The Royal Conservatoire has occupied its current purpose-built building on Renfrew Street in Glasgow since 1988. Its roots lie in several organisations. Officially founded in 1847 by Moses Provan as part of the Glasgow Athenaeum, from an earlier Educational Association grouping, music and arts were provided alongside courses in commercial skills, literature, languages, sciences and mathematics. Courses were open and affordable, including day classes for ladies, and the Athenaeum had a reading room, news room, library and social facilities. Apprentices could also be members. Rented accommodation was found in the Assembly Rooms, Ingram Street, with major lectures taking place in the
City Halls. The chairman at its inaugural Grand Soiree in the City Halls in December 1847 was
Charles Dickens when in his opening remarks he stated that he regarded the Glasgow Athenaeum as "an educational example and encouragement to the rest of Scotland". Its Dramatic Club was formed in 1886 a year before the institution moved to purpose-built premises, inclusive of a major concert hall/theatre, in St George's Place close to West Nile Street, designed by architect
John Burnet. In 1888, the commercial teaching separated to form the
Athenaeum Commercial College, which, after several rebrandings and a merger, became the
University of Strathclyde in 1964. The non-commercial teaching side became the
Glasgow Athenaeum School of Music. In 1893 additional premises linked through to
Buchanan Street and included a new Athenaeum Theatre facing Buchanan Street designed by architect
Sir John James Burnet. In 1928 the premises were substantially extended with a gift from the philanthropist
Daniel Macaulay Stevenson. In 1929 the school was renamed as the Scottish National Academy of Music to better reflect its scope and purpose. This major acquisition of space at the corner of St George's Place (later renamed Nelson Mandela Place) and Buchanan Street was the Liberal Club (now not required by that party), designed originally by architect Alexander Skirving and remodelled by architects Campbell Douglas and Paterson in 1907. Its principal from 1929 to 1941 was
William Gillies Whittaker. In 1944, it became the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. The Royal Scottish Academy of Music established a drama department called the
Glasgow College of Dramatic Art during 1950. It became the first British
drama school to contain a full, broadcast-specification
television studio in 1962. In 1968 the Royal Scottish Academy of Music changed its name to the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) and introduced its first degree courses, which were validated by the
University of Glasgow. During 1987–88 the academy moved to its present site some two hundred yards north in Renfrew Street at Hope Street, across from the Theatre Royal, the new building having been designed by architect Sir
Leslie Martin with executive architects William Nimmo and Partners. RCS is one of four member conservatories of the
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Incorporation of full title From 1 September 2011, the RSAMD deferred to its full title The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The name has deep roots and the change was confirmed after a long consultation process that involved the principal John Wallace and the academy's board of directors, as well as past and present students and staff, arts & academic institutions, politicians, and the Royal Protocol Unit. The principal said the change was necessary as it was no longer simply a music and drama academy. Undergraduate courses in areas such as Digital Film & Television, Production Arts and Design, Production Technology and Management, Musical Theatre and Modern Ballet (in partnership with
Scottish Ballet) have been added to the degrees the Royal Conservatoire offers. He felt it was best to choose a name that was representative of all disciplines offered. ==International ranking==