Music at Cambridge - Practical Music Making

One of the most outstanding features of Cambridge is the richness and diversity of its practical music making, the fame of which extends far beyond the city’s boundaries. There is an enormous range of musical societies catering for (almost) every taste, with orchestral, choral and chamber music as well as opera, jazz, traditional music and much more (for a full list, see Concerts & Societies). In addition, there are countless opportunities for developing performance skills in College musical societies and chapels (see Music Awards); and the Instrumental Awards Scheme provides professional coaching and concert opportunities for gifted instrumentalists who aspire to the highest standards in chamber music performance. In short, all taste and levels of achievements are catered for!

Most of these societies and groups are of course open to all students of the University. Performance is also an optional part of the Music degree course in both the second and third years, and almost all colleges provide funds to subsidise instrumental lessons if a student opts for the performance options. In addition to all this, the Music Faculty sponsors a broad range of practical musical activities. These include: funds that assist students in putting on their own concerts in Cambridge; master classes with members of the Endellion String Quartet (the Faculty’s resident Quartet); composer workshops and other events with the Britten Sinfonia (one of the two professional orchestras that has a special relationship with the Faculty, the other being the Academy of Ancient Music); conducting workshops with professional and student groups; a Gamelan Society that plays on the Faculty’s own Indonesian gamelan; coaching and performance on historical instruments, directed by some of the leading figures in the international field; an annual Nigel W Brown prize that awards a range of professional opportunities to the student deemed by a panel of judges to be the finest instrumentalist of the year (in 2009, Mateusz Borowiak: piano). The Faculty also has an extensive collection of historical and other instruments, which can be loaned to students who have appropriate skills.

We believe, in short, that the quality and quantity of practical music making available to students at Cambridge is, quite simply, second to none.