Mary’s Music School is an independent specialist music school based in Edinburgh, providing a world-class music and academic education to talented young primary and secondary school musicians. Their mission is to open doors to young instrumentalists, composers, singers and choristers who show outstanding potential, giving them the opportunity to flourish and excel, musically and academically, in a safe, supportive and inspiring environment.

As Scotland’s national music school – one of five Government-supported specialist music schools in the UK and the only one of our kind in Scotland – a passion for music lies at the heart of everything they do. The school welcomes young instrumentalists, composers, singers and choristers.

Our specialist music teaching encompasses instruments from the keyboard, string, woodwind, brass and percussion families, across classical, contemporary, early music, chamber music, traditional and folk music, and jazz genres. We offer composition as a first-study option and our new Vocal Department is open to young singers aged 13 and above.

School and academic life here is rich and varied, with around a third of our young musicians boarding with us on campus, and admission is by audition, with musical ability and potential our only criteria. We consider every application individually and offer places on merit, regardless of financial circumstances.

We provide an opportunity for young choristers to study and perform as part of the Choir of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, which enjoys an international reputation through concerts, recordings, broadcasts and tours. Choristers are fully immersed in the famous daily choral tradition of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral and join us when they are 8 or 9 years old, committing to a five-year programme of chorister life. The chorister curriculum is a demanding but rewarding one, with time split between rehearsing and singing at the Cathedral and academic learning at St Mary's Music School. 

St Mary’s Music School is co-educational and non-denominational, and our pupils come from Scotland, the UK and overseas. This international mix means that from the earliest age, everyone experience the richness of different cultural approaches to music, to education, and to life. Entry to St Mary's Music School is based purely on musical potential with an audition process in place for applicants.