2022
Half term 4 June

Prices

The Junior Conservatoire is a year long course which runs from September to July (three terms).

Actors Course 3 Hours per week: £900 (£300.00 per term)

Musical Theatre Course 4 Hours per week: £1200 (£400.00 per term)

Apply here

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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 studying musical theatre diploma’s and degree, 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 on a full-time permanent roll 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.

MUSICAL THEATRE - Emma Dalton

Emma Dalton DDE

Emma has been dancing and performing from a young age. After leaving secondary school she went on to do her A-Levels at Hurtwood House before continuing her vocational training at Italia Conti Arts Centre. Whilst at Italia Conti, Emma studied to complete her ISTD DDE Teaching Qualifications in Ballet, Tap and Modern. In the midst of this Emma joined Tap Dancing company 'Tap Attack' and was fortunate enough to represent England with them at the World Tap Dancing Championships and after winning the formation team event, came away with a World Champion title. Since graduating from Italia Conti, Emma has performed in touring pantomimes, was a dancer for Warner Leisure Hotels and most recently returned from Mallorca where she was Entertainment manager and performer at a 5* Hotel. Emma now teaches various dance styles and musical theatre in a variety of dance schools including GSA (Degree course), Hurtwood House, Horsham School of Dance, Farnham School of Dance and Highfield and Brookham Prep School. She absolutely loves teaching and therefore cannot wait to share her passion for the arts with her new students!

JAZZ DANCE - Hannah Veerapen

Hannah’s passion for dance began in her home town of Epsom at Laine Theatre Arts, she then went on to further her training at Performers College where she graduated with a National Diploma in Dance & Musical Theatre. Theatre Credits Include: Wicked (International Tour) Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (UK Tour); Cinderella (Birmingham Barclaycard Arena); Wicked (UK Tour); Hairspray (Kuala Lumpur and Singapore); Dick Whittington and Mother Goose (Millfield Theatre). Television Credits Include: Elvie Pump (Elvie Commercial) Like a Cow (Elvie Commercial) Dancer for Olly Murs (Brit Awards) Ant and Dec Saturday Night Take Away. Film Credits Include: Alone Together (BFI Indian Film Festival) and Walking on Sunshine. Hannah has been teaching at GSA Saturday School and Junior Conservatoire for the last year as well as GSA evening classes, she is looking forward to meeting new students and getting back in the studio.

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 counter tenor 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 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 on the fulltime 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.