Roger Bobo is very proud to announce his appointment as a full faculty member at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. As his work at the Lausanne Conservatory in Switzerland has been reduced due to Swiss mandatory retirement-age laws, Roger has become increasingly active at the RNCM. He can now accept post-graduate students for the coming academic year 2004/2005. Both British and overseas students are very welcome to apply, and tape auditions are possible! This is now "THE" school for students wishing to pursue postgraduate degrees with Roger Bobo.
In addition to regular tuba lessons and masterclasses (Roger is currently commuting from Switzerland, with two week long teaching sessions per month = four lessons / month), Roger is increasingly active as a conductor at the RNCM. Students of all brass instruments can also now benefit from Roger's long orchestral experience in the orchestral literature class at the conservatory.
The Director of the RNCM is composer Edward Gregsonm and the head of the School of Winds and Percussion is tubist James Gourlay, so it is certainly a "tuba friendly environment." Prof. Gregson sums up "life at the RNCM" (extracted from the RNCM website):
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What can you expect if you come to the RNCM? Well, certainly all of the following:
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Postgraduate courses are designed to meet the individual needs of students by offering one or two years of advanced study and experience in preparation for meeting the exacting demands of the profession. Career potential is a major factor in the assessment of applicants for all postgraduate courses.
The RNCM offers the following programs:
Entrants to Postgraduate courses must hold a first degree, or equivalent (or to be of equivalent professional standing). This qualification need not be in music but all candidates must be able to satisfy the College that they have already achieved a high standard of performance in their principal study discipline, and have the potential to develop further. Applicants for the MMus course must also have demonstrated high academic achievement at first degree level.
Performance opportunities
Students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses audition for orchestral opportunities and receive coaching in ensemble.
The RNCM has been at the centre of the national development of wind orchestras and ensembles, and is recognised internationally as a leader in this field, through the high-profile activities of the Wind Orchestra.
Ensembles include:
The highly acclaimed RNCM Big Band, which performs regularly in the College and at outside venues, is one of two full-sized jazz orchestras at the RNCM which, together with beginner and advanced classes in Jazz Improvisation, are open to all College students.
The recently formed RNCM Brass Band has now recorded two commercial CDs and performs regularly all over the UK. With the variety of activity within the School, and the regular professional contacts gained through auditions, there are many freelance opportunities for students who have reached the appropriate standard.
Tuition fees (for academic year 2002/2003
| UK and EU Students | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | £1,100 |
| Postgraduates | £4,400 |
| Overseas Students | |
| All courses | £9,900 |
Tuition scholarships are availabel also for overseas students.
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Student Housing The RNCM also provides affordable student housing in the Groves Residence hall Public performance is central to the life of the RNCM and its students. The main RNCM orchestras and ensembles listed below regularly give performances both at the College and throughout the UK. |
Auditions and admissions information
Please contact the RNCM Secretary of the School of Winds and Percussion directly for admissions information - You should also visit the RNCM website for more information. You can also request a prospectus - just click here
Roger is the Professor of Advanced Studies for Low Brass at the Lausanne Conservatory in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he has an international class of tuba students. However, due to rigid Swiss laws regarding retirement age, Roger is no longer able to accept students at Lausanne - his tenure at the school is unfortunately slated to end when the last of his current students graduate in 2005.
Roger does however, accept students in Lausanne for a brief period of private study. Lausanne is located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland on the shores of Lake Geneva. It's a beautiful area internationally renowned for wine and cheese as well as tuba playing. The closest international airport is in Geneva, with convenient train connections to Lausanne (tweny-five minutes by train, with the train station in Lausanne being a ten minute walk from the conservatory).
The conservatory itself is located in the charming town centre in a modern building. All teaching studios have Steinway pianos and there is a Steinway workshop in the basement! There are abundant practise studios, a very good recital hall, and an excellent restaurant on the third floor.
The Conservatory is a 10 minute walk (uphill) from the train station, or a 10 franc taxi ride. The closest airport is in Geneva, which has excellent connecting railway service to Lausanne (approx. 40 minutes, with trains running every 1/2 hour).
Coming to Roger Bobo for a period of intense study is appropriate for professional musicians and students who are fairly advanced in their studies. Former "students" who have studied with Roger in this way include Christian Lindberg, Gene Pokorny, Marco Pierobon, Wes Jacobs, Heiko Triebener, Anne Jelle Visser, Roland Szentpali, Velvet Brown, Tamas Keleman, Ben Van Dijk, Bernard Beniers, Douglas Tornquist, Christy Belicki, Harri de Lange, and Coen van't Hof among others.
Live in Italy and want to study with Roger? Welcome to the new low brass course at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole just above Florence (bus number 7 from the central station). The class meets for three consecutive days each month for individual lessons, low brass ensembles, audition preparation, technical study/warmup, etc. Contact for info.
Nell'anno scolastico 2003/2004, Roger Bobo terrà come sempre il suo corso di perfezionamento per trombone, trombone basso, bombardino e basso tuba. Gli allievi devono essere già in possesso di un diploma (vale anche la laurea) e si iscrivono per tutto l'anno scolastico (novembre - giugno). Il corso avrà luogo una volta al mese per due giorni consecutivi (di solito sabato - domenica). Per informazioni, contattate la scuola all'indirizzo .
Allievi che hanno studiato con Roger Bobo a Fiesole e ormai sono "famosi":
Fossi Alessandro - corsi speciali
Affardelli Andrea - corsi speciali
Barsotti Mario - OGI, corsi speciali
Belda Alexandre Cerdà - OGI
Borgonovi Davide, corsi speciali e poi OGI
Colluso Rudy - corsi speciali
Coschino Antonio, corsi speciali e poi OGI
Gagliardi Gianluca - OGI
Gazzoldi Oreste - corsi speciali
Gatti Gianni - corsi speciali
Grosso Gianluca - corsi speciali and OGI
Hussein Dalmar - OGI e corsi speciali
Pierobon Marco - OGI
Scippioni Gianluca - corsi speciali e poi OGI
Roger Bobo has written a method book called "Mastering the Tuba" published by Editions Bim in Switzerland. This book contains excercises for technical development and skill expansion, and is suitable for musicians of all brass instruments (not just tuba and euphonium).
An important part of this book is the text, which is included in the spiral-bound edition in English, French and German. Orders from Italy, Japan and Spain are shipped with an accompanying translation.
The book is now in it's second revised printing: the second edition retains many of the popular exercises and warm ups from the original version, but many have been modified and updated. Also included are new topic areas on circular breathing and low register flexability. One noteworthy feature - the new edition is also considerably cheaper!
Mastering the Tuba can be ordered directly from the publisher by sending an email message to . Orders may also be faxed to +41-21-909 1009. Please direct telephone inquiries and orders to Editions Bim at +41-21-909 1000.
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