Full Time Professional Training HNC
HNC Course Entry Requirements
Ideally you should have two Higher Grades (or equivalent) including Drama, Music or Dance Practice and English. Equivalent NC qualifications in related disciplines will also be considered. However, entry is by audition and interview only and not on Academic merit. You will be expected to demonstrate your abilities in acting, singing and dancing during the audition. Auditions will be a mix of group and individual ones.
You will be asked to prepare two memorised musical theatre songs with CD accompaniment (no backing vocals) and one memorised monologue from a published text, approximately two minutes in length. Please take sheet music and a copy of the monologue for the panel in case they are not familiar with the pieces. Previous performance experience is preferable but not essential. Some knowledge of music theory and experience of an instrument are helpful but not a necessary prerequisite for the course. If you are a mature applicant but do not have the formal entry requirements you will be considered individually on your merits and experience via the audition. If you are in doubt as to your suitability and entry requirements then please do apply in any case and we will further advise. You may perhaps consider doing our Foundation Course before auditioning for the HNC.
Our Full Time HNC Course Content
You will study full time for a minimum of 25 hours per week for the Higher National Certificate in Musical Theatre. This is a mix of taught classes, personal practise and research time. Along side the HNC course units, you will also study to sit your Grade 8 Trinity College Musical Theatre or Acting Exam. BATD and IDTA Dance exam grades are available too and as these exams option they can be sat at the end of the year along side the Trinity exam.
SQA HNC Course
As part of the HNC course you will take part in dance, singing and drama tutorials. There are 7 units to be successfully completed with the Graded unit giving the over grading of HNC. These units are Vocal Techniques, Singing for Musical Theatre, Acting for Musical theatre, Tap dance for musical theatre, Ballet dance for musical theatre and the Graded Unit. The Performing Skills for musical theatre unit will see students take part in a musical production at a local theatre. Throughout these units students will work on a wide range of repertoire. This Course is accredited by the SQA who will annually inspect our tutors, verifiers, course work and marking standards so you can be assured of a high standard of course. All HNC certificates are issued by the SQA.
Trinity College
Along side the SQA HNC units students will prepare to sit their grade 8 musical theatre, acting and/or singing exam. Repertoire that is studied in the HNC units will also be suitable for Trinity College London examinations. Students are to prepare a programme of pieces, rehearse them to a very high standard and perform them to an independent examiner. Any candidate successfully passing their grade 8 exam will also gain UCAS points dependant on their exam grading and these points can go towards entry for a further higher education course if that is the destination of the student after completing our HNC course. Trinity College is one of the world's leading drama, music and musical theatre examination body. An independent Trinity examiner will travel to our Aberdeen studio's to conduct the exams. As music theory is also studied on the course, optional theory exams will be on offer through Trinity College too.
BATD & IDTA
These are two of the World's most highly regarded dance organisations. Along side the Ballet and Tap dance HNC Units you will also study Jazz, Street Dance, Basic Ballroom/Partner Work and Musical Theatre dance styles and have a weekly Body conditioning session with a personal fitness coach and also a daily shorter session designed to build stamina and flexibility, as these are equally important as learning dance techniques. There will be an opportunity to take formal dance examinations through these dance associations should you wish.
Workshops
Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts have a close link to many industry performers, teachers and directors and as often as possible we will have workshops with these working professional performers. These performers will also cover HNC course content and audition techniques.
The 'Added Extras' on our HNC Course
West End Theatre Trip
Once a year we will have a west end trip to London. During this trip students will take part in workshops with West End Performers, watch them perform and get a behind the scenes insight at life in the West End. Throughout the year students will be expected to fundraise to subsidise the costs of their trip (as this is an extra on top of the tuition fees) through performances and events students will perform in and arrange their selves (with support of AAPA staff).
Graduate Professional Practise Week – August 2013
This week is run in association with the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.
After completing the HNC Course, students will have a 3-4 week rest period to re-charge their batteries from a busy year and lesson plan, before their last intensive week at AAPA.
Through this week Graduates will gain an insight into the life as a Professional in the world of Musical Theatre. During the day graduates, along with AAPA staff and visiting professionals will take workshops in Dance, Drama, Singing and Theatre Repertoire for the Aberdeen International Youth Festival Summer School Students. At night, the HNC Students will take to the stage to perform to the public their musical theatre show they had rehearsed and performed for the external examiners HNC Graded unit.
This week gives graduates hands on work experience where tutors can write personal references for the HNC Graduate's week of work. The end of the week of Professional Practise is celebrated with a graduation meal/party.
Life Beyond HNC
While the HNC Musical Theatre is a great grounding for life in general (confidence, presentation skills, hard work ethos, physical fitness etc) there are many routes students can take after successfully gaining an HNC in Musical Theatre. For example, professional practice, further study in Musical Theatre or a university degree or teaching course. What ever route you chose to follow after completion of the HNC we are there to help and support. For those students wishing to gain a place at further Musical Theatre or Drama school we are on hand to help with course applications and auditions though out the course. Through preparation of the Trinity Grade 8 exam and the Graded Unit you will have a bed of audition pieces ready prepared for auditions. We can also act as a reference on your behalf should you need one.
Course Fees
Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts is a private institution. It means unlike most further education colleges and universities the Scottish Government will only pay a portion of your tuition fees. As we are a recognised Further Education provider you will be eligible to apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland for assistance. You may also be eligible to apply for young Student Bursary too dependant on your personal circumstances.
Along side SAAS funding, full time students may also be eligible for £400 funding from ILA Scotland.
As we are a private institution we have complete independence over who we accept onto the course and the amount of students we take in. Along side our own course tutors for the HNC course we are also free to employ professional staff for workshops throughout the year, fund a Musical production at a local theatre and provide a 'Professional Practise' Week. This full time course not only consists of study to gain an HNC in Musical Theatre but we have added extra classes and opportunities to the full time course to ensure that we deliver a course which will produce students ready to take their next step into further study or professional work.
The HNC Tuition Fees for the year are £2700 (Optional Trinity College, Dance and Music exams are a separate additional fee)
For example the fee could be made up of the following:
- £1285 SAAS funding (If you are eligible for assistance – the figure can vary year to year)
- £400 ILA Scotland funding (if you are eligible for it)
- £1015 personal contribution* or £815 once the deduction of the £200 course deposit has been made, split into 10 monthly instalments of £81.50 per month or approx. £20 per week!
* This contribution can be made up of your own resources, parental contribution, student loan funding (if eligible) or young students bursary (if eligible).
Upon acceptance to the HNC course we will detail the payment dates and instalments. This can be mutually adjusted dependent upon each student's circumstance. A non-refundable deposit of £200 is required to be paid immediately to secure your place on the course if you are accepted for study. Our office can advise on SAAS funding and fee payment instalment options.
