Guildhall School of Music & Drama announces Spring Evening Courses for 2025
Spring Evening Courses for 2025 cover topics including improvisation, creative writing, composition, acting practice, directing and arts evaluation.
This programme of short courses for ages 18+ consists of 16 evening courses across drama, music, writing and skills for the creative industries.
11 of the courses will take place in-person at Guildhall School. Five courses will happen online over Zoom, covering subjects including film music composition, music production, arts evaluation, production management and orchestration.
All courses run from 6.30pm onwards during weekday evenings from January through to February and March 2025 (depending on the course), for a duration of four to eight weeks.
Courses are aimed at a range of levels for anyone aged 18 and over, and offer participants the chance to learn new skills, develop a passion and meet like-minded people.
Spring Evening Courses 2025 include:
- Writing for an Orchestra: Intermediate (online), a new course giving participants the tools to approach orchestration with confidence, aimed at those with an interest in, and some prior experience of, orchestration or composition.
- Monologues: Connecting to the Text (in-person), a course that will bridge the gap between actor, character and text by exploring practical exercises and techniques, empowering participants to walk into any audition with confidence.
- Introduction to Arts Evaluation (online), for those working in the arts and cultural sectors with organisations or in a freelance capacity, who want to learn how to measure and communicate the impact of their work in a way that is effective, creative and most of all accessible.
- Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 1 (in-person), an introduction to the skills required to bring an idea for theatre to life, using an active approach to creative writing, taking you away from your desk.
- Secrets of Stagecraft (in-person), focussing on different ways of analysing theatre, and empowering participants to think like a professional theatre-maker and talk about their experience as an audience member.
- Film Music Composition: Intermediate (online), for any budding composers who want to develop skills in writing music for a wide range of film genres, including commercials, horror, animation and fashion.
Courses taking place at Guildhall School
Comedy and Performance
Tuesdays, 7–9pm, 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
Aimed at actors, comedians, and anyone who wants to learn practical techniques to successfully draw out the comedic elements of their performance, this fun course will explore the art of laughter in a joyful, supportive environment through a series of group and solo sketches, scenes and games.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Improvisation: Level 2
Wednesdays, 7–9pm, 22 Jan–12 Mar 2025
Ages 18+
Whether you aspire to be on a comedy panel show, want to develop your acting skills, or simply enjoy a pressure-free creative outlet, this course will help you think on your feet, realise your potential, and take your comedy and drama improvisation to the next level.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 1
Course 1:
Tuesdays, 7–9pm*, on 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
Course 2:
Wednesdays, 7–9pm*, on 22 Jan–26 Feb 2025
*The final session for both courses will last 2.5 hours.
This course for beginners explores what "good acting" might be and how to achieve it. During the six sessions you will work with the course tutor to develop truthfulness and connection to text.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 2
Wednesdays, 7–9pm*, 22 Jan–12 Mar 2025
Ages 18+
*The final session will last 2.5 hours.
Further develop your work and grow as an actor, focussing on building confidence through regular scene rehearsals and group sharing. This course helps participants to develop new ways to approach characters and connect to text.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Introduction to Directing: Preparing for Rehearsals
Tuesdays, 7–9pm, 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
Take a seat in the director's chair and get an introduction into the key skills required for theatre directing, such as analysing text, understanding character objectives, making performance decisions, and applying these in the rehearsal room.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Monologues: Connecting to the Text
Tuesdays, 7–9pm, 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
This course will empower you to command any audition room, and provide you with the tools to unpack even the most challenging script. Using practical exercises and useful techniques, learn to bridge the gap between actor, character and text.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Secrets of Stagecraft
Wednesdays, 7–9pm, 22 Jan–26 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
This course explores different ways of analysing theatre, empowering participants to think like a professional theatre maker, analyse like a reviewer, and gain the tools to be an expert of their own opinion as an audience member.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Writing for an Orchestra: Beginners
Tuesdays, 7–9pm, 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
Perfect for any composers and musicians with a passion for orchestral music, this course uses musical excerpts to demonstrate the basics of writing music that will get the most from each instrument of the orchestra.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Creative Writing for Live Performance: Level 1
Tuesdays, 7–9pm*, 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
*The final session will last 2.5 hours.
An introduction to the skills required to bring an idea for theatre to life, this course uses an active approach to help participants develop their creative writing skills, and gain an understanding of structure, form and character development.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Writing for Screen: Level 1
Tuesdays, 7–9pm*, 21 Jan–11 Mar 2025
*The final session will last 2.5 hours.
Translate your idea into a screenplay on this introductory screenwriting course, using a mix of practical writing exercises and group discussions.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Courses taking place online
Introduction to Arts Evaluation
Wednesdays, 6.30–8.30pm GMT, 22 Jan–12 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
This four-week online evening course is for those working in the arts and cultural sector, who want to learn how to evaluate and communicate the impact of their work in a way that is effective, creative and accessible.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Introduction to Event and Production Management
Wednesdays, 6.45–8.45pm GMT, 22 Jan–26 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
The perfect introduction to the skills required to production-manage a variety of shows and events, covering topics such as budgeting for productions, and how to manage stage and technical departments for production, communicating effectively to all departments, including the creative team.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Film Music Composition: Intermediate
Wednesdays, 7–9pm GMT, 22 Jan–26 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
Aimed at any budding composers wanting to develop skills in writing music for a wide range of film genres, including commercials, horror, animation and fashion.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Writing for an Orchestra: Intermediate
Wednesdays, 6.30–8.30pm GMT, 22 Jan–26 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
A new course giving participants the tools to approach orchestration with confidence, aimed at those with an interest in, and some prior experience of, orchestration or composition.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Music Production in Ableton Live
Tuesdays, 7.15–9.15pm GMT, 21 Jan–25 Feb 2025
Ages 18+
This course covers the foundational knowledge needed to produce music from start to finish with the popular Ableton Live software.
Full details can be found on the course page.
Bookings
Further details and fees can be found on the individual course pages.
Join our Short Courses mailing list before Tuesday 22 October to receive priority booking.
Public booking opens 11am on 25 October.
The booking deadline for Spring Evening Courses is 5pm, Friday 17 January 2025, or when the course reaches capacity.
Give the Gift of a Guildhall Short Course
Short Courses make a great present for that special someone. To give someone the gift of a Guildhall Short Course, fill in the booking form with the details of the person attending the course. Make sure to use your email address on the booking form, as you will receive a confirmation email when the place is booked.
Contact shortcourses@gsmd.ac.uk in advance of the course, so that the necessary information can be sent out to the recipient.