SpiritManager

Has anybody investigated studying music at Cambridge? My son is intrigued with the idea of studying with Robin Holloway (composition.) I looked over the website and it all seems so foreign (gee, wonder why?) to me!

neumes

My S has looked--and continues to look--into music at Cambridge but as a choral scholar as well. The UC website is pretty helpful for internationals, but of course you'll need to look at Gonville and Caius's website for specifics. Application date for most UC colleges is October 15 (too early for S!), interviews for those who pass the first round are in Jan, but they don't always ask internationals to interview. You may be aware of the nature of studying at Cambridge (or "going up to Cambridge to read music") but it's focused on a single subject, and is quite different from US colleges--with tutors, lectures, and few but very intensive exams and papers--and the UC website warns that Cambridge may be more theoretical than applicants expect. We've met several Cambridge and Oxford grads who have been choral and organ scholars in the US (half have read music and half other subjects, such as math and history) and most are actually quite well-rounded--they claim that UK public (private) schooling is more intensive and deep than ours. I don't know any composition majors, though.

The only American we've known to apply to Cambridge was not accepted (despite being intellectual, having a lovely personality and voice, and having a 4.8 average and high SATs and plenty of 5's on AP tests--Cambridge colleges use AP tests, not SATs, to judge internationals, at least the colleges my S has looked at) but this person had applied to one of the toughest colleges in a popular major. The colleges state very clearly how many of each major subject they accept per year, so you can find that info, or ask G&C (they drop the Gonville and just call it Caius--pronounced "keys').

You've no doubt considered this already, but your S should contact G&C and try to reach a real person to ask questions--do students even have real contact with Robin Holloway? Does Holloway go regularly to the US to do master classes?

Caveat: my info is from having known with grads from various colleges at Cambridge and Oxford and from S doing research, but he has not looked at Gonville and Caius, so things may be different there.

SpiritManager

It does seem quite daunting, but, for now, we'll continue to explore the possibility. Definitely a wise suggestion to contact the college directly and find out how whether my son would even have the chance to "read" with the composer of his choice.

A friend, whose husband is a part-time fellow at Cambridge (he's also a Professor at Stanford) and who was on the admissions committee (whatever it is actually called,) said that although one doesn't apply to work with a particular Fellow that it is made clear through the interview. She said that even though one only reads the one subject one can sit in on any lecture. And Gonville & Caius is where Stephen Hawking teaches! The college provides pianos in their rooms to every music student. And their dining halls - three course meals every night, set seatings, formal gowns required for the second seating! What a different world than an American college...

Even if my son got accepted, the financial aspects are also daunting. He would have to get one of the very few scholarship/awards to make it viable or find some other source of funding.

As for the major, Gonville & Caius says they take more music students than any of the other colleges - all of 6 a year! The odds don't seem in my son's favor. However, he's a Junior this year, and this is the time I believe for him to dream and explore all the various paths he could possibly take. We're still in that rosy information gathering zone, before reality hits.

neumes

You've got your ducks in a row! very helpful to have an acquaintance who knows what's up. It's good your son's a junior, although a gap year is not a bad thing, anyway. I forgot that S told me that although the general application for UCAS is due October 15, the application for choral scholarship WAS due early September. Interestingly, you can apply up front for deferred entrance.

A piano in the dorm room? Sounds like Curtis! I've heard about those formal meals. I don't think they do that at the colleges S is looking at. 6 music majors a year does seem a little daunting. S's favored UC choral programs have spots for 2 or 3 of his voice part in upcoming years but I don't know if he's looked to see how many academic majors are accepted--thanks for reminder. It would be a long, long shot, of course.

I'm guessing your son has been to Cambridge--it is one of the best town/cities I've ever seen. My S only spent one week there (singing as a 13-year-old; has sung many weeks in other parts of UK) but he really loved it. Of course, it was summer and the sun was up late and it was sunny every day--I hear the sun goes down at 4pm in winter, and there's that rain....)

oldspc

Most colleges at Oxbridge will probably provide rooms with pianos for the music students.

Applicants for choral scholarships are called for auditions in late September. If they like your voice you would then be invited back for an academic interview in December alongside all the other applicants.

Someone who can play the organ (at least reasonably well, i.e. don't just take it up on the off-chance) might consider applying for an Organ Scholarship. It's the only way you can apply to both Oxford and Cambridge at the same time. It means an early application like the Choral Scholarships with "trials" in September. The difference is that they hold the academic interviews alongside the trials so you will get a very quick decision. A friend was offered the organ scholarship with a place to read music at Magdalen College Oxford before he left at the end of the interviews!

Music at both Oxford and Cambridge has quite a strong academic focus (History of Music, Analysis, that sort of thing). For somebody who wants a greater focus on the practical side I would suggest taking a serious look at the Royal College of Music or the Royal Academy of Music. Both in London, both very international, and both amongst the top conservatoires in the world. You can probably do them and Cambridge/Oxford on the same UCAS form.