Music doors open for uni students

By Natasha Evans
BBC Blast reporter, Bristol

You're young, enthusiastic and want a career in music. You could join a band, go to college, try busking or enter a talent contest, but where do you start?

The Victoria Rooms houses a vibrant uni music department

I've been looking at some of the ways to break into the music industry in Bristol. In the third part of this series, we are looking at Bristol University's Department of Music.

It's surprising how many locals don't realise that the impressive, neo-classical Victoria Rooms is Bristol University's Music Department (BUMD).

Usually there are only 30 or so music students at BUMD, but this year there has been a record total of 61. It is still dwarfed by other departments however - the Engineering Faculty has more than 700.

I met Philip Harper (a good name for a musician?!) who has both worked and studied at BUMD.

He explains that music at A Level is "a very variable experience", students arrive with different knowledge and skills.

He said: "It's not a level playing field at all", so university aims to equalise and top up what the students already have.

Similar to many students studying music at university, Philip was unsure about what he wanted to do beyond education.

"I did a masters after graduating", he laughs. "Probably because I still didn't really know what I wanted to do."

Studying music as a university degree seems very holistic and broad; first years will study the historical context as well as theory and technicalities.

Philip says he thinks that perhaps the vocational aspect found at music college is not as strongly present at university, and from my experience, I am inclined to agree.

The department also hosts an extremely high-standard symphony orchestra, which interestingly the music students are a minority.

The doors opened for me. Just not necessarily in the direction I expected. Philip Harper

The department feels that this literal open-door attitude makes music more inclusive, and something that not just music students can work hard on and enjoy.

During term-time, the department hosts weekly concerts for the public.

I was fortunate enough to see a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah earlier this year, performed by the Bristol University Symphony Orchestra and the Bristol Choral Society.

The audience ranged from other students to keen members of the public, sitting with score in hand, following the music intensely.

Bristol University offers what Philip describes as an "all round education, with a well balanced course".

As the years progress, there is greater leg-room to work in more specialist areas, ranging from medieval plain chant to musical theatre.

The flip-side is that the subject specifications are highly, if not entirely, dependent upon the staff available.

Studying for a degree in music appears to be very focused on the individual - the student's likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, which of course will change over time.

Unlike the Bristol Institute of Modern Music or the Royal Welsh College of Music, university does not heavily emphasise the career path and prospects of students.

"The doors opened for me," Philip explained. "Just not necessarily in the direction I expected."

And when asked what studying music at BUMD was all about, the student-turned-staff responded.

"It's a real serious course for people who want to know more in depth about music."