▁school , ▁which ▁is ▁non - den omin ational , ▁provides ▁education ▁for ▁children ▁with ▁a ▁special ▁talent ▁in ▁music , ▁and ▁is ▁Scotland ' s ▁only ▁full - time ▁independent ▁special ist ▁music ▁school . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁school ▁has ▁ 8 0 ▁pup ils ▁from ▁many ▁different ▁background s ▁and ▁from ▁all ▁parts ▁of ▁Scotland , ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁UK ▁and ▁abroad ▁- ▁ 4 9 ▁day ▁pup ils ▁and ▁ 3 1 ▁board ers , ▁plus ▁one ▁student ▁on ▁the ▁school ' s ▁Part - time ▁Path ways ▁to ▁Special ism ▁scheme . ▁ ▁En tr ance ▁Entry ▁to ▁the ▁school ▁is ▁by ▁aud ition ▁and ▁assess ment , ▁based ▁on ▁musical ▁ability ▁and ▁potential ▁and ▁regardless ▁of ▁personal ▁circumstances . ▁Scottish ▁Government ▁fund ing , ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 0 0 %, ▁is ▁available ▁through ▁the ▁stat ut ory ▁A ided ▁Places ▁scheme ▁to ▁assist ▁with ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁tu ition ▁and ▁board ing ▁fe es . ▁The ▁school ▁and ▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁C athedral ▁also ▁award ▁b urs aries . ▁ ▁Performance ▁The ▁school ▁oper ates ▁a ▁large ▁chamber ▁or chestra , ▁a ▁Junior ▁String ▁S inf onia ▁and ▁a ▁Senior ▁String ▁Ens emble . ▁Jazz ▁and ▁Trad itional ▁Scottish ▁Music ▁( including ▁instruments ▁like ▁the ▁cl à rs ach ▁and ▁bag pip es ) ▁feature ▁in ▁special ist ▁ens emb les ▁and ▁in ▁Jazz ▁and ▁Scottish ▁Music ▁Days . ▁Stud ents ▁perform ▁regularly ▁throughout ▁Edinburgh ▁and ▁beyond . ▁In ▁addition