About

The Laidlaw Music Centre is at the heart of the University of St Andrews’ musical life. The Music Centre provides facilities for enjoying music in all its forms to all sections of the St Andrews community. The centre offers facilities and opportunities for individual and group practice, tuition and performance, concert-going, and formal academic training.

The Music Centre provides opportunities to perform, study and listen to music in a multi-award-winning building. Officially opened in 2022, the Laidlaw Music Centre curates or hosts more than 70 performances and events each semester at venues such as the McPherson Recital Room, which is the first chamber hall in the world with a reverberation chamber.

Music at St Andrews offers the unique opportunity for students to participate in high-level music making whilst studying a different subject at degree level. As a result, all students, regardless of their main degree subject, can access the same musical opportunities.

The Music Centre also offers ten undergraduate music modules and an MLitt in Sacred Music, allowing students to study Music in theory and in practice.

Find the Laidlaw Music Centre

In 2018, the Fitzwilliam String Quartet became the University of St Andrews' quartet in residence, after many successful visits to the University to perform and work with students over the previous ten years. The quartet's work at the University includes the following:
- regular 'side-by-side' performances alongside University string players
- an annual concert as part of the St Andrews Concert Series
- teaching, coaching and mentoring of University string players
- leading the orchestra for productions by Byre Opera: 2022's production was Pelleas and Melisande
- a highly popular annual chamber music course, Strings in Spring, during which the quartet works with visiting amateur and student string players from across the UK.
For future years of the residency, the quartet plans further initiatives including the following:
- an annual retreat for University string players and ensembles at the Burn House in Edzell
- an annual course exploring aspects of period performance.
Lucy Russell, the quartet's leader, is also the University's Honorary Professor of Violin and visits every semester to teach advanced string players and coach scholarship quartets.
Since 2013, the Wallace Collection has been making regular visits to St Andrews to work with students and share with audiences their unique repertoire performed on modern and period instruments.

John Wallace, former Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Artistic Director of the Wallace Collection is also the University’s Honorary Professor of Brass.

In 2019, the Wallace Collection became the University’s ensemble in residence and is a key partner in delivering StAMP and the University’s Fringe of Gold Festival.

About

Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Orchestra in residence

Fitzwilliam String Quartet: Quartet in residence

Wallace Collection: Ensemble in residence