Watch: Fly-through takes you inside former Royal High School's transformation into National Centre for Music
The National Centre for Music will be created on the former site of the Royal High School
A new fly-by film has been released revealing the latest plans for the National Centre for Music in Edinburgh.
The conservation project, being delivered by the Royal High School Preservation Trust, will involve the city’s former Royal High School being transformed into a cultural hub for music performance, creation and learning.
Narrated by broadcaster, presenter, and passionate advocate for Scotland’s music scene, Edith Bowman, the digital architecture film offers the local community, musicians and stakeholders an early look inside the building ahead of its opening in 2027.
Created by Greig Penny Architecture, the film takes viewers on a fly-through journey of the former Royal High School as it is transformed into the National Centre for Music.
With detailed animations, the production highlights the wide range of spaces planned for the building – from the unique interior and heritage of the main hall, to the small intimate performance rooms - formerly the school library and headmasters’ office - and the landscaped gardens. The National Centre for Music aims to become a new cultural destination and a place where Scottish musical history is made for decades to come.
Greig Penny, of Greig Penny Architecture, said: “The Royal High School is one of Edinburgh’s most architecturally significant buildings, so it was an honour to bring the new plans to life in such a detailed way.”
Jenny Jamison, chief executive and creative director of the National Centre for Music, added: “We wanted to give our current stakeholders, local communities, future audiences and potential partners from across Scotland’s music sector a true sense of the exciting plans for the National Centre for Music. Greig has done a brilliant job of showcasing not only the new facilities, but also how Thomas Hamilton’s original architecture will be sensitively preserved.”
Initial work to transform the former Royal High School into the National Centre for Music is now underway and is scheduled for completion in 2027.
The project is largely bankrolled by Scotland's biggest arts philanthropist Carol Grigor through her long-running Dunard Fund charity. Music groups and organisations are expected to use the new centre for collaborating, rehearsing, recording and performing.
The building was initially mooted as a potential site for the St Mary’s Music School and The Royal High School Preservation Trust, which was created to pursue the Dunard Fund’s ambitions for the site. The project had secured planning permission and a final lease agreement with the council by 2023. However, those behind the plans were forced to return to the drawing board months later due to the project’s soaring costs.
Plans to create new buildings for St Mary's were dropped in favour of a new vision focusing on the original 1829 building designed by architect William Henry Playfair.
The latest plans for the site include an £8.4 million project to create new gardens, which will be open to the public throughout the year. They will host pop-up venues and outdoor performances during the summer.
Previous proposals to turn the site into a luxury hotel were rejected.
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