Academic Calendar • Hours
Waltons New School of Music
‘Music is given to us with the sole purpose of establishing an order in things, including, and particularly, the coordination between man and time.’
– Igor Stravinsky
‘Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.’
– Frank Zappa
2026-2027 Calendar
Terms
First Term (12 Weeks)
14 September – 12 December
Second Term (11 Weeks)
4 January – 20 March
Third Term (11 Weeks)
5 April – 19 June
Summer Term
• Part One (5 Weeks): 28 June – 31 July
• Part Two (4 Weeks): 3 – 28 August
Breaks • Holidays
Mid-Term Break (First Term)
26 – 31 October
Christmas Break
14 December – 2 January
St. Brigid’s Day
Monday, 1 February
St. Patrick’s Day
Wednesday, 17 March
Easter Break
22 March – 3 April
Bank Holiday Mondays
3 May, 7 June, 2 August
Download a printable 2026-2027 School Calendar (pdf format).
First – Third Terms
Tuition Hours
Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 10 pm
Friday: 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 8 pm
Friday – Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Summer Term
Tuition Hours
Monday: 10 am – 6 pm
Tuesday – Thursday: 10 am – 10 pm
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Office Hours
Monday: 10 am – 6 pm
Tuesday – Thursday: 10 am – 8 pm
Friday: Closed
Friday Casual Concerts
Our Friday Casual Concerts, which take place twice each term on Friday evenings at 6.30 – 7.30 pm in the school, allow individual students and ensembles to perform in public, show off their skills and learn how to cope with nerves. They are also highly recommended for students preparing for exams.
2026-2027 Concert Dates
13 November 2026
11 December 2026
26 February 2027
19 March 2027
21 May 2027
18 June 2027
See School Concerts for more information on the New School’s Friday Casual Concerts.
End-of-Year Concerts
Our annual End-of-Year Concerts take place in the National Concert Hall’s John Field Room. Celebrations of the New School’s musical diversity, these concerts showcase a wide range of our instrumentalists, singers and ensembles, as well as winners of our annual Scholarship Competition.
2026-2027 End-of-Year Concert Date
To be confirmed.
See School Concerts for more information on the End-of-Year Concert.
Music Meetups
However casual and supportive our Friday Casual Concerts are, they are still concerts, with performers and audiences. Our Music Meetups – which like our concerts take place on Fridays at 6 – 7.30 pm – are something different.
Music Meetups are student led, even more casual, sometimes collaborative, but most of all not concerts. First and foremost, there is no separation of performers and audiences. You go to a Music Meetup to share something you’re working on with others. It could be piece or song (or even part of one), in any genre or style. It could also be a song or piece that you composed yourself. The level doesn’t matter. Beginners are as welcome to share what they’re working on as advanced players or singers. Meetups are also opportunities to meet other students and even collaborate with them. The point is that everyone is there to share and to play or sing something in a more public setting. Although Meetups aren’t designed for this, you can also ask other participants for their feedback after you play or sing your piece or song. But please don’t give your feedback unless someone asked for ít! (This and other protocols are listed on the Music Meetups page.) Although whoever is ‘on’ is welcome to use the stage and piano in Room 12 (our largest classroom), participants are otherwise seated in a large circle. Overall, Music Meetups are a great way to develop your confidence as a performer in an even more relaxed setting than our Friday Casual Concerts.
2026-2027 Music Meetup Dates
23 October 2026
27 November 2026
4 December 2026
12 February 2027
5 March 2027
7 May 2027
4 June 2027
See Music Meetups for more information on the Meetups.
Trad Slow Sessions
Our Trad Slow Sessions are real Irish music sessions, but they are supervised and directed by our trad teachers and the session tunes are played at a slower than normal pace (often less than half the speed), so that near-beginner and intermediate players can more easily learn the tunes and join in the sessions. Trad Slow Sessions, which take place around once a month on Friday evenings at 6 – 7.30 pm in the school, are a great way for students of Irish traditional instruments to build their skills and develop confidence.
2026-2027 Trad Slow Session Dates
9 October 2026
6 November 2026
4 December 2026
22 January 2027
19 February 2027
19 March 2027
14 May 2027
11 June 2027
See Trad Slow Sessions for more information on the Sessions.
Scholarship Competition
Our annual Scholarship Competition awards full-year tuition scholarships in three categories – Young Student of the Year, Mature Student of the Year and Most Promising Beginner – as well as Ensemble and Songwriting • Composition Prizes.
2027 Competition Date
Sunday, 23 May 2027
See Scholarship • Prizes for more information on the Competition, as well as entry requirements.
Exam Dates • Entry Deadlines
ABRSM
Spring 2025 Exams
Face-to-Face Exams
Online booking: 18 – 30 January 2024
Exam dates: February – March 2024
Digital Exams
Available on demand.
Summer 2024 Exams
Face-to-Face Exams
Online booking: 16 – 29 April 2024
Exam dates: June – July 2024
Digital Exams
Available on demand.
Winter 2024 Exams
Face-to-Face Exams
Online booking: 16 – 30 September 2024
Exam dates: November – December 2024
Digital Exams
Available on demand.
See the ABRSM website for more information.
RIAM
Winter 2023 Exams
Entry Deadlines
4 October 2023 (live exams & theory)
1 November 2023 (digital recorded exams)
Upload Windows for Digital Recorded Exams
6 November (9am) – 10 November (12 noon)
20 November (9am) – 24 November (12 noon)
Live Exams
1 November – 2 December 2023
Spring 2024 Exams
Entry Deadlines
24 January 2024 (live exams)
14 February 2024 (digital recorded exams)
Upload Windows for Digital Recorded Exams
21 February (9am) – 27 February (12 noon)
6 March (9am) – 12 March (12 noon)
Live Exams
21 February – 13 March 2024
Summer 2024 Exams
Entry Deadlines
27 March 2024 (live exams & theory)
24 April 2024 (digital recorded exams)
Upload Windows for Digital Recorded Exams
1 May (9am) – 8 May (12 noon)
29 May (9am) – 5 June (12 noon)
Live Exams
29 April – 1 June 2024
Online & Written Theory Exam
Preparatory Grade to Grade V: 13 – 16 May 2024
Grades VI, VII, VIII & Senior Certificate: Saturday 11 May, 12 – 6 pm
See the RIAM website for more information.
See FAQs About Music Grade Exams or Grade Exam Syllabi by Instrument for more information on music grade exams.
a comprehensive music centre in the heart of Dublin.