Perfect Harmony

Posted by Janet @ Alba on August 28th, 2018

The Old Royal High School is a 19th-century neo-classical building on Calton Hill, Edinburgh.  It was built for the Royal High School between 1826 and 1829. Since 1968 when the pupils moved to a new modern school in Barnton, the building has had various short-term uses.  

The Old Royal High School

Various plans have been put forward for the building such as a luxury hotel and an art gallery. Each time the plans have been opposed by either the people of Edinburgh or various Trusts and Societies such as Historic Scotland. 

In April 2015 the Royal High School Preservation Trust was established and set out 5 aims for its proposed development of the former Royal High School:

1. Conservation of the main building
2. Protection of the setting of the site
3. An economically sustainable use
4. A culturally suitable use
5. A substantially public use

Perfect Harmony

The Royal High School Preservation Trust's campaign to bring 2 of Scotland's national treasures, St Mary's Music School and the Old Royal High School of Edinburgh together, in Perfect Harmony.

They feel this plan meets all the 5 aims above.  It will allow St Mary's to grow the number of pupils (from all backgrounds) it enrols while extending its outreach programmes, master classes and workshops to more than 300 children from communities all over the country. It will also deliver 3 new public performance spaces and a public garden, cementing Edinburgh’s priceless UNESCO World Heritage status.  

STROMA Films, an Edinburgh production company, was commissioned to create a video for the campaign to bring together St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh with the Old Royal High School.  The video shows the stunning location of the old Royal High School building, the architectural changes proposed by St Mary's Music School architects and a few of the talented musicians currently attending St Mary's Music School.