Menu
GUILDHALL SCHOOL

Discover Guildhall

Tour the School

Walk the School with Guildhall students

During my time here, I organised an international conference based around my subject involving delegates from 4 continents

Emily Baines
DMus, ‘Mechanical Musical Instruments as a Source for Historical Performance’

The teaching staff encourage the diversity that Guildhall is known for…there is something for everyone, regardless of style and influence

Oliver Leith
MMus Composition

The research community at Guildhall is a really interesting place to be

Stefania Donini
PhD

I found it very beneficial to take a break from a busy teaching career to think and reflect on my teaching value, principle and strategies

Yushan Li
PGCert Performance Teaching

Whether it is in sit-in rehearsals, side-by-side projects or chamber orchestra sessions, the LSO players offer invaluable guidance and provide a glimpse of the exceptional standards we aspire towards.

Rees Webster
MPerf Oboe (Orchestral Artistry)

Studying at Guildhall is really cool because you are in a setting where the arts are valued by an entire community

Natasha Mbwana
BA Performance & Creative Enterprise

The projects we work on are real - we are in effect constantly getting work experience

Laurie Lumley
BA Video Design for Live Performance

Guildhall is an institution that knows it has to be connected to the outside world - that's the key thing. It's not a bubble. It has roots in the city and in the world.

Jonathan Ferrucci
Artist Diploma Piano

One minute you could be playing in the Guildhall Studio Orchestra with jazz musicians, the next you could be playing in the opera pit, then the next minute you'll be with actors doing the musical and then playing a symphony in the orchestra.

Millie Ashton
BMus Violin

Home > About the School > Research > PGCert Performance Teaching
PG Cert Performance Teaching workshop

PGCert Performance Teaching

One year part-time or two years part-time

Performance Teaching is designed to support professional musicians, actors, theatre technicians and dancers who also teach. It presents a unique opportunity to develop creative and reflective practice in performance teaching. You will be encouraged to identify a personal pathway for your development, focusing on the pedagogy of performance and creative practice in the performing arts, in specific contexts that are most relevant to your career aspirations.

The PGCert in Performance Teaching will prepare you for employment as a professional artist-teacher in a range of contexts, including Higher Education, specialist performing arts schools and junior conservatoires, state and independent schools, community and lifelong learning, and inclusive learning programmes such as Sistema-inspired initiatives.

Participants with enough current Higher Education teaching experience have the option of completing an elective, Reflective Practice in Higher Education, which will lead to professional recognition from the UK Higher Education Academy.

Listen to Vanessa Lingham and Sue Dent, Guildhall staff and also students on the PGCert Performance teaching, discuss the programme and the pedagogy of performance in our podcast.



PG Cert students in a workshop
PGCert students in workshop


How you'll learn

The programme takes a blended learning approach, combining intensive workshops with online learning activity. Supported by a team of world-renowned practitioners, researchers and guest speakers, you will develop skills and knowledge in the fundamental principles of pedagogy, professional frameworks, teaching and facilitation approaches.

Where appropriate, the programme team will support you in accessing opportunities for practical experience of facilitating learning in a range of contexts, drawing on the Guildhall School’s extensive network of partners.

With a strong emphasis on reflective practice, you will develop an informed awareness of the national and international landscape of performance teaching. You will be supported by a personal Pedagogy Mentor, and will participate in guided peer support groups.

Who should apply?

This programme attracts applicants who are interested in creative, innovative and evidence-based performance teaching and offers:

  • A strong focus on critically reflective practice, framed by professional guidelines such as the Higher Education Academy Professional Standards Framework
  • Interdisciplinary perspectives
  • Feedback on practical work in Higher Education or Inclusive Learning settings
  • Teaching and mentoring delivered by an experienced team who individually have strong professional reputations as educators, performers and researchers
  • An educational philosophy that celebrates professionalism, international perspectives, creativity, and innovative practices in performance teaching

*Please note if you require a Tier 4 (general) student visa to study in the UK, this is not an eligible programme. Home/EU students will not be eligible for a UK government postgraduate loan on this programme.

Programme outline

The programme is one year or two years part-time, delivered in intensive bursts at specified weekends and in school holidays, thus making it ideal for those with busy portfolio careers. Students take the following modules:

Core Module 1: Fundamental Principles in Performance Pedagogy

and

Elective A: Reflective Practice in Higher Education (This module is only available to students who currently teach in Higher Education contexts, as this is a prerequisite for meeting the requirements of the UKPSF).

Or

Elective B: Reflective Practice in Inclusive Learning

A student taking the programme over two years will undertake the Core Module in year one, and the elective in year two.

Assessments

Core Module:

  • Individual presentation on your core values and principles in teaching
  • Group workshop & presentation on aspects of working with groups
  • 3000 word essay linked to topics from the core module

Elective Module:

  • Portfolio (approx. 6000-7000 words), to include:
    • Write ups of 4 observations of other teachers, plus 1500 word reflective commentary on these
    • Video documentation of 2 of your teaching sessions, together with feedback on these, and an action plan in response to this feedback
    • Overall 1500 word reflection on your learning for the year and next steps
    • Mapping document, linking to a professional standards framework

See the full programme specification, including module specifications and assessment criteria.

Workshop Schedule

Download the workshop schedule for this course (PDF)

Programme Leader

The PGCert Programme Leader is Carlos Lopez-Real.

Open Evening

Find out when our next PGCert Open Evening is on the Open Day page.

Find out more

Find further information on how to apply or contact us if you have any questions.