Music Practice Rooms

Music Practice Facilities

The Music practice facilities are now available to UCD music students, Ad Astra Performing Arts Scholars, non-music students taking one or more music modules, and non-music students who play at an intermediate level and do not have practice facilities in their accommodation.

All students using the Music practice facilities must gain permission from the School of Music Administrator.

Practice Rooms Availability and Schedule

1. Roebuck Castle Courtyard,  School of Music Rooms 1-5: available 8.00am-10.00pm Monday to Friday, and 8.00am-6.00pm Saturday and Sunday. There are digital pianos in Rooms 1, 2, 3 and 5. Room 4 is equipped with an upright piano. 
2. Rooms J305 in the UCD School of Music, Newman Building: Only available for Ad Astra Performing Arts Scholars from 3.00pm-10.00pm Monday to Friday (unless a scheduled lecture, audition or rehearsal is taking place)
3. Room J307 and J308 in the UCD School of Music, Newman Building: Available to Music students from 5.00pm-10.00pm Monday to Friday (unless a scheduled lecture, audition or rehearsal is taking place).
4. Newman Basement School of Music Practice Room: available 8.00am-10.00pm Monday to Friday, and 8.00am-6.00pm Saturday. The room may be used for keyboard practical classes during the day. The timetable is displayed on the bulletin board in the Music corridor (3rd Floor, J Block, Newman). The room is equipped with seven digital pianos.  

Permission and Conduct

The following rules of conduct are strictly enforced:

• Use of the practice facilities is limited to serious study only – use of these rooms for recreational purposes of any kind is not allowed.
• Use of our pianos and keyboards is a privilege, and the instruments must be treated with care – if any damage is caused, this privilege will be revoked.
• Likewise, the rooms themselves must be treated with respect. Consumption of food or drink is not allowed in the rooms. Any rubbish must be placed in bins. The other furniture in these rooms should not be moved.
• Students who provide access to other students who are not approved to use the facilities will be barred from further use of these rooms.
• The code that is used to access the Newman Building practice rooms must not be disclosed to other students who are not approved to use the facilities.

The use of the practice facilities is a privilege for students and failure to adhere to the rules of conduct will result in suspension of permission to use these rooms. Access to the practice rooms is monitored.

A-1)  Procedures to Get Your Student Card Activated to Gain Access to Roebuck Practice Rooms 1-5

1. Go to (opens in a new window)Roebuck Castle and swipe your student card against the security pad at the door. (You will see a flashing red light and access is denied.)
2. Memorise the EXACT TIME of the swipe*. (Your denied access is recorded with a unique serial number**.)
3. Fill out the (opens in a new window)Application for Roebuck Practice Rooms.
4. You will hear from us within 2-3 working days.

* If multiple cards are swiped back to back at the same minute and hour, let us know the order by emailing to (opens in a new window)music@ucd.ie.

**One serial number per card is allocated. Even if you swipe your card multiple times, the same serial number will appear on the access management system.  

How to Get to Roebuck Castle

(opens in a new window)Go to Roebuck Castle (Google Map)

Go through the gate and turn left.

Door to the Music Practice Rooms

A-2)  How to book Roebuck Practice Rooms 1-5

An online booking system is now available to book hourly time slots for the Roebuck Castle practice rooms. 

1. (opens in a new window)Roebuck Practice Room 1, Booking Calendar 
2. (opens in a new window)Roebuck Practice Room 2, Booking Calendar
3. (opens in a new window)Roebuck Practice Room 3, Booking Calendar
4. (opens in a new window)Roebuck Practice Room 4, Booking Calendar
5. (opens in a new window)Roebuck Practice Room 5, Booking Calendar

Ensure you make your online bookings on the hour and finish on the hour. Also please cancel your pre-booked slot from your Google Calendar if you are not using it as a courtesy to other users. The use of the rooms will be monitored.

Swipe your card at the door (You will see a green light) and swipe your card once again at the inside door on the right. Practice rooms 1-5 are all located on the ground floor. 

Heating is provided in the building during the normal university working times. Be aware of the emergency phone number 01-716 7999 in case you need to report an emergency incident.

The (opens in a new window)UCD Walk Safe Service is available through UCD Estates.  "UCD Walk Safe Service" is designed to assist the UCD Community by providing walking escort services from one campus location to another. Members of UCD Security, fully PSA licensed, will provide the escort as assigned by Campus Services.

B) How to Book Music Seminar Rooms J305, J307 and J308 in Newman Building

If you require access, please contact the School Manager ((opens in a new window)music@ucd.ie) two working days in advance, who will give you the access code. Please include your student number in your email. 

C) How to Book the Newman Basement Practice Room

If you require access, please contact the School Manager ((opens in a new window)music@ucd.ie) who will give you the access code. The practice room is located underneath the Blue Bird Café. From J301, take the lift/stairs to the ground floor. Walk across the ground floor to the lift/staircase beside the Arts Café. At the bottom of the stairs turn right and right again into the lockers area. The room is on the left.